When I attended a BlogHer08 panel and heard Gwen Bell espouse the joys of Twitter, I knew I had found a new mentor. Little did I know how many other amazing women I would meet over the next few days, who have since become a source of inspiration, education and empowerment. So, imagine my thrill at seeing Gwen, along with Laura Fitton, Erin Kotecki Vest, Ann Handley and 46 others honored as the 50 Most Influential Women in Social Media. Many thanks to Ron Hudson for showcasing these great women and introducing me to many more.
And to all my social media mentors, keep up the great work. Yours Truly will be taking notes.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Everybody's doing it. You have a few glasses of bubbly as suddenly it seems like a brilliant idea to write your sister an e-mail detailing everything you detest about her new boyfriend. Or you send a Colgate link that co-worker with the really bad breath. Or you compose a sappy love poem to your 8th grade boyfriend you haven't seen in over ten years. Not that Yours Truly has personal experience with this, of course. Purely hypothetical.
But, now everybody's talking about it. With Google's introduction of Mail Goggles, the burning question on everyone's mind- from the NYTimes, to our friends across the pond, to our friends across the office.
So, I'm dying to know: What's the worst e-mail you've regretted sending?
But, now everybody's talking about it. With Google's introduction of Mail Goggles, the burning question on everyone's mind- from the NYTimes, to our friends across the pond, to our friends across the office.
So, I'm dying to know: What's the worst e-mail you've regretted sending?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Break Out Your Brand Bib
Open source. What an incredible idea. Collaboration and sharing of resources to reach a greater good. No more "proprietary" models and secret boy's clubs. But, in closing the gap between the information haves & have-not's, certain services are bound to become obsolete. Is advertising one of them? Gasp! Seeing as I have a new baby to support and mortgage to pay, I certainly hope not. But innovations like Federated Media are making it much too easy for companies to control their own campaigns. They let you set goals, browse relevant targeted sites, create your own web banners and track their performance. So, why do you need little ol' me? Should I pack up my Pantone chips and call it a day?
As if I'd give up that easily. Let's be honest. Anyone can post 140 characters. And setting up a blog is as easy as picking a template and clicking a mouse. But, that's not enough to build a brand. The value lies in the relationship. In not only understanding the tools at your disposal, but how your audience wants to recieve your message and why that message is important. It's about understanding what your community wants from you and including them in the conversation. In a way, it's so much easier. Your customer is telling you EXACTLY what they want. Not that merely listening is enough. The business opportunity is taking those insights and turning them into something better for them.
It's a whole new game. And it's harder to quantify or explain with pie charts and ROI. It's a whole lot messier. But, hey, I feed a toddler everyday. I am used to mess. Mess is part of the process. Grab a bib, folks. The fun is just starting.
As if I'd give up that easily