Why I’m Not Into Empire Avenue
What is Empire Avenue? Well, let’s see what they say on their website:
- “Buy and sell your friends and own anyone on the social web.”
- “Find professionals, friends, and enemies!?”
- “Use social media to become a millionaire.”
Essentially, Empire Avenue works like a social influence stock exchange. Ultimately though, I’m not interested in being “bought or sold”. I’m not interested in finding professionals, friends, or especially enemies who are interested in being bought and sold. Social media cannot make you a millionaire. I don’t like the message this sends. I don’t like what it eludes to, however indirectly.
Those of us who are already immersed in this space understand that this is just their shtick (“Oh, that’s just copy” is what the Empire Avenue Twitter account said to me when I addressed this concern with them. I balked. “Just copy”?!? Saying that to someone in marketing is a really bad idea and made me take them even less seriously.), however a huge number of businesses (potential clients!) are still trying to understand how social media can benefit their offering. Many are still not convinced that they need to be implementing a strategy even if they have a presence. Terminology like this sends a distorted message and sets unrealistic expectations.
As far as getting clients involved in Empire Avenue, the bottom line is: it isn’t worth the time. It’s my responsibility to direct my attention to where they will get maximized results for the time I’ve invested. I’ve found that most of the people I know personally who actively play Empire Avenue are saying things like “Even if you never sign in again, add me so I get the currency!” They are trying to game the game: naturally. Things like this distort results and dilute any potential value in their ranking algorithm. Putting it bluntly: the entire thing is cheesy and a bit embarrassing, and I’m truly shocked at what some of the more reputable individuals have said about it.
Maybe there is something I’m missing by not being on the inside. Some key value element I can’t know because I haven’t engaged with it… Truth be told though, I don’t think my personal brand or that of my clients is remotely effected by the lack of involvement.
To Empire Avenue, it may be “just copy”, but the copy you publish defines your offering. Their copy defines them as a team that truly doesn’t understand the space. It’s people just like me that they should want involved. Influencers, digital strategists who have a real interest in social analytics and influence measurement, those with an eager-to-adopt following… However their copy has alienated me.
The team who created Empire Avenue may very well be talented individuals that certainly must understand the space on some level. They have tapped into the very crux of social media: ego. Who doesn’t want to be “worth” the most? Wanting to know how we measure up against our peers is in our very nature. However there is a responsibility that I like to see a brand take when creating something like this, and I find their copy socially irresponsible.
Klout has been at the forefront of social analytics and is expanding their focus from Twitter and Facebook to more outlets, like LinkedIn and Foursquare for a broader and more accurate measurement. I’ve recently begun to explore PeerIndex as well. I don’t like the idea of gamifying analytics. We need a Google Analytics type of measurement tool for social influence, not a Farmville. Social media is not a game.
What would @ChrisPirillo say? He’s EAv’s top egomaniac, right now.
If that’s the case then he would likely disagree with me, and that’s ok!
You should ask him his take, he’s been evangelizing EAv ad nauseam.
An accurate, well thought out posting about Empire Avenue and it’s place in the world of social networking & influence.
I was one of the first people to join up with Empire Avenue in its early days, was a novelty back then and a bit of fun. It soon became apparent that it was taking up too much of my valuable time for absolutely no positive reason. Buying and selling virtual people (let’s be honest, that’s what it is, like Second Life) with a made-up currency to boost one’s own ego soon seemed pointless. Once the novelty wore off, which didn’t take long, I quit.
So I completely ‘get’ and agree with Alana’s viewpoint on Empire Avenue. Time spent in the real world with real networking and real influence indicators such as Klout and PeerIndex is the sensible way to go.
Thanks for your comment, Simon! And thank you for bringing the perspective of someone who has actually engaged with it, as I do acknowledge that there may be something I’m missing due to my lack of involvement. I guess there’s not.
You make fair points, certainly. Since Beau indirectly invited me to comment (and you tweeted me):
http://go.tagjag.com/empiretips
Next week, I’m traveling across the country to possibly make one of the biggest business deals of my life – and that’s all because of someone I met on Empire Avenue.
Now, the prospect may not pan out – but this has certainly not been a waste of time. My social media engagement is up, I’ve never had more reblogs, retweets, and rewhatevers. I’m meeting other thought leaders in other industries, and I’m having fun.
So, there ya go.
Do you feel that this potential deal and this new relationship couldn’t have happened elsewhere, had your paths crossed? Since one must have a presence in at least one other social space (likely a common social space like Twitter or Facebook), could you not have also met this person there?
Also, you say in your (thorough!) post that you’ve linked to here, “This is what Klout dreams to one day become.” Do you think that Klout would benefit from implementing game mechanics, or do you think that doing so could dilute their accuracy?
You also say, “unlike other social networks, your value on EAv isn’t based on name recognition alone – it’s based on action.” Does Klout or PeerIndex not measure based on action and not name recognition? Do you honestly feel EA measures more accurately than they do?
Another: “Seemingly, most who pooh-pooh the site have never used it, have the wrong idea about it, and… are nothing more than armchair analysts.” I admittedly have never used it. If I have the wrong idea about it it’s largely due to the angle of their marketing strategy as I’ve described above. And I am certainly no “armchair analyst”. Is it really fair to imply one must be a “expert” (in quotes) or an “armchair analyst” to have a bad taste in their mouth about EA?
Do you think that brands will achieve a social ROI that makes sense against the amount of time they would have to be engaging there in order to be successful?
Thanks for checking out my post and giving your input… even if I tend to disagree.
I have no horse in this race. I dabbled for a week in EAv but I did not give it my full effort. At first glance, though it seemed like a platform where the rich get richer and the plebs buy-and-sell each other for a new (unengaged) Twitter follower or Facebook LIKE.
I feel like the EAv learning curve is too great to really be anything except a niche site where established influencers are purchased by people already engaging with said influencers within EAv’s supported networks. Why bother?
Maybe I don’t get it. I bookmarked the tome you linked but tl;dr. Haha. I’ll check it out when my startup has more consistent content to produce. Right now my social-media marketing approach is purely conceptual.
Cheap Plug: @WreelLife
Why I’m Not Into Empire Avenue | GetCrea.tv « Empire AveNuelabs June 5, 2011
[...] Via Scoop.it – empire avenueWhy I find Empire Avenue to be a time waste and a socially irresponsible offering.Show original [...]
So… Let me get this straight. You’re critiquing the Empire Avenue platform without having actually used it? Giving your clients “the bottom line” on a service without first-hand knowledge of it? Interesting…
I have no reason to want to participate in a social game popularity contest, nor do my clients. The copy provided by Empire Avenue shows no actual benefit for me or the clients I represent, nor have I heard any information or actual data in regard to how it has actually helped any other person or brand in any significant way.
In what ways would Klout have dilution of accuracy if they too, implement game mechanics?
I’m writing a research case study on EA and I find that you have a very good argument point here so.
Hi Rachelle!
I believe that when you add game mechanics to something that is analytics focused, too many unstable variables are on the table. People tend to find ways to “game the game”, and those types of cheats effect overall accuracy. Influence measurement is relatively new genre, and I think those who are attempting to establish themselves within that niche should be focused on accuracy and not gamification to be taken seriously and expect relevance and longevity over time.
I really enjoyed your post, a provoking read. I am on Empire Avenue, for two reasons: I really do enjoy social networking, as simple as that. But ofcourse, as even Heidegger advices, we should be critical about the technology we appropriate in to our lives. And secondly I am doing some experimental research for a post-grad assignment on Jean-Luc Nancy’s Corpus and the place of the body in social networking. Your post was very helpful, thanks!