Andrew Keen's release of his book, "Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing our Culture," caused quite a stir this week as bloggers all over the Internet responded in a not-too-kind way.
The basic premise of Keen's book and thought is that Web writers are robbing professionals of their way of making a living. Of course that doesn't deal with the reality that many of what he calls "amateurs" are indeed getting paid; if by nothing else, by having Google's Adsense on their blogs or sites.
In other words, the definition of an professional has always been one who gets paid for their work. The means of getting paid is irrelevant.
Or course Keen means something a little different here, he's talking about what he calls "expertise." He evidently believes that those on the Internet are "intellectual yahoos and digital thieves."
He adds in his book: "Millions and millions of exuberant monkeys ... are creating an endless digital forest of mediocrity."
What is this a good lesson in? Marketing! It's a great marketing ploy ... and it's working. He's taken the contrarian approach and got a huge amount of publicity from those that have chosen to respond to his planned rhetoric.
When you consider that some like Dan Gillmor, Dave Winer, Robert Scoble and Jeff Jarvis have hit back at him, it creates a lot of interest and publicity. Even as I was writing this article the position on Amazon.com changed by 200 to reach # 2,473 on its list. Not too bad so far.
Look at the way he promoted and created interest in the book. First, it was the content itself that drove interest. But he's kept up a running online conversation and debate that has greatly increased the awareness of the book.
From a marketing way of looking at it, it's a great success. He knew he would be stirring up a hornet's nest when he released the book - and he has. But what it has done is performed the purpose he had hoped for: it sold a lot of books. In the end, that's what this is all about. The rest is marketing in a specific form and strategy.
It's a good lesson in how to cut through the clutter.
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