on media engagement

Looking for a way to generate a bit more pocket change and/or wondering whether or not to trust online reviews?  Check out this guy, who’s turned writing fake online reviews into a lucrative cottage industry.

The web appeals to some because it is so quantitative — it’s so easy to count visitors, mouse clicks, etc. I hope the marketing visionaries who depend on these types of metrics — and their bosses — are well aware how easy it is to rig the game.  For a small fee, you too can have thousands of Twitter followers!

But don’t we all know that internet metrics are largely for the birds?  Well, that’s the thing.

many people know but don’t care
many people know and care, but don’t know of an alternative measure
many people — wait for it — don’t know and don’t care.

Even if someone valued intangibles such as community or impact, these are very hard to measure accurately because it comes back down to things such as twitter mentions that can be easily gamed.  Welcome to the new media, same as the old media.  I remember back in the dark ages of print promotions when you’d send out reams of mailers and basically crossed your fingers.  Anyone telling you anything different has a bridge to sell you or an axe to grind.