Evel Knievel and Social Media Promotion
April 7th, 2008 by Michael Gray in Social MediaIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Read my top posts or learn more about Michael Gray. Want more frequent updates follow me on Twitter. Thanks for visiting!
As a young American boy growing up in the 70’s Evel Knievel was one of my role models. Aside from being a daredevil Evel possessed a strong understanding of marketing and engaged in a level of shameless self promotion that would have made PT Barnum proud.
When Evel was just getting started he got the crazy idea in his head that he wanted to jump the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. No one in the media or at Caesars took him seriously. So Evel set up some fictitious corporate entities, and had his lawyers and friends, call Caesars and ABC News continually and eventually got them to believe there was something behind this Knievel stunt and they agreed to let him do the jump (ack wikipedia verification)
Despite the fact that he crashed, the campaign was a success and put him on the map, and in the eyes, minds, and hearts of the general public. So what does this have to do with social media … I’ll tell you.
Using his lawyers, friends, and family to call up Caesars and ABC is no different than using a friend network to promote and vote for your stories. I know for some people their moral compass makes this feel like gaming the system, but I don’t really see too much harm in a little puffery. In fact lots of people in the SEO world subscribe to the theory of “Fake it till you make it”.
The one caveat is you have to have it in case somebody does give you the second look. When you face plant into the ground it’s not pretty, and when your tips, tricks, secrets or suggestions don’t actually work or wrong, you end up looking like an ass.
Sphere It
April 7th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Nice parable Michael. You are right on the money with this analogy.
We all need to be a little creative and put on a show in order to be recognized! Everyone one of us had to start at the bottom and play a few games to get up the ladder!
All fun and games never hurt anyone, but at the same time never step on your neighbors to get to the Top.
There are a few people in the industry who will Flame their Mother to get noticed! I really do not want to mention names here, but if you read the industry blogs you will figure it out really quick as how not to behave!
April 7th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I agree whole-heartedly. If you have a bunch of friends, then why not utilize them? Expecting random people to vote for you and compliment your articles and what your saying is a bit hopeful. As they say, “If Mohammad won’t go to the mountain, we’ll bring the mountain to him.” Use what you have to the best of your abilities…there’s nothing wrong having your friends help you out, that’s why they’re your friends. Then, as more people get to know you…treat them like friends too and guess what happens? Suddenly you’re off and running.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
But first… You need to make some friends. (It’s hard to make new friends by pestering strangers to Digg your stuff.)
April 7th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Hawaii SEO »
if you don’t have any friends be your own. You dont think Evel said he was himself when he called did you? I bet he called multiple times and pretended to be more than one person when he was doing it
April 7th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Michael, I hope you are not Jason Calacanis..:)
That would be a total Rag…multi-split personalities!
Just joking, I know you are not, and it is a good point. You can always place a phone call and tell people that you are Mr. Jones secretory and please hold on while I switch you to Mr. Jones.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Michael, Stuntdubl is in Love with you..:) He is Google bombing you for traffic whore.
Time to show him some reciprocity…do you have a nice name for him for an anchor link?
I did not know that doing Viral gets you the name traffic whore!
What should we call John Chow? $2 whore?
April 8th, 2008 at 4:10 am
Great post Michael. This is very similar to the Brian Clark post about “Jim Morrisons” promotion of the doors. I totally agree that you should get your peers to sphinna and shout about your stories, if you’ve got something valid to say that other people would find interesting, its better to get it out there - than not.
http://www.copyblogger.com/jim-morrison-promotion/ (link to Brian Clark)