How The Cluetrain Manifesto Will Influence ctdata.com
Dave Aiello wrote, "I recently had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of The Cluetrain Manifesto. I am glad that Simon and Schuster decided to publish this recording, otherwise I never would have had time to read it, and I would have continued to assume that there was nothing more to the book than a rhetorical expansion of the 95 Theses that were originally posted to the Web Site."
"Although there is a substantial amount of hyperbole contained in the book, there is no question that there is also a good deal of valuable insight. I think two theses are particularly important and will influence how we operate ctdata.com in 2001. Read on for a discussion of what they are and why they resonate with us."
Thesis Numbers 3
Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice.
Thesis Number 4
Whether delivering information, opinions, perspectives, dissenting arguments or humorous asides, the human voice is typically open, natural and uncontrived.Dave Aiello continues:
The book spends a great deal of time focusing on the negative effects of writing in a corporate tone. They are right to focus on it, because most Internet users will not provide substantive feedback on information written in an official voice.This is important to CTDATA in that we have tried to use a corporate tone in many of our articles. In retrospect, this is probably incompatible with user expectations of any site that looks like a Weblog. Also, the world simply does not need another Wall Street Journal Editorial Page. I love to read it, and I'm glad that Opinion Journal exists, but you are never going to confuse anyone at CTDATA with Robert Bartley or John Fund.
I will probably elaborate on the impact that Cluetrain Manifesto has had on my thinking. But, I want to get these basic thoughts out on our Web Site so that people can see them and react, if they are so motivated. Let me know if you think we are headed in the right direction.