I attended a SXSWi panel with a dubious title yesterday, “Online Adulation: Use Don’t Abuse Your Fans.” Look at those verbs. “Use.” “Abuse.” Not good.
There was one true blogebrity on the panel and sadly she conveyed, perhaps unintentionally, what a hassle it is to be so popular. I don’t doubt for a second that it is a hassle, for blogebrities don’t have people around them to deflect the constant stream of requests on their time and attention like an actor or rock star might.
Yet, because blogs are the centerpiece of social media today, we expect bloggers to be social. Thankfully, the moderator of this panel, Tom Merritt of c|net, provided a nice counterbalance to the blogebrity.
Merritt said he responds to critical emails, which often makes for better fans. He also said, “Good audience relations is good customer service.”
Of course, Merritt is representing a business, not just himself, so he has the additional responsibility of speaking for the c|net brand. But I get the sense that he’d go the extra mile, even if he wasn’t.
