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I love it. Posterous' attack stance has left a really bad taste in my mouth. Sorry guys, the service is not "all that." I mean, I start little random blogs for

by famfam 16y ago

I love it. Posterous' attack stance has left a really bad taste in my mouth. Sorry guys, the service is not "all that." I mean, I start little random blogs for things all the time and I still use Tumblr more often than not. Posterous might have a couple nice features, but it's hardly in another class. What is has in features it gives up in the austerity of its theming, an obtuse web interface, and just general lack of "soul". I know it's not quantifiable, but I feel like Tumblr has a soul (it is, after all, self-social, so it comes with a community, some humanity), and Posterous feels like it's trying to make charts go up and to the right. Don't forget the vglink fiasco. Looking at that compete traffic growth, and you know the VC's must be turning up the heat on Posterous now.

paulnelligan 16y ago
I think they got drunk on their own popularity and are now feeling the pain of that ... potentially fatal mistake ... there's a lesson there for everyone.
- amirmc 16y ago
  ...potentially fatal mistake... I'd withhold judgement until the dust settles. If this marketing campaign results in more active users for Posterous, from whatever source, then I think they would call it a success. On the other hand, if they've alienated everyone and all the users leave then in hindsight, it'll just be considered a dumb move. This whole 'Posterous vs everyone' reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote -- The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.
- jeff18 16y ago
  I think Posterous took 5 steps forward and 1 step backward with their campaign. Their diction was a small blemish, not a mortal wound.
ErrantX 16y ago
I think that it is alienating some users; but I suspect the loudest noise is from people attached to the so called [by Posterous] "dying" platforms (makes sense?). Whereas Posterous is aiming for the disgruntled Tumblr (et al) users who may see it as a dying platform (and who knows if that is working). It is a powerful market to pitch into. At the end of the day it comes down to metrics; does this wording reach more people and is it worth (to them) the bad karma from the rest of us? Time will tell (or, probably, not).
- skmurphy 16y ago
  Bad karma has a longer half-life than a bump in conversions for one month. Doesn't mean that they may not prosper for a while, but if they persist in bad mouthing all of their competitors as "dying platforms" there will be consequences that are likely to overwhelm any benefit.
  - ErrantX 16y ago
    Well, exactly. Therein is the crux. Is that worth the extra conversions (which may mean more active users, an important metric to consider)? As I said I don't know. But you know. In my experience bad Karma has a funny way of fizzling out. Remember Climategate? Mostly fizzled out. I bet plenty of people have forgotten all but the broadest details as they read the latest climate blog - give it a few months and people won't bring it up any more. The Parliamentary expenses scandal in the UK? All fizzled out after a couple of months despite being pretty much wide scale "fraud". It's no longer as interesting as the budget. Last years financial melt down - pretty much the biggest example of "bad karma" we could pick. Where are all the vocal "we must punish the bankers" people now? (I realise there are vocal people still - and good on them - but the general public isn't all that interested now, they are still choosing to use Barclays etc.) How much is the Oil spill on national news right now? Point is: heat lasts for a short while. The play you have to make (and I make this as a general point, I have no idea of Posterous' aims) is whether once that heat dies everyone sorta forgets it. If in a month the only people still bringing it up are the Tumblr fans then they will have succeeded. Sure someone in a few months might think "actually I will use Wordpress, I remember Posterous were jerks" - the play is how many are left thinking that. And, finally, "there is no such thing as bad press" (certainly not bad press like this) Disclaimer: I don't approve of what they are saying.

by famfam 16y ago

paulnelligan 16y ago

I think they got drunk on their own popularity and are now feeling the pain of that ... potentially fatal mistake ... there's a lesson there for everyone.

amirmc 16y ago
...potentially fatal mistake... I'd withhold judgement until the dust settles. If this marketing campaign results in more active users for Posterous, from whatever source, then I think they would call it a success. On the other hand, if they've alienated everyone and all the users leave then in hindsight, it'll just be considered a dumb move. This whole 'Posterous vs everyone' reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote -- The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.
jeff18 16y ago
I think Posterous took 5 steps forward and 1 step backward with their campaign. Their diction was a small blemish, not a mortal wound.

ErrantX 16y ago

I think that it is alienating some users; but I suspect the loudest noise is from people attached to the so called [by Posterous] "dying" platforms (makes sense?). Whereas Posterous is aiming for the disgruntled Tumblr (et al) users who may see it as a dying platform (and who knows if that is working). It is a powerful market to pitch into. At the end of the day it comes down to metrics; does this wording reach more people and is it worth (to them) the bad karma from the rest of us? Time will tell (or, probably, not).

skmurphy 16y ago
Bad karma has a longer half-life than a bump in conversions for one month. Doesn't mean that they may not prosper for a while, but if they persist in bad mouthing all of their competitors as "dying platforms" there will be consequences that are likely to overwhelm any benefit.
- ErrantX 16y ago
  Well, exactly. Therein is the crux. Is that worth the extra conversions (which may mean more active users, an important metric to consider)? As I said I don't know. But you know. In my experience bad Karma has a funny way of fizzling out. Remember Climategate? Mostly fizzled out. I bet plenty of people have forgotten all but the broadest details as they read the latest climate blog - give it a few months and people won't bring it up any more. The Parliamentary expenses scandal in the UK? All fizzled out after a couple of months despite being pretty much wide scale "fraud". It's no longer as interesting as the budget. Last years financial melt down - pretty much the biggest example of "bad karma" we could pick. Where are all the vocal "we must punish the bankers" people now? (I realise there are vocal people still - and good on them - but the general public isn't all that interested now, they are still choosing to use Barclays etc.) How much is the Oil spill on national news right now? Point is: heat lasts for a short while. The play you have to make (and I make this as a general point, I have no idea of Posterous' aims) is whether once that heat dies everyone sorta forgets it. If in a month the only people still bringing it up are the Tumblr fans then they will have succeeded. Sure someone in a few months might think "actually I will use Wordpress, I remember Posterous were jerks" - the play is how many are left thinking that. And, finally, "there is no such thing as bad press" (certainly not bad press like this) Disclaimer: I don't approve of what they are saying.