Tris Hussey of Qumana and blogging fame is at the podium as I write, leading a freewheeling discussion on blogging and marketing, authenticity and monetization, good blogging and bad blogging. At mesh in Toronto.
While the discussion is intelligent and thoughtful, I feel like I've been transported back in time... to the kinds of discussions we were having at U.S. conferences two years ago.
This is my first trip to Canada. What a nice place. People move a little more slowly, seem more earnest and genuine. Interesting, though, that they're such close neighbors and yet the "mind set" and knowledge level about blogging is a beat or two behind.
I'm on the Corporate Blogging panel tomorrow at 3 PM. More later...
UPDATE: Oh jeez. I know the above sounds condescending. But it's NOT, really. It's so damn refreshing to visit a place where people are polite and kind and not in such a rush. The U.S. - and especially places like D.C. - could take more than a lesson or two from Toronto.
Confession... I've traveled all over the world, from Antarctica to Asia, but this is my first visit to Canada (!).
mesh06Previous Comments
Tris Hussey said on May 15, 2006 at 03:18 PM
Debbie, Thanks for coming to my talk and supporting me. Love the new look of the site (the over-arching one).
Don’t know if Canadians are behind, rather this is the first conference of its kind in Eastern Canada so they haven’t had a chance to ask those questions until now.
A View from the Isle said on May 15, 2006 at 03:45 PM
Okay I finished ... and I’m happy with it.
Wow, what a great session! OMG ...
——-
Steve Slaunwhite said on May 17, 2006 at 04:06 PM
Canadians behind in their knowledge level about blogging? Debbie, you’re seriously misinformed. Some of the top internet marketing minds in the world are Canadian.
Debbie Weil said on May 17, 2006 at 08:35 PM
Steve,
Click on my name to see my updated assessment of the conference. I was wrong!
steve baker said on May 18, 2006 at 08:38 AM
Debbie,
Since blogging transcends geography, I don’t think entire regions or countries are ahead or behind in it. In fact, I’ve traveled in time just riding the elevator in the McGraw Hill building.
Toby said on May 18, 2006 at 10:53 AM
Debbie - hate to bust your bubble but many smart marketers .. let me say that again - many smart marketers- in the States are *beginning* to explore blogs as a marketing tool. In my travels around the U.S. (I was in Tucson yesterday and Philly last month, and more. This is not a shameless plug but information gathered from several cities.) talking blogs, I’m betting the questions I get are similar to what you heard in Toronto. What is important is that people are asking the questions and are acknowledging that blogs have a place within a marketing strategy.
Blogs and other social media tactics still have an up hill run before they are accepted as ‘main-stream’ marketing tactics.
However, on the plane yesterday I met a senior from the University of Kentucky who will be taking a marketing course that includes blogs. In your own home area Prof Alex, Brown at the University of Delaware, has completed his 3rd marketing class incorporating blogs and social media. http://infotechspring06.blogspot.com/
Not only must we continue to educate the professionals but the next generation of marketers.
Darren said on May 19, 2006 at 02:19 AM
There’s no easy way to prove this, but given that Canada has traditionally outpaced the US in Internet adoption and usage (blame those wide-open spaces), it’s likelier that the Frozen North is ahead on bloggers per capita.
Also, I’ve got to disagree with Steve: “Since blogging transcends geography, I don’t think entire regions or countries are ahead or behind in it.”
For example, if you check out Dave Sifry’s latest state of the blogosphere, you’ll see that France has roughly (or at least, if you like) double the number of blogs as Germany. Yet, France has only 73% the people that Germany has. Anecdotally, I’ve been told that there are much slower adoption rates in some European countries than others.
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