PR Fiasco, What You Can Learn from the Six Apart Announcement

I've made no secret of the challenges I've had over the years with TypePad. When the new composer was rolled out in beta to some users a couple of years ago, and I was among them unknowingly, my domain name needed remapping every two hours.

The support I received was lots of nice words about how hard the company was working, however it did not fix the problem for weeks. Not my idea of fun, even though, admittedly, I am one of those bloggers who write for fun.

One of the undesirable customers who is not looking to build a modern media company -- at least not in the way Troy Young, president of Say Media, which just bought Six Apart, defines in AdWeek (emphasis mine).

"Say Media expects to lose some subscribers to the Six Apart blogging platform. Its main focus," Young said, "is in those that hope to build media businesses, rather than regular people who write a blog for fun."

There are many ways to build a platform

And several are not predicated or built upon ads. Rather, they are built on content and interactions, both of which are the result of the hard work of professionals who took to blogging for many reasons, passion among them.

You will find those reasons in the comments to the announcement by TypePad. Since TypePad staff is out in force to dispel the notion that indeed the new company is as committed to customers at Six Apart, this means that there is a disconnect between company talk and customer experience.

It's still hard to comprehend how here we have a technology platform upon which are built so many blogs, that apparently reach a combined audience of 205MM, if we discount VideoEgg's 140MM [source: New York Times post], and all we can think of is serving ads.

What are you really saying?

While we tell you what's good for you. Is this what bloggers really want? From the NYT post:

Mr. Anker said Six Apart had been shifting its business focus from blogging tools to advertising for at least two years. What bloggers really want, he said, isn’t better technology for allowing comments, but a way to support their livelihoods.

People are media savvy. You don't need to want to build a media empire like The Huffington Post to be able to read between the lines. The official announcement and the executive quotes are directed squarely at the marketers who hope to buy their way into fans, followers, and friends in social.

What the communication doesn't address are the very questions the company should have been able to anticipate. This is how rumors (at best) start and spread, and how crisis develop. One commenter in the thread said it best (emphasis mine):

Profit-making is essential for a company but it is not what motivates most people who blog. Say Media has yet to show that it understands--let alone values--the humble act of blogging. Bedside manner is nice and all, but we need evidence that Say Media, TypePad's new boss, actually gets what we do.

Addressing change

Mergers and acquisitions are tricky business. I worked with a boutique consulting firm that helped manage risk also in M&A situations, and in a company that made M&As its growth strategy, thus buying in the hundreds of smaller companies. 

You may not be in a position to make promises too early, however the companies in the deal do know what the most common questions will be. Experienced communicators and PR teams can rattle those off and should enroll executives in answering them.

Saying that nothing changes is akin to saying "no comment". We know better, you know better. The we want to hear from you follow up shows that there is nobody listening. And Mr. Sanches confuses the tool with the outcome (emphasis mine):

As Ben and Mena posted yesterday, we will continue to support TypePad and evolve it to meet the needs of the market. We firmly believe that you can't build a modern media company without having a platform, and TypePad is our platform for doing that.

As I said above, you can build a platform across tools -- it's the content, and the interactions with you that determines that. How is a new media company not understanding that? Why are they insisting that thousands of people who have built their own platform see things the same way they do?

Can Say Media see the change they need to make and behave that way? Bloggers in the comments say they don't want no stinking ads -- the very same ads we have become very good at ignoring.

PR lessons

Clearly, there is a disconnect between the announcement and the community. That disconnect is a failure to communicate, and a PR fiasco. What you can learn:

• say it like you mean it
• include supporting evidence
• show customers you are listening
• prove your promises are going to be delivered
• don't try to appease or patronize
• answer questions truthfully

A blog can help you build a platform, it's not one and the same. Personally, I don't like or use ads. My platform is content-driven, based upon our interactions, and the exchange of value. It's the same reason why I don't publish product pitches. They are often not useful to the community we have here.

I'm not planning to "go commercial" here. I don't see you as "consumers" to exploit. Our connection is built upon a relationship. Do you believe Say Media? In your view, are they showing they care?

[image courtesy of oHoTos]

If you enjoyed this post from Conversation Agent, subscribe, share and like it.

Comments

[Kelly Queijo]

Valeria, your post brings to light many things that have been on my mind since the announcement. Some other TypePad bloggers have said to me "don't worry, you probably have a year to make a change if TypePad goes away." My first reaction was okay, then I got to thinking I publish anywhere from 5-10 posts a week. That's a lot of posts to move if I have to change platforms and I have a new look to my blog coming out in a few weeks. You know how some PR companies specialize in developing crisis communication plans? I think I need a crisis action plan for my blog -- now.

