"Consumer Reports" used to be my bible.
But now it's the Wirecutter.
Now let me be clear... I don't trust CR on that which I'm an expert. But there's so much I don't know, it's good to have an outlet of expertise.
But CR doesn't review everything. And is still operating on a pre-internet paradigm, i.e. print. Even worse, because of the challenges of print, they've reduced publication...now there are months when there is no new magazine at all. Sure, CR is part of Apple News+, but most of the reviews/new information featured is truncated and not new, just a retread of what is already in the magazine. So, for a big purchase, CR is worth checking out, but what if I just want to buy towels?
The Wirecutter is the little engine that could. Picked up by the "New York Times" before it had achieved ubiquity, never mind gravitas it has doubled-down since, furthermore, the "Times" features its reviews, promotes it....no one is promoting CR, either you're part of the ecosystem, or you're not.
Two things made me a Wirecutter believer. First, they update their reviews on a regular basis... You don't want old information. You don't want to wait for a slew of new products for a re-evaluation...that's not how we buy, we buy when we need, which is NOW! Sure, on big purchases we might debate and wait...and CR still owns those categories, like automobiles and TV, but how many of those are there?
So, the frequency of information was one notch in the belt, the other was the accuracy of the reviews. Felice wanted a standup vacuum cleaner. Sure, Dysons are seen as the best, but this was for only occasional use. And the Wirecutter said to buy the Shark, which is what CR said to buy, but the layout of the Wirecutter's take was much more readable, palatable... They didn't review every product, just the handful that people really buy. You didn't have to pore over a chart, the information was readily available, like the AI answer in Google... Sometimes you just want hit and run, you don't want a deep dive.
So when Felice wanted to buy new towels... Where does one get information on that? Aren't you a victim of the department store, of buying blind? No, the Wirecutter reviews towels (and so much more!). There's the best, and one better than that. And a couple of also-rans... I mean how much time do you want to spend buying towels?
So the depth of categories is appealing, but also the frequency. The Wirecutter is up-to-date, CR is two steps behind.
And the reason I mention all this is not only to hip you to the Wirecutter, but to have you contemplating your activity/marketing.
Frequency is key in the internet world. Own this. Sure, a superstar might be able to coast on an album release and not much more...then again, how many of these releases are hyped and then forgotten?
This is the number one complaint I get from wannabe artists...they don't want to post. Young 'uns tend to understand, having grown up in a social media world, but...
Social media is just a canvas, you get to post whatever you want...not only jokes and your personal life, but your writing sessions, your rehearsals, acoustic takes of your hits... It's part of being an artist today, see it as an avenue of expression, not a chore.
And it must be personal. YOU must create and post your internet messages. If you hire a service, the joke is on you. The audience can tell. Sure, the audience wants information, tour dates, etc...but even more people want YOU! A piece of you...can't you give it to them, on a regular basis?
We're inundated with information. Post or be forgotten.
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