It’s true; I am having a love affair with Matt Ward (people call him M. Ward most times). He swept me off my feet. Yes, I fell straight on my bottom after I met him. It started off slow and sporadic and then he just became a regular in my life. After a bad day he is the only person I want to hear. He holds wisdom and an old soul, which makes him always know what to say. Matt has a way of putting things that send a light bulb off in my head.

The man I speak of is in fact found in the many CDs I own which feature him, most often strumming the guitar and slowly pouring out his voice. He is my favorite musician. Yes, I am in love with my music box’s speakers…

Art is a one of the most powerful drivers of story telling and community. Whether it is photography, music, or painting—the medium captures a human moment, which is often reflective and narrative. Because of this people often find a very personal and emotional connection to it that can inspire communities off and online. Ward now becomes more than an artist, but also a perfect subject matter in exploring the networking of communities across the web.

Subject matters that carry a personal and/or emotional meaning are the same ones, which inspire very passionate fanatics and subject experts (Like me). The kind of people that tell anyone and everyone about what they love. By dissecting part of M.Ward’s web across the Internet I can demonstrate in action what it means to be cross platform and you may start to see how it is in your best interest to leverage mediums that are and aren’t your own.

So, here we go….

Wikipedia
If you don’t know about this site, you have a lot of catching up to do. A user generated online encyclopedia with a plethora of “Google Juice”. Find out some basics about my man, M.Ward. Take note that the “External Links” list on Matt’s page range from Facebook group pages to an unofficial fan website to NPR interviews. (Networking across web)

MySpace
Okay, so forget the Myspace vs. Facebook debate. The one thing MySpace mastered is artist and music distribution/promotion opportunities. My sister, who works for Columbia Records, still reports that MySpace is a major mix when thinking about artist’s promotion. M.Ward can be embedded in “my” life and this is a real example of community integration. A listing of all his adoring fans can be found directly on his page, which makes my job of connecting with like-minded people easier. (Networking within community)

The Fancy Flash
Everyone has there home and same goes for Mr. Ward. His deluxe site is visual candy through fancy flash and artistic flair that embodies M. Be warned these fancy flash sites don’t do well in the SEO world, which is part of the reason I found his through a paid search result. An interesting side note-upon reaching www.mwardmusic.com users have the choice to go to Ward’s “standard” site which is his MySpace page. (Networking between communities)

Google Says
There are over 19 thousand results for “M. Ward” which is only the tip of the iceberg when you start thinking about the long tail. It pays to pay attention to your Google ranking, as well as know who the big dogs are when it comes to your product or topic. The search engine, Google, is one huge master connector. It’s the essence of aggregating and then networking people to that information.

You Tube
You Tube is a video sharing site and vibrant community. Matt isn’t spared from the action. Videos of him from official to homemade are posted by adoring fans. This Pitchfork exclusive of Ward is posted on YouTube. Pitchfork is a popular music review and information site. (Networking content site to community site)

I could keep listing more and more from Buzznet to the blogosphere to lyric sharing sites to online magazines-but the point is this…a true community strategy would and should recognize a holistic community-that which exists across the Internet. A subject matter or topic lives across the web in many different places allowing individuals to explore deeper into information and conversation. By understanding your landscape you can both compete and leverage relationships to tap into groups of influencers you may have never known existed.

I can now look at Ward in a more complex and dynamic way, discovering new things in more than one place, which makes him more real in my life and in the communities I participate. And to think, this whole post started with a love affair…