The summer mindset has taken hold this month, and so to kickstart my brain once more I dug around in my Google Analytics to see what has been of most interest to those who visit my site. In this issue of From Search to Screen I revisit the ten most popular posts from the past year to share what has generated the most consistent audience and also any thoughts I have about what has changed and stayed the same. As you will see social TV remains one of the most popular themes:
#10 – 5 Lessons in Fandom: Why I Heart Felicia Day (& You Should Too), May 15, 2012
The tenth most popular post from the past year (so far) was the one I wrote just a couple of months ago honouring Felicia Day. In light of the recent controversy surrounding her, it is great to have this opportunity to highlight again the many ways in which this web and business savvy woman sets the best example for us all. (Her detractors could learn a lot from her too, especially Lesson #5 – Don’t be a dick.)
#9 – Top 4 Tips for “Future Proofing” Your Media Company/Career, October 26, 2011
Ninth is the post I wrote after attending the WIFT Digital Media Summit last fall. I’ve attended a lot of other industry events since then including the Yorkton Film Festival and Canada’s Mobile Social Conference where many of these 4 tips find echoes. However, the one that seems to come up over and over again is the need to define your core audience as carefully and thoroughly as possible. Finding and engaging your core niche market/audience is key to the success of every project and company in the screen media space.
#8 – Social TV Apps Pt. 3 – Finding, Sharing, Extending Television Story, November 24, 2011
#7 – The CanCon of Social TV, May 28, 2012
#6 – Social TV Apps – Pt. 2: A Sampling, November 16, 2011
#5 – Social TV Apps – Pt. 1: The Current Landscape, November 7, 2011
These four posts all reflect the prevalence and intense interest in the social TV phenomenon. Tablet and smartphone ownership and use continues to grow and second screen viewing habits are ones everyone is trying to understand. The potential for audience monetization and engagement is huge. But there needs to be recognition that my time and attention are valuable. DO NOT WASTE them. Social TV experiences and conversations need to add real value to the story I am watching. If not, providers and creators risk alienating audience who will happily and easily shift their focus elsewhere in the blink of an eye.
#4 – An Interlude with Brent Friedman, September 13, 2011
I was happy to see this post did so well, as it was one of my favourite learning experiences of the past year. Transmedia storyteller and visionary Brent Friedman’s insight into audience (who they are and what they will pay for) is a touchstone I use in many of my own presentations and workshops. He’s a brilliant man and well worth rereading for inspiration.
#3 – No Credit Here: Film, Television & Interactive Production in Saskatchewan, March 26, 2012
Not surprisingly, but very sadly, one of the biggest stories on my blog and of huge significance to Canada’s screen media folk, was the cancellation of Saskatchewan’s Film Employment Tax Credit this spring. This incentive officially ended on June 30, 2012 and with it most of the indie production in the province. Many of the production companies and crew are relocating elsewhere in Canada at the time of this writing. While I understand things are changing and film, TV and digital media must find new ways of being financed, the way this government handled this issue with NO notice, NO time to learn or adjust, and, most importantly, NO respect, sickens me. I learned a lot while stickhandling the social media campaign for the provincial industry and will continue to be part of a more long term, big picture fight.
#2 – The Language of Transmedia: My Keyword Research Gift, December 14, 2011
I was happy to see that my keyword research gift this past December got so much traction. Not only does it provide insight into the language in the transmedia space (one with more phrases than you can imagine) it also clearly demonstrates the value of keyword research. It is definitely something I want to do again, either revisiting this topic and/or potentially the language around web series. (Or if you have anything you would like me to tackle that would be of general interest to film, TV and screen media folks, send me suggestions.)
#1 – Social TV – The “Second Screen” Elephant in the Room, July 19, 2011
And, finally, the TOP post of the past year was my first one about social TV. Interestingly enough, it was posted one year from today. When I wrote about it the topic was still quite new; however social TV’s continued growth and the success of television series like “The Voice” show this is not a phenomenon that will be going away any time soon. There is still much to learn and explore here.
What Do You Think?
Do you have a favourite post from my blog I missed or you would like me to revisit? Do you have any suggestions for keyword research topics you would like me to explore? I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts, ideas, questions below or send them to me at annelise (at) veria.ca or on Twitter @veriatweet.
Next issue: Social TV Conversations: Twitter vs. Facebook
Or revisit the previous issue: Getting Found: 5 Paths to Online Content Discovery