Bono and Dr. Dre Explain The Correct Way To Launch A New Blog In Your Network
Since this blog is about internet media management I thought I’ld do an actual post on management of your network.
Have you ever wondered why rap music has been very popular for the past 15 years while rock music can’t seem to get the same mindshare?
Do you know why U2 is the biggest band in the world 20 years after their first record while other acts with huge hits fade to obscurity?
No?
Well, I going to tell you why those events happened and how you can use the same tricks to make the launch of a new blog in your network a success.
The rap intelligensia figured out long ago what Wal-Mart now uses computers to figure out.
If A likes B and B likes C then C will probably like A.
Rap groups promote from within.
50 Cent did not just show up with a record which was a hit.
Eminem, who discovered him, did some unreleased, underground songs (things only his most rabid fans would want) with 50. Those rabid fans thought “Eminem says this guy his hot, he must be hot.”
And they hyped him up to the non-rabid Eminem fans as the next big thing.
Eminem got this strategy from the guy who discovered him, Dr. Dre. Dre had used this same strategy before to release Snoop Dog to the world.
And where did Dre get this strategy from?
The guy who discovered him, Eazy E.
P.Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean John or whatever he is calling himself now, did the same thing to make his label successful. Jay-Z also. If you trace back the roots of most of today’s successful rappers you will see that they piggybacked off of the success of someone else.
If you are going to be launching a new blog to your network, in order for it to get a maximum advantage in the marketplace, you should have it piggyback off of your other, more successful blogs in your network.
I’m going to use successful-blog as an example because I see Liz has moved on to another network. None of the ones before her latest (and the latest doesn’t seem to be either) used the power of their network to it’s full potential to promote her.
Here’s what they should have done.
Liz should have made an appearance on the networks other blogs.
Not just a ‘look who’s been added to the network’ announcement. That’s freakin’ pedestrian.
She should have been put on fucking tour.
A week at each blog in the network, adding a post or two each day putting her spin on whatever the real owner is writing about.
Since she’s good, regular readers will say “who is that and let me read some of her other posts” while Liz’s regular readers(rabid fans) will (because she will say on her blog where she’s hanging out) visit her on the new blogs and discover a blog they may have knew nothing about.
And since both blog writers will be praising the other, fans of each will think “Eminem says this guy is hot he must be hot”. Suddenly each blog has grown exponetially.
Which brings us to U2.
Unlike other rock groups U2 uses the piggyback effect in a different way. They remixed it.
When they first came to America they would do Elvis and Johnny Cash songs occasionally on tour. Now only rabid U2, Elvis and Johnny Cash fans really knew this. But it had the effect of making these diverse groups think of the other as cool.
If you go see U2 today you won’t hear any Elvis songs. But you might hear them do a Coldplay song. Why? Because Coldplay is young and cool. And suddenly young people, who shouldn’t be into U2 (because they are rabid Coldplay fans) think that U2 is cool just like them.
Get it?
Being able to capitalize on the power of your network is the only reason to have one anyway. You want to create superstars. And have those superstars help you make other superstars.
And that, is the name of that tune.
Explore posts in the same categories: b5media, blog networks, content, Dr. Dre, Eminem, hype, research, successful-blog, U2, writers
February 8, 2006 at 11:10 am
Awesome post. You should do a follow up on how NWA played suburban white kids like chumps with their faux gangsta schtick and tie it in to Cowboy, David Krug and the launch of Erati.
February 8, 2006 at 11:13 am
that’s funny.
February 8, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Brian .LMAO hope that wasn’t snarky ;).
Excellent post Chartreuse
February 8, 2006 at 1:14 pm
And like rappers and producers, blog network owners should “collaborate” because there are plenty of readers to go around. I have no problem with it….
Char have you seen instarblogs new design?…looks a lot like WIN…
Very good post BTW!
February 8, 2006 at 3:29 pm
Dave, make no mistake… I am naturally snarky. My manifesto was about fakers!
You’d be shocked at some of the stuff I say to people’s faces. : )
February 8, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Brian, yet you write Snarky Doesn’t Sell in an article on your site. I guess it works better for some then others,,,,
February 8, 2006 at 4:40 pm
I’m not selling anything over here but bad humor. 🙂
February 8, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Thank you Chartreuse for what you say about me and my blog. I’m hardly in the same league, but it’s very nice to be in the same post wtih all of them.
Great post I love your logic. I think you’re having an impact on me This morning I woke thinking about a post on Peter Gabriel. Hope you won’t mind if you see one.
There’s still that drink in Chicago.
February 8, 2006 at 5:22 pm
I can’t wait to read it. I’m a Peter Gabriel fan.
February 9, 2006 at 2:34 pm
[…] This clip from last night is a perfect example of what I was talking about here. Notice that this clip did not come from a U2 site but from a Mary J. Blige site. U2 grabs urban music fan mindspace. Mary J. Blige picks up some U2 fans. […]
February 9, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Erm, a day on each blog, 2 posts each? So … we’d launch her in 3 months? 😉
Given the circumstances, I’m happy with the transition so far. Lots still to do, but this was totally out of the blue for us, and we had her transferred and setup in less than 24 hours. Again, serving authors first 😉
February 10, 2006 at 10:18 am
3 months does seem like a long time but it’s not in the big picture. The hype for movies and music start well before 3 months. There’s a reason for that. It works.
But I know…I’m coming from left field…
February 10, 2006 at 11:39 am
3 months is a long time :p
I mean, 3 months ago, b5 barely existed. Realistically, what would end up happening would be each day, each new blog would have 3 posts: 1 from the author, 2 from some guest blogger). Every day. on every blog. That’s bound to piss readers off 😉
I hear what you’re fundamentally saying, and I completely agree. I just don’t agree with your suggestion for how this (or any launch, at b5 at least) should be handled. 🙂
June 13, 2006 at 6:25 pm
Great job guys…
July 19, 2006 at 6:03 am
i love music and I’m going to create my own band with my friends. I just need some ideas. By the Johnny Cash music is great. Look it over. I found your site very interesting and exciting. I really enjoyed it. My best wishes