Jan
11
I’m signed up with Google Alerts to notify me if certain keywords related to Interbike turn up on the internet. I get at least an email a day with a list of links to news stories, blog entries and various other places where my keywords have been used. Most are just blog postings where someone mentions that they saw such-and-such a product at Interbike. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see the brand awareness spread daily, but the story or post is not really about the show itself.
I usually get an average of about 2-3 alerts per day of sites that mentioned “Interbike”. The G-Men sometimes send me as much as 40 or so if we’ve sent out a press release and all the newswire services and bike magazines and sites are picking up on it. It’s like the old news-clipping services from the pre-digital era.
Unfortunately, among all of the legitimate appearances of our brand are some strange random mentions. While not an expert on it, yet, there seem to be blogs that have been set up to just cull material from around the net and copy it onto there sites hoping to attract traffic from people searching for info ion the subject. The resulting traffic, I would assume, adds to the potential ad revenue that they are able to attract. My last post prior to this one, has been quoted verbatim on a site that seems to have lots of random info on a variety of loosely fitness-related subjects. I won’t mention the site here so as to avoid rewarding them for their hi-jacking of our work.
On a positive note, Google Alerts has turned me on to a bunch of new sites and blogs out there. I haven’t had a chance to make my own B-List of blogs and most of the other bloggers have mentioned most of my favorites already. Occasionally, I’ll post here about a new blog that I stumble upon that I think is a worthwhile blog to check out.
Here’s one that I just learned about this morning from GA: J.R.A. by Sarah K. GA picked up on it since she mentions riding in Bootleg Canyon (where the Interbike OutDoor Demo is held each year) while on a road trip. I thought is was a nice description of the IMBA Epic Ride from a rider’s perspective. For an industry insider’s thoughts on Bootleg Canyon, you should give a listen to Carlton Reid’s (of BikBiz UK) comments in the 12-15-06 episode of The Spokesmen Roundtable podcast.
Speaking of podcasts, I was speaking with Chip Smith from SOAR Communications, our pr and media relations company, yesterday about podcasts and we agreed that it’s tough finding time to listen to too many of them. One of the reasons that I still don’t own an iPod is that I don’t know when I would have time to listen to it. I’m either at work or doing stuff with the family. It’s not like when I was in high school and was plugged into a Walkman all the time. When do you all listen to podcasts? Any tips to keeping up with them? I’ve found a lot through iTunes that I would love to listen to, but finding the time is tough. Sometimes, if I’m doing the right kind of work, I can put one on in the background here at my desk, but it does require some attention.
Is there an easy answer?
Comments
2 Responses to “Google Alerts, Bootleg Canyon Post and Listening to Podcasts”
Yep, “spam” blogs that automatically grab content from other sites is a problem. They get removed eventually but for people like you looking for sources of information they’re a pain in the neck to get through.
In 4 years of Blogging, writing about the “Industry” has not been my thing.
Part of it has been the fact that I’m not informed on the industry, and no expert on all things cycling.
Part of it is that, being an “ordinary cyclist” my interest is in sharing my love of cycling, thru stories of my rides, links to other, stories, websites, and BikeBlogs, and being a 1 stop place to find resources.
I truly appreciated the note you posted, this morning, at my place, because it shows me that more Industry folks are finally noticing that the ordinary cyclist, their customers, are writing about what they love, and deserve attention.
I will be adding your blog to my Blogroll, in the hopes of encouraging you to keep it up beyond the convention.