• 05/12/2012 - ArtistServer Version 2 on the Horizon
• 05/31/2009 - 18 More Social Sites Added to SocialNetwork.in
• 05/25/2009 - Run Your Own Remix or Music Project at ArtistServer.com
• 05/22/2009 - AudioBoo.fm and YouNoodle.com Added to SocialNetwork.in
• 05/06/2009 - mp3tunes.com - no option to close your account
• 03/17/2009 - How to run a Remix Project
• 09/28/2008 - My Lovely Wife Lou is Pregnant
• 12/14/2007 - ArtistServer News and a new site: FreeMusicLicensing.com
• 09/18/2007 - AritstServer and ToneThis Serve Up Indie Ringtones
• 09/11/2007 - Running LightTPD and PHP on Windows

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

While at the Emerging Technology Conference earlier this week, I handed out 20 folders containing information about ArtistServer.com. I've been sitting on a few of my plans and haven't posted anything online about them, and since this information was in those folders, I feel it's time to start talking about one or two of those plans/ideas here on my blog so they are published publicly under my name.

Yes... we're talking “TOP SECRET” stuff here! Are you ready?

• Concept: Fan Blogging or Group Blogging - Initially, the service is for artists and bands who perform, but can and will be extended to provide the service for any type of event or location.
  

• Summary: To provide the means for an audience and/or participants of an event or location gathering to self document using photos and video from mobile devices. In addition, this system provides a greater opportunity for follow up sales and marketing through the Website which displays the user generated content. Lastly, depending on the settings, a contact list can also be generated which helps one grow their network.

Before I go through the flow of the process, I'll give you a scenario using this system.

Scenario:

Ok, we have this band, and they've joined ArtistServer.com, and they're going on tour across Europe or the U.S. A few of the guys in the band have mobile phones, one possibly has a laptop. Since they're using ArtistServer and have an upgraded account, they'll have access to the Fan Blogging tools. The first show is in their home town, so before the gig, they login to the site, and create a new Fan Blogging Event. After entering the start and end times, a title, some tags and the status setting (which sets if the published content needs band approval first), they publish the Event to ArtistServer. Before heading to the gig, they print out a bunch of flyers with the band's Fan Blogging address: BandName@mobpub.com – this way they can get the word out to the fans at the show on how they can participate.

The band is now at the club/venue, the flyers are placed around at the tables and just before the show starts, the singer announces, “Good evening everyone... All of you that have mobile phones that can snap photos or video, and can also email them to people, we have something for you to do tonight. If you take any photos, or video here at the show, send it to our Fan Blogging address – it's printed on the flyers, which is: BandName@mobpub.com. When you do this, your photo or video will be posed on our band's Website! Plus, if you do this, you'll be sent a message back to your phone asking you if you want a free ringtone! It's our new song, This Is Our New Song, and it rocks. If you are confused, just take a photo and send it to that address – you'll see. After the show, you can always check out the photos from this gig by visiting our site. Check it out at: ArtistServer.com/BandName."

The band launches into their first song and right away, a few people pull out their phones, run up to the band and start snapping photos and video. While back at their seats, they select the photo they like the most, tap in the address, and off it goes. A minute later, these people receive a text message from ArtistServer.com which they probably won't hear it while inside the club, so it stays valid for a day. If they do hear or feel their phone, they can then accept that they wish to be added to the contact list for the band and be sent another message with a link to the free ringtone.

The fans start having fun with it now, and realize that they should start taking photos of each other and themselves at the show to post on the band's site. As the night carries on, the band gets into photos with fans, takes photos from the stage themselves, and posing for group photos. All the while, the photos and video are generating a real-time Website for the event – even text messages getting posted alongside the media.

It's now the next evening, the band is about to head out to the next gig but decide to pull over to a WiFi hotspot to look at last night's show. To their surprise, there's dozens of photos and video, not to mention another 15 new signups on their contact list. Not bad for only filling out a form on a site, passing out a few flyers and making one announcement at the show. The band is now even more motivated for tonight's gig, and head out the door in a rush.

Due to the quick exit, they forgot to setup a Fan Blogging Event for tonight's gig. But that's not a problem, since several of them have mobile phones. One of them flips his mobile open and sets the event up either using a J2ME application on the phone, or by sending a simple text message to their account with the settings inside. ArtistServer.com pings them back with a text message so they know the Event was added, and they're ready to go.

This is only part 1 - be sure to view part 2.