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In my previous posting, I discussed the fall of content value on the web, how originality was becoming slimmer while messages were rapidly growing. One opinion I had was that content was being created at the expense of the web reader, concerned more with traffic or followers rather than providing things of value. Then I began to think more about other reasons for content.

 

Lack of content consumption.

 

Not that there's a lack of readers out there. The reader per blogger ratio is staggering. There are far less bloggers for every internet consumer that doesn't produce their own content, so across the board there is plenty of content consumption. What about the creators?

 

Speaking as a guilty party myself (though I am currently in reform) one of the biggest mistakes made by web 2.0 marketers is spending so much time trying to have our voices heard that we forget to take time and listen ourselves. As important as it is to say what we have to say, it's just important to hear what others have to say too. Your knowledge for creating posts of value is all stored up in a bank in your brain. If you aren't depositing information into that bank by reading up on what others are saying, the well will eventually run dry. I've found this out the hard way from my own experiences.

 

Social media isn't about just talking, it's about a two way conversation between you and your audience. That's what makes it unique and different. Being hell-bent on saying what you want without taking the time to engage with others is no more effective than old school traditional advertising practices. If all you want is to have a one-sided conversation, it would be more cost effective to buy a Google Ad.

 

Real learning is rooted in listening. When I was little I was always told that God gave us to ears and one mouth for a reason. There has to be validity to that.

 

What say you?