Quality Vs. Fame: The Dilemma of the Social Media Marketers

Yesterday I watched a forum led by Willy Foo about the role that social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter should play in advertising. The object of this post isn't to summarize what was said, (Yuhui and Dorothy have done an excellent job of that) but rather to critique the discussion.

One conclusion was that advertisers for certain products can help themselves by sponsoring fun and exciting events, sometimes featuring alcohol, to grab the attention of bloggers. Two archetypes for these events would be the Intel Centrino 2 launch that took place on a yacht and the recent Samsung blogger night.

Don't misunderstand me, such events are cool. They are unique experiences and if you are going to while away your hours in front of a keyboard writing about your consumer life, it is a nice perk if companies want to help provide interesting experiences to showcase their products.

However, two other vital aspects, and these were mentioned but not dwelt on, are integrity and quality. Bloggers, especially Singapore bloggers, are in a unique position. There is only limited press freedom and there are no independent newspapers or independently owned television stations on the island. If you want to get unfiltered information in Singapore, the internet is the only source. If bloggers as a group really want to stand out, they need to maintain their independence and produce quality content.

I was disappointed to hear Derrick Koh of Lenovo say that many Singapore bloggers suffer from SOS, Shiny Object Syndrome. Instead of searching for quality products, some Singapore bloggers, especially those on the A-List, are only interested in glitz, glamor, and drawing attention to themselves. Moreover, there's a bevy of twenty-something bloggers who make it their narcissistic goal to be the next Xia Xue or Dawn Yang. It wouldn't shock me if one day Sheylara decided to showcase a custom, rhinestone encrusted X-box. During one conversation during brunch, a fellow named Krisandro expressed his desire to be the first male to acquire this type of fame (He was probably joking; he's a pretty funny guy).

The self-aggrandizing, wannabe-celeb attitude is a mindset that Singapore bloggers should squelch. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that your blog is your pathway to celebrity; and don't allow ad companies to buy your integrity.

What should bloggers, especially those that write for a diverse audience, do? They should focus on quality and originality. No, you won't necessarily get famous or get the most hits. (I sure don't.) You might not get any hits except for your friends and acquaintances. Yet the benefits will still be there. At parties you will come across as articulate and well-informed because you're a writer that has something to say. When prospective employers search for your name on Google, they won't find a series of embarrassing pictures of you and your friends playing dress-up in the Gap fitting room. When people find your site via search they will discover helpful and interesting articles, and they won't find a bunch of distracting, juvenile drivel.

Three years ago I was introduced to the Singapore blog scene at the Singapore Writer's Festival. I was able to meet Miyagi, Mr. Brown, and Xia Xue. While I was there I was also able to see a talk by the world's number one blogger, Cory Doctorow. While many Singapore bloggers (you know who you are) focus on themselves and getting famous, Cory focuses on important social issues- digital rights, social activism, and the opportunities presented by new media.

Thankfully, during the SMB forum there were some moments of clarity. Pat Law, a tech saavy Singapore ad agent, expressed the belief that blogger marketing was in the honeymoon stage. She feared that unless there was adequate monitoring and quality control, social media marketing could easily go the way of the Tupperware party. Derrick Koh of Lenovo revealed that his company views social media as an extension of its support division. When people blog or write about their Lenovo laptop problems, they read the posts and try to fix the problems.

My plea to bloggers is this- don't sell your hearts and minds for a drink and a good time to allow your website to become a virtual extension of Vivo City. Use your blog as an outlet to express your interests, originality, ideas, and ideals. You may not become famous, but the internet will be a better place and, in the long run, other bloggers and the citizens of Singapore will benefit.