[Justin Goldsborough]

Thanks for sharing the Six Apart/Typepad story, Valeria. When I first saw your post, I was intrigued because I didn't think I'd heard anything about it. But after reading your post, it sounds all too familiar.

Too many marketers/advertisers continue to use "new" social media channels to practice "old" marketing tactics. If marketers want to revel in the days of creating a product and then telling consumers why they need it, they can watch reruns of Mad Men.

Today, companies that don't listen to their consumers instantly lose credibility, as you have highlighted in your post. Hopefully someone over there at Say Media will start listening sooner than later.

[Sjkato]

An interesting article. It is rather sad that Six Apart/Typepad is as it is. Perhaps the company will wise up to these points that you make?
However, how many other companies fall for the same problem? How many other companies dont see the connection and fail to communicate? They have to take small steps i guess, as change is hard for most. small steps towards changing their outlook.

[Eric Pratum]

I'm a bit of a loss here because I don't know what the TypePad user portfolio looks like, but I hope that Say Media isn't doing this just will nilly. Nonetheless, this seems like the same sort of thinking that kills longer form internet video. It's tough to run tons of pre-roll when when people watch a one hour internet show once each week...much much easier when it's a 5 minute internet show each day.

Personally, I'd prefer to read blogs for free, uncluttered by any blogspam ads or whatever else and then spend the money that I have on maybe hiring those bloggers now and then or perhaps buying their products.

[Gabriele Maidecchi]

I am actually seeing a lot of political talk in these PR announcements.
Most politicians talking are, in my vision, so disconnected from the reality of facts they kinda make me chuckle, and so are some PR announcements, it looks like ;)

[Chris Haughey]

Valeria,

Maybe you should forward them one of your blog posts discussing the responsibilities of their message. I concur that it isn't what they said but what they didn't say. For those of us who have been around a few years sees this entirely as a either a short-term, profit taking endeavor or a myopic hiccup that will have a profound impact on their business viability. The former is where I would put my money (sorry, couldn't resist the metaphor!).

If their true intent is the latter, they are also in trouble. They will be crucified by the Social Media. They know better. There are hundreds of alternatives to their TypePad solution in the wings that could/would replace their platform in a matter of minutes with more functionality.

In light of the confusing messaging, I could very easily see an alternative go viral and cut the legs right out from under TypePad. The market, the great equalizer, could make their strategy decisions for them without a conscience and create their brand for them to boot.

Like you, I write about things in my area of focus. I feel like I have an obligation to share what I have been blessed to experience and learn. People who do things because they want to have a passion that transcends any paycheck. It's called having "heart."

A company that has no heart will do what TypePad is doing. For the sake of the company they are to become, they have a corporate responsibility to the users of their product to be honest with their intentions. Do they think we are that ignorant to shrug our shoulders and fly around the airport like it's they only game in town?

The net effect is whatever comes next will be met with suspicion. They were better off not saying a word!

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Kelly - it's been really instructive to witness how little this company listens to its customers, both publicly and personally. They have rolled out features that compete with other social networks without having the scale or usability they have, and have not taken the steps to improve the tool for bloggers... all TypePad users should make contingency plans. What I've heard and seen so far are not encouraging.

@Justin - indeed, we have been ignored for years while the WP tool and plug ins have made quantum leaps to help those users with SEO, for example. TypePad always refused to sync domain and blog URL by maintaining a separate .typepad URL and taking more than 150 posts hostage...

@Sjkato - there is a fundamental disconnect between business ethics and direction in many organizations old and new, which is what we keep witnessing with so many ending up with an unsustainable model, no matter how much they charge, or how little they care about customers.

@Eric - they have thousands of long term users for TypePad, which is also what this blog uses. Six to four years ago, this was a really good tool if you didn't want to self host. WP required more front end work and had fewer advantages than it has today (I use both now). I'm not sure I follow your thread on video. As a reader, I dislike blogs cluttered with ads and interruption banners. that includes mainstream media publications. If that's where Say Media plans to take this tool, they can do it without me.

@Gabriele - propaganda.

@Chris - the problem from a communications standpoint is that we and the business community have no idea what they are thinking, nor if there is a plan. It's puzzling to me how little accountability organizations are allowed to have. Making money in the short term is not a viable business solution. I wish investors stopped believing it and started connecting the dots on what being commercial means.

[Cece Salomon-Lee]

Valeria, From a PR perspective, I agree with one point that Six Apart seemed to have neglected as part of their preparations - anticipating all the questions they will receive from the media and customers, but also their users.

By focusing on two parts of the triangle (media and customers) they are risking (already risked?) losing the very people that will ultimately make their business successful.

And by saying that the "main focus is ... in those that hope to build media businesses, rather than regular people who write a blog for fun," Say Media is forgetting that what initially starts out as fun can quickly becomes a passion and business attracting hundreds and thousands of followers.