Hovering Over The Back Button?

As a fresh new broom sweeps through my professional life as I transition from years of vendor representation to that of an analyst - I've changed the title of my blog  (and the URL).

I'll obviously write more on my move - but more importantly - changing the name of my blog?

Why 'Hovering Over The Back Button'?

So, I've just embarked on possibly the most exciting change in my career, since my first job in the commercial world from being a public servant fifteen years ago - and my first post is to explain a change in the name of my blog!

Well, that's how it is in the post Social Media revolution - I feel that before I can do anything I needed to update the various breadcrumbs of me around the interwebs (LinkedIn, Twitter etc) and this blog before I can move on, clear my throat, so to speak.

So, why drop"Persuasive Content" after building it for close to three years? Well for a couple of reasons, firstly if I look at what I've been writing about maybe 'persuasive' content is not what comes to mind!

For starters I've been uneasy that calling a blog persuasive infers that I assume my content is persuasive, is written in a persuasive way and that I assume you will be persuaded. That's not really my style, the name really came from wanting to write about Persuasive Content the discipline as defined by Forrester.

I've been a fan of the Forrester notion of Persuasive Content and the software and systems architecture that organisations should be putting together to drive that - but I don't think I have rigidly stuck to that thinking in my writing.

Whilst everything I have written about can be loosely associated with the Forrester ideas, I think I have moved away slightly. It was pointed out to me that 'persuasion' is a little close to coercion for some folks, that really 'engagement' - the thing I do write and talk about a lot - is a err.. gentler, subtler thing.

Why 'Hovering Over The Back Button?' Well this comes from various presentations and articles I have written recently - I always use this phrase.

I've always thought that if you are going to talk or write write about web engagement, or I guess anything really, you need to present the audience with the opportunity you will offer them or the value of listening.

For web engagement, especially when you talk to marketers, it is of consent. A rare commodity that indicates the point at which your audience is willing to listen, be educated, communicated, persuaded or even sold to.

A website delivers that. This visitor sought you out, maybe sifted through a billion google search results and as they arrive they are engaged or at the least ready to listen.

The challenge with a website, is that this opportunity to engage this visitor is extremely brief, there is the simplest barrier for them to leave - as they hover over the back button.