Which is why I’m so intrigued by EdelmanDigital.com, the new content-rich social website that the Edelman Digital team launched earlier this month.

The not-yet-two-week-old site is already chock-full of commentary, video interviews, and analytical posts–and from multiple authors. The site didn’t miss a beat during SXSW Interactive, either, when finding the time–and concentration–to produce content is no easy task.

To dig further into the goals and expectations for EdelmanDigital.com, I traded e-mails with Edelman’s David Armano, the man who led the strategic thinking for the site.

‘BE the proof’

Bryan Person: You noted on Twitter [yesterday] that you had posted 13 original content items–including several videos– in less than a week. Most of that time period corresponds to the days of SXSW Interactive. Very impressive! How did you ever find the time to create and publish that content?

David Armano: Simple. We are making the site a priority and have decided that our “proof” can not only be the work we deliver for clients, but we as an organization—not just individuals need to BE the proof. Part of the innovation behind the new Edelman site is actually a budget/staffing decision. By hiring a full-time community manager who does nothing but focus on the content, interactions and sustainability of our property (vs. client work), it doesn’t become a matter of time; it becomes a matter of resources. And the fact is, we now have the resources. Sounds simple but it’s not.

Suzanne Marlatt, our community manager for EdelmanDigital.com, was a very special find, and we work closely together on ideas for content as well as our strategies for taking the property from “website” to something we hope people will make a part of their daily ritual. We want both an audience and active participants.

BP: Most of your videos from SXSW appear to have been published with little or no editing. How do you decide whether to publish raw content right away, versus taking the extra time to add credits, cut out the fluff, etc.?

DA: The decision to go raw was both intentional and strategic. In fact, when I took over the initiative, the first thing we did was streamline the complexity. Anything that held the site back from supporting fresh content and the flexibility to adapt was stripped away. We are intentionally favoring speed over perfection.

I have fought this battle and lost at previous firms, but not this time. When Rick Murray, my boss, handed over the keys to the site which was partially complete, he gave me the authority to take it live with the changes I deemed appropriate. Our vision is provide value as fast as we can move, and we plan to move pretty fast.

BP: Many agencies fail to create their own compelling content on a consistent basis because their teams are too busy working on client projects. What steps are you taking to ensure that the Edelman Digital site doesn’t fall victim to the same cycle?

DA: Edelman has several distinct advantages in this already. First, we hire content producers such as bloggers who are passionate about what they do and can write, blog, and engage commenters in their sleep. Secondly, the firm rewards and expects thought leadership. Edelman has been producing content for years but has kept much of it behind the firewall. Before the site was even launched, a decision was made to flip that model and share more externally. So we now have multiple tools at our disposal: a culture of content, a platform to support it and a community manager to facilitate it all.

And just wait, we are only getting started; I’m betting that our clients will want to share what they are doing on the site, and it will be great to have that perspective as well.

BP: Let’s face it: Most corporate blogs are boring and lack any real soul. How will you coach your Edelman colleagues to produce content that allows their personalities to shine through?

DA: Again, we hire those who are already immersed in the social space and do it out of passion. Have a look at my colleague Danielle Wiley’s recent post: “Don’t Call Me Mommy (Unless I Birthed You)”. The site has been live for less than two weeks, and already we have our staff taking on hot topics (not to mention the New York Times).

We are a company of communicators and understand the value of authentic brands. While we demand professionalism from employees, authenticity is just as important and this is going to be a requirement if someone from our team wants to contribute to Edelman Digital. The good news is, that since the launch of the “site,” lots of Edelmanites want to contribute. I think we’ve started a revolution!

BP: Gaze into your crystal ball here: How soon will the day come when digital agencies regularly hire their own content producers and recognize content as an integral part of their own marketing efforts?

DA: Some agencies are already doing this but having a hard time sustaining it, or don’t integrate (see my point about our volume of internal content production). It’s important to remember that this isn’t just about content. We have a small army of staff who have spent time nurturing their own communities on places like Twitter, etc., and they are now linking back to our company site out of their own free will.

So, it’s a combination of content, culture, and the ability to make ourselves be seen and heard. That said, I believe that other agencies will resort to similar strategies when they decide that it’s valuable to shape opinions. As a firm with roots in public engagement, we understand the value of influence intimately, and I believe we are going to execute better against this strategy. Also, I don’t believe we are competing with just “digital agencies.” We’re competing with everyone.

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Tac Anderson says as much in the audio clip I’ve embedded at the top of this post [Note: this is an excerpt from a longer discussion I had with Tac earlier this month that previewed his speaking appeareance at our kickoff LiveBar, Live! event in New York City on December 15]. The thrust of Tac’s take: Speed matters.

As I think about my own content-creation efforts for a B2B employer (LiveWorld), here are some of the questions I’m wrestling with, particularly on the video side:

1. How much time and effort am I prepared to spend editing video content?
2. Is video editing even necessary?
3. Which content (could be audio or video) from an event or conference ultimately delivers more value: the raw, unedited version that’s posted and tweeted almost immediately, while the event is still top of the mind with the crowd; or the piece that takes a few days (or longer) to edit and publish but that eliminates some of the “waste” and adds some nice production touches.
4. Can talking-head video ever be compelling?
5. How important is HD-quality video?

I have my own ideas on answers to some of the questions, but am curious for your take, too.

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[RSS and e-mail readers: You may need to click through to the original post to see both presentations embedded correctly]

Social Media Breakfast Austin: Social Media Predictions for 2010

For the latest Social Media Breakfast Austin gathering on December 14, I assembled 10 industry practitioners to share their views on where social media is headed in 2010. The presentation below mixes “top tweets” during those talks and event photos from the talented Callie Richmond.

LiveBar, Live! in New York City!

For my work at LiveWorld, we kicked off a new LiveBar, Live! series in New York City on December 15 with an evening of cocktails and marketing insights from Waggener Edstrom’s Tac Anderson. This recap also mixes pictures and tweets.

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