Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Internet population
Blog users
17%
19%
< $35K
42%
43%
$35 -$75K
41%
> $75K
37%
Figure 3.10
Bloggers and bloggees may be found among the wealthy segment
of the online luxury population
quintupled between 2007 and 2008. The case is no more different in the US
than in Europe or Asia. In the US, almost 10 percent of the wealthy, earning
at least US$300,000 a year, have a blog, meaning they're not only readers
but also writers and influencers. Figure 3.10 gives a glimpse of this.
Case Analysis 3.1
Bringing the wine experience to the world, Dr Vino style
Tyler Coleman is a doctor who drinks constantly. He tastes about 2,000 differ-
ent types of wine a year and spreads the word on their quality and credibility
to an audience comprising millions of people around the world. He is the type
of doctor that prescribes wines instead of drugs as he lives, breathes, talks
and teaches about wine.
Tyler Coleman is one of the millions of professional bloggers that exist in the
blogosphere but what sets him apart is not only the expertise and authority
that he exerts in the domain of wine economics (he has a PhD on the subject!)
but his ability to congregate wine lovers worldwide. He has used the power
of the blogosphere to amass a core base audience that shares his passion
and enthusiasm for wine. His blog posts generate hundreds of comments,
his entries and opinions have been lauded, his published topics on wine have
been bought by millions of people, his wine tasting events are popular and his
press features abound in global publications like the
New York Times
and
The
Guardian
.
So how does Tyler do it and what role has his blog, Dr Vino, played in all this?
First, his blog approaches wine criticism in an amicable manner albeit through
the eyes of a true expert. Its focus on being a social media for quite a serious
subject area has meant that even those who have little knowledge about wine
feel at ease in his blog community. His choice of topics, style of expression
and wealth of resources on the blog all add to the mix of his success factors.
From wine policies to wine stores in New York, Paris and Chicago and to wine
quizzes, wine events and wine-making tips, Dr Vino is a blog that is not only an
online journal, but also a resource centre. The way Tyler Coleman approaches
his interaction with his blog readers is also crucial. He offers himself at the dis-
posal of his audience and responds to even the most elementary of questions.
