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Powerful Marketing With User Generated Content: Part 2 of 2

Be sure to read part 1.

Fan Blogging / Group Blogging Workflow

The following is similar to the scenario described in my previous blog post, but only covers the steps involved.

1. Setup: Member sends settings to the system which will turn on the service for their account. This includes a standard title and tags to be applied to all photos and video, in addition to the default status setting. Advanced features will allow the member to offer a song or ringtone in exchange for adding the person to their contact/mailing list.

2. Announce: While at the event, the member would need to announce to the audience that they can publish their mobile phone photos and videos on their website live from the event. All one needs to do is provide the audience with their "MobPub" address [BandName@MobPub.com].

3. Event: Once the member's MobPub settings are turned on, those in attendance can simply snap a photo or video, and send it to the band's MobPub address.

4. Publishing: The email/MMS with the photo would then be sent to the member's site, and based on the settings, it would give the image a title, attach a photo number, and apply the tags (keywords) the member entered into the system. If the member set the status setting to pre-approve, the photos and video would then show up on the band's website. If the member selected to approve items after the event, they could login to the site, preview, and approve what they wish to display.

5. Networking: This next step would be available if the band selected to setup the advanced options. These options allow the band to setup a "Thank You" email and select either a song or ringtone to offer as a thanks for posting the photo or video to the band's site.
   

6. Buy In: Here the fan accepts the offer for the ringtone by replying to the message.

7. Connecting: The final link to the media is sent to the fan. Fans will always have the option of removing themselves from the mailing list. In this case, the term mailing list refers to sending out text messages and/or emails.

Powerful Marketing With User Generated Content

Most people I've explained this to start smiling right away and consider it a 'fun' thing – it's obviously about bringing the fans, the audience into the experience more. While this is true, I think it provides many more opportunities that are more significant to those who use this. For example, fans want to be a part of their favorite band, they want to own a bit of them – and that happens through the albums, t-shirts, things they create themselves, bumper stickers and more. With the Web becoming a larger part of the picture, fans now participate in all kinds of band-centric activities – from using the band as chat avatars, to posting on forums. If we can leverage that fan energy in more ways behind the bands, we should be able to improve the fan experience AND propel the band to new heights.

With that said, I think Fan Blogging is a very powerful tool for everyone involved.

• It provides a stronger bridge between fans and bands

• It provides more points of entry for the band.

• It allows the fans to participate and take ownership in the band.

• It documents events from the perspective of those who experienced it.

• It provides an opportunity to bands to increase the traffic on their site.

• It has potential to generate revenue through fans visiting their media, and shopping on the site.

• It generates a contact/mailing list with little effort.

• It's fun

Below is a diagram showing the same workflow which is listed above. If you'd like to see a larger version – click on the image or follow this link: http://www.artistserver.com/files/FanBlogging.png

If you have any questions about this idea, feel free to get a hold of me or post here in the blog. I'm currently building out the photo managing tools and should have mobile publishing done this summer, which means I'll have Fan Blogging online shortly after that.

I've picked up the following domain names for this service:

• FanBlogging.com
• GroupBlogging.com
• MobPub.com
• MobileBands.com