I don’t know who came up with the “Web Content” rule but I strongly believe its soundness. So, it goes:

1% of the people are responsible for creating original Web contents
(N.B. Mostly journalists, Web columnists, bloggers, Subject Matter Experts, Thought Leaders)

9% of the people comment / interact with Web contents

90% of the people just read Web contents

One may ask if it goes as well in life as on the Web? Well, that’s another story... worth investigating though but that’s not the purpose of this post. It’s the kind of question I would investigate with Martin Ouellette or Martin Lessard, among others... one of these days, who knows... why not? Anyway, the fact and the matter is that I believe there is more to the rule than meets the eyes. Follow me.

So, What Kind of Content Are You?

Well, for the 90% part, their contents are mostly personal messages, links, images and videos destined to their personal networks; in short, contents of personal interests, in other words, it’s their lives. In short, they are People.

For the 9% part, it’s personal networking as well plus comments, links, referencing and rating original web contents. In short, they are People too.

And the 1%, well, that’s where it’s getting interesting. In my opinion, it goes like this:

0,1% (that is, 1/10th of the 1%) only are true, genuine and authentic web content creators. They are researchers, analysts, thinkers, geeks, techno poets, social visionaries, web artists, etc.; they track down the 5 W’s, they reflect on a topic for days, they have creative flashes; they serve up their vision for debating, sharing and revision. Thesis, antithesis and synthesis always spontaneously come as a trio in their mind. They help us embrace new ideas and open our minds, they contribute to the understanding of the world we live in, they bring to the table new perspectives on the nature of things; in short, they make us better.

0,9% (that is, 9/10th of the 1%) are what I would call “pointers”, one might think of them as “relayers”. They are sniffers, seekers, scouts, beacons; they are very good at identifying a chain of thoughts, a thread of discussion, and a sequel of contents. They can follow a trail for months, sticking their noses all over. Although they might have an opinion from time to time which might contribute occasionally to the global knowledge body; for the most part, they summarize original web contents they have read by quoting a short extract to which they add tons of links. They are also very often masters of “re-tweeting”.

Now, what’s to it? Well, I have two hypotheses that go with it.

First Hypothesis. If, as they say, “Content Is King” in the Digital Cloud; then it follows that for people positioning themselves as web voices, their contents are their branding or contents make their brand. Then, in my opinion, like Brands promoting and forwarding “genuine, original and creative contents” on the web which create and make them benefit from high level of engagement and loyalty from their consumers; creators of genuine, original and creative web contents also create / benefit from high level of engagement and loyalty from their readers while pointers do not.

And I take it for proof that “pointers” are interchangeable, you can switch from one to another to another and so on, without feeling so much of a loss but once you start following/reading a true web content “creator”, you develop an emotional bound, you get addictive to the point that you wouldn’t trade him/her for another one, and their everyday grinding makes your daily caffeine.

Second Hypothesis. If you are active into interactive marketing and especially, if you have viral marketing ambitions, then you should concentrate onto recruiting / seeking the contribution of “genuine web content creators” for they will give a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth life to your “contents” by the very nature of their activities, through the act of reflection, revision, remixing, recreating, etc., that they execute by nature.

Creators Surfing the Wave. Pointers Digging Deep. Dolphins and Dogs...
and People.

Have a good weekend,