I’ve been a fan of Guy Kawasaki for a while now.
Not a fan-boi type, but still admired him enough to call myself a “fan”.
I follow him on Twitter, read his blog occasionally, and love to watch his videos as he is a great presenter and speaker who adds a lot of humor and wit to his speeches.
And then, I started reading about his recent keynote speech at SES 2009, NY (Search Engine Strategies).
Watched a couple of videos. Read a couple of articles.
He says stuff like… (paraphrasing here)..
* Twitter is just a marketing tool
* It’s all about how many followers you have
* Go get as many followers as you can
* Autofollow everyone just because they followed you
* It’s ok to “Ghost-tweet”.
Wow, that’s like Seth Godin saying it’s ok to spam, and email is just a marketing tool you should use to spam folks thoroughly.
Wow, that’s really shocking!
Someone I held in such high esteem, talking with such emotional disconnect and impersonal attitude towards followers (who are basically your fans – like me!).
Yeah, it did take more than 30 seconds. It took probably about 15 minutes. But the Guy Kawasaki brand has been irreparably tarnished, from where I stand. And where I stand is all that matters to me, doesn’t it?
Yeah, it doesn’t take too much to lose your fans. Just a little bit of disrespect will do the trick.
Guy Kawasaki: Un-followed.
1) Article: Guy Kawasaki: Twitter As a Tool for Social Media
2) Sage Lewis Interview: SES 2009
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yeah I def. wouldn’t agree to those ideas but it does seem to be working for him. He does have more followers, credibility, and reach then either you or I put together.
Justin, yes, it does appear to be working – at least at first.
It’s like spam. If even a few folks buy from the spammer’s link, it makes it seem like it’s working – and like it’s worth it. But in the end, it’s certainly not.
Both Karma-wise, and legally
I completely agree with you Ravi!
If someone is just exploitive and disrespectful he is not worth my time.
I have just discovered you today (through the warrior Forum.)
Pleased that you have ethics!
Wayne.