Disqus - Latest Comments for Craig McGinty

Re: We the media

Craig McGinty — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 04:54:41 -0000

In the past local newspapers were great at self-promotion. How often would you see photographs of family events, school classes and special celebrations in the paper?
People then obviously tell their friends and family and buy extra copies, but many newspapers got too big for their boots or ran out of staff to resource these sort of stories.
Then they go and place stories behind paywalls, make it difficult to interact with the newspapers and fail to see the potential of comments/blogs.
Comments and blogs are just the internet age version of seeing your name in the newapaper - people promote the fact that they have left a note on a piece and so it draws their friends and others to the source.
But trying to explain this 'open' approach to newspapers who have worked within monopolies is close to impossible.
If they don't move quick they will be bypassed.
Regards
Craig

Re: 10 questions to ask your public relations consultant

Craig McGinty — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 16:52:15 -0000

I think it is vital that smaller firms and businesses see the potential in blog-style sites, RSS feeds and 'conversation'.
The days of customers being force-fed information and being happy with what they are given are over.
It is very easy for customers to bring down a business today if they receive poor service, and firms need to understand the tools that can do this.
Regards
Craig

Re: Two new clients

Craig McGinty — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 13:36:57 -0000

I know there is no guarentee that a client will take up a blog-style website but if one of your new accounts does it would be interesting to follow the site's progression.

Obviously there will be confidentiality concerns but even a description of any progress in general terms would be very interesting.

Re: Travel companies fret over blog comments

Craig McGinty — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:31:32 -0000

And for some strange reason companies think that criticism won't appear if they don't have comments on a blog.

So instead criticism takes place on other sites, where they definitely have no chance of 'control', when they could have dealt with the comment on their own site thanks to a measured reply directly beneath it.

Re: Why is the UK not getting social media?

Craig McGinty — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:33:50 -0000

I think there is so little opportunity for people in businesses to try out or experiment with many of these online tools.

A couple of days ago I was talking with a chap who works for a company that you'd have thought was pretty clued up in this area, but they don't have any type of blogging policy so there was a block on people trying new things out.

But, I have been helping a group of landscape gardeners use Ning which came out of the fact that they were not getting much assistance from their membership organisation, or 10 calls from a newspaper ad.

Now the landscapers are beginning to see the benefits of shared information and advice, there is a lot of knowledge locked away in the minds of people but it takes a lot of work to get it out.

But I do think that overall there is still a mindset that many 2.0 tools are a waste of employees' time - although they most probably waste more time repeatedly pressing Send/Receive on Outlook throughout the day.

Now I better get back to work ;-)

Re: 25 Signs You’ve Got a Strong SM Consultant or Agency

Craig McGinty — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:49:47 -0000

I think if you approach point 2 from the angle of being an editor, an enabler, a provider of ideas this will help the overall process.

Because not only are you providing people with lessons in how to use the tools, you are making them think about how they relate to other people's content, learn how other sites handle feedback, notice what works in design and this feedbacks into what they produce.

Always thought that the value is not in 'how to set up a blog' but in guiding people over time to get the best out of a blog by making new connections and realising the value of these in the long run.

(bit of a disclaimer, I've worked with Paul on talks about how to use a blog effectively)