Matthew Buckland GM: New Media www.matthewbuckland.com media 2.0 media 2.0

Matthew Buckland

GM: New Media

www.matthewbuckland.com

web 2.0 Look beyond the buzzword & hype In essence, it’s nothing new Yet captures new spirit & culture on the web Driven by technology & media convergence Popularised new “best practice” approach

Look beyond the buzzword & hype

In essence, it’s nothing new

Yet captures new spirit & culture on the web

Driven by technology & media convergence

Popularised new “best practice” approach

what it means for media Build sites cheaply, quickly & collaboratively Harness reader intelligence & content effectively Harness the “network effect” of internet Is social media online publishing 2.0 for niches? Get closer to reader, create community

Build sites cheaply, quickly & collaboratively

Harness reader intelligence & content effectively

Harness the “network effect” of internet

Is social media online publishing 2.0 for niches?

Get closer to reader, create community

media & web 2.0 Role of media company changing? Dilemma: facilitator, aggregator or publisher? Basic principles: always be edited under yr brand A solution: multi-brand approach = more freedom

Role of media company changing?

Dilemma: facilitator, aggregator or publisher?

Basic principles: always be edited under yr brand

A solution: multi-brand approach = more freedom

Despite the hype & changing technology environment which sees increasingly fragmented, informal media, there is one constant: People want quality

In the digital era, perhaps it’s media’s role to cut through clutter & noise . It was the same as the first newspaper rolled off the press, it’s the same now, and will be the same forever. Media are gatekeepers and guardians of quality.

our web 2.0 projects Blog strategy amatomu.com (regional blog aggregator) Amagama.com (blog hosting) thoughtleader.co.za (blog/media hybrid) Also... newsinphotos.co.za Facebook apps & Facebook groups (and... podcasts; social bookmarking, RSS etc)

Blog strategy

amatomu.com (regional blog aggregator)

Amagama.com (blog hosting)

thoughtleader.co.za (blog/media hybrid)

Also...

newsinphotos.co.za

Facebook apps & Facebook groups

(and... podcasts; social bookmarking, RSS etc)

Daily website Weekly paper

about m&g online Quality weekend weekly & daily website Mostly profitable, 10% companies revenues Both online & offline growing in readership Strong online & offline differentiation Main site more web 0.2 than web 2.0! (redeveloping)

Quality weekend weekly & daily website

Mostly profitable, 10% companies revenues

Both online & offline growing in readership

Strong online & offline differentiation

Main site more web 0.2 than web 2.0! (redeveloping)

where I come from South Africa: 37th in world for WWW users Currently 6th biggest country on FaceBook Internet pop about size of Ireland population Got some of the most expensive internet in world Belated boom : broadband rollout & price cuts

South Africa: 37th in world for WWW users

Currently 6th biggest country on FaceBook

Internet pop about size of Ireland population

Got some of the most expensive internet in world

Belated boom : broadband rollout & price cuts

www.newsinphotos.co.za

newsinphotos.co.za Photos, with web 2.0 Swarm, blog widget, tags Popular photos, comments User photo submissions Slow trickle, but bursts to life with breaking news

Photos, with web 2.0

Swarm, blog widget, tags

Popular photos, comments

User photo submissions

Slow trickle, but bursts to life with breaking news

http://photos.mg.co.za/getone.php

www.newsinphotos.co.za

http://photos.mg.co.za/zzub.php

amatomu.com As media how do we work with blogosphere ? Regional blog aggregator , analytics provider Became a homepage for local blogs Overall picture of local blogs, helped create blog community Automatically generated tags gaining traction with Google Become a gateway to local blogs

As media how do we work with blogosphere ?

Regional blog aggregator , analytics provider

Became a homepage for local blogs

Overall picture of local blogs, helped create blog community

Automatically generated tags gaining traction with Google

Become a gateway to local blogs

www.amatomu.com

www.amatomu.com

www.amatomu.com

www.amatomu.com

amatomu.com 2,5-million clickthroughs back to blogosphere 350k daily page impressions Niche social/business network for bloggers? Network advertising model for blogs?

2,5-million clickthroughs back to blogosphere

350k daily page impressions

Niche social/business network for bloggers?

Network advertising model for blogs?

amagama.com Straight blog hoster , much like an ISP Unmoderated , hands off approach Vertical/silo model , no aggregation React to user abuse tipoffs and take-down notices

Straight blog hoster , much like an ISP

Unmoderated , hands off approach

Vertical/silo model , no aggregation

React to user abuse tipoffs and take-down notices

www.amagama.com

Own journalists, columnists, bloggers, up and coming writers, commentators, academics, CEOs, intellectuals and opinion makers across various industries and political spectrums all share a platform to provide thought-provoking, quality writing.

www.thoughtleader.co.za

harness user intelligence, intelligently Hybrid approach: media model & blog model Best of both formats: Blogs with editor UGC from a select, closed network of users Full moderation (comments & articles) Editor selects lead & homepage articles Articles vetted and subbed

Hybrid approach: media model & blog model

Best of both formats: Blogs with editor

UGC from a select, closed network of users

Full moderation (comments & articles)

Editor selects lead & homepage articles

Articles vetted and subbed

hybrid model Best of publishing editor & gatekeeping processes, corporate structure, style rules, standardised media ethics Best of blogs trackbacks, network, blogrolls, stats, comments, laissez-faire publishing schedule, conversational style

blogger vs columnist We realised we could convince many of these influential people to blog with us , but not do a column. Why?

We realised we could convince many of these influential people to blog with us , but not do a column. Why?

blog Write on what you want, how long you want, however frequently you want, less commitment? “By invitation 2.0”? column Deadline, often write on set topic, set day for publishing, set amount of words, more pressure? more commitment?

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/guyberger

the editorial blog Transplant addictive qualities of blogging Instant feedback & stats & trackbacks Networking with other bloggers Blogger ranking system to create competition

Transplant addictive qualities of blogging

Instant feedback & stats & trackbacks

Networking with other bloggers

Blogger ranking system to create competition

www.thoughtleader.co.za

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/topbloggers/

how we did it Open source , using WordPress (SU) Customised WordPress dashboard, look & feel Hacked WordPress, applied plugins

Open source , using WordPress (SU)

Customised WordPress dashboard, look & feel

Hacked WordPress, applied plugins

insights People dying to write & share ideas, just need a platform Journos want money for writing, non-journos don’t People write better when know it’s going through an editor Build audience by making influential people part of your site As leaders in their fields, they bring their networks to you

People dying to write & share ideas, just need a platform

Journos want money for writing, non-journos don’t

People write better when know it’s going through an editor

Build audience by making influential people part of your site

As leaders in their fields, they bring their networks to you

the stats (3 mnths) >700,000 words 3,000 comments 100 contributors All on a budget of 0$ ...turning traditional media model on its head?

>700,000 words

3,000 comments

100 contributors

All on a budget of 0$

...turning traditional media model on its head?

thank you & questions also available @ www.slideshare.net/matthewbuckland contact @ [email_address]

thank you & questions

also available @

www.slideshare.net/matthewbuckland

contact @

[email_address]