COMMENTS
Most people don't take the time to test any type of results that they get from their blogs, social media, or websites. I think the net is full of overload. A great strategy is to pick one or two tools on the Internet and stick to them. If you try to do everything, you will go crazy.
God Bless!
ELMO
Personally, I know I read now more than ever all thanks to the internet. It gives me the choice to pick my topic everytime, unlike magazines and newspapers, you never know what you're going to read when you pick one up. Besides, I would have to pay extra for them and most newspapers are online now anyway.
This stands to reason. I suspect "total comprehension" hasn't changed much though.
@Elmo - picking the right couple of tools to master is the key.
I think it's generally accepted that publishing content via social media sites is now best practice for "marketing 2.0." My concern isn't that the written word is dying or that people aren't reading (what the UCSD study reported on), it's that the language itself is suffering! Syntax, grammar and spelling are becoming less and less important to content creators, it seems—this is such a sad commentary on our population. Content is king, yes, but the king should still
speak properly, IMO.
@Cindi - Haha, I understand how you feel. As we move toward a more real-time world, timeliness is often prized more than the spelling, grammar, and syntax.
However, part of what makes content valuable is a writer who is not only genuine, but also takes the time to make sure his/her content is held to a high standard.
Personally, I'd rather read a timely blog article with a few typos/spelling/syntax errors that actually says something valuable, original and unique than a newspaper article that regurgitates what I already know.
I do believe it's true that the real heroes in the web space will be the people who can provide value while adhering to grammar, syntax & spelling rules.
You might like this little comic here:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling
Aggregators of quality/effective information will be the winners in the 21st century. Think the iPOD, google, pandora.com- giving the user complete control to customize a ridiculous amount of information into bite size pieces for personal use or happiness. Data is free- how you aggregate and use that data is incredibly valuable in every vertical market and business
Thank you, Pamela. I really enjoyed your elegant article. Both as a writer mourning the demise of English in visual media and as a blogger creating and celebrating good, well-written online content. It really is OK to turn off the telly and fire up the PC. Thanks for reminding me! Best regards, P. :)
I wonder if the rise of mobile computing will also mean written content matters more--blogs and articles are easy to read silently, in pieces, or on the bus. They don't demand the same single-sitting, focused commitment that multimedia content does, so they're easier to fit into your day!
Pam - I agree more and more people are reading today than ever. Including myself. I look for articles of interest and teach other people to do the same thing when blogging. Reading articles helps me get ideas to write about that may help others as well in my field of interest - which is Internet Network Marketing.
Thanks for the great post.
Jerry
"Pay it Forward"
Article Marketing
Strategy</p>
This is an important study as it confirms what many of us have tried to get through to people....! The NUMBER ONE online activity is READING. Hence it is important that websites concentrate on writing good wuality material. This will help sort out the good from the bad online.
Agreed! I dedicated myself to our blog a couple months ago and have rediscovered the joy of writing. Taking some time to craft a worthwhile blog post results in a sense of satisfaction once finished. Blogs are indeed keeping the written word alive.
Another fantastic benefit has been my continued learning through the required research. To build worthwhile posts I need to read, search and discover interesting opportunities in my industry.
The 8 predictions for seo in 2010 are priceless. Thanks for the compilation!
I love that people are reading more, and especially the younger generation who now turn to the Internet way more than TV. But as a parent, what bothers me is that kids reading Web-style find it hard to develop the sustained concentration necessary for serious study of a topic. My high-school aged son has incredibly easy access to unlimited information, but has trouble assembling it coherently to make a solid argument. I think it's because every piece of content he reads on the Internet leads him off through links to 5-6 other distracting sources.