Web-Audience Development Tipping Point?
With thanks yet again to "ArtsJournal" I caught an article this morning chock-full of new and creative ideas for building audiences using the Web. It's all about what's going on in Seattle, but the truth is folks are trying these kinds of new approaches all over the country, and I couldn't be happier about it.
First, here's the article, which is well worth a read.
And by the way, another article from the UK which talks about a Twitter opera libretto being performed at the staid Royal Opera House.
I think the most interesting thing to me is that the foundation world has finally woken up to the fact that throwing some money at creative folks (like you) makes a lot of interesting things happen very fast.
For years, I talked to funders about doing this, and they said "we're not ready to invest in that kind of newfangled technology." Now, it seems we're reaching a tipping point. I think it's becoming commonly accepted that the traditional audience development approaches can exist side-by-side with newer more creative ones.
The only downside I see is a lot of groups are going to spend their money inventing the wheel. Right now, it's a free-for-all and everyone is trying things imagining that they are first, when in fact others may have tried the same approach and learned something.
Would that there were a clearing-house for all of these new initiatives — a master Web site, so that groups that try these new approaches can share their success and what they learned.
Hmm… maybe this is something we should do?
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You are absolutely right Gene – we not only need to learn from these experiences, but share those learnings with others. There does seem to be little sharing happening – at least in a public forum that allows widespread and global knowledge. I have started a network on Ning called Admit2.0 for arts and entertainment marketing in the age of social media. Would love to have more real examples with commentary and evaluation included!
Businesses should definitely use the online resources like social network builder Ning or just create company profiles on social networks like facebook or linkedin. It all helps to share info and create better marketing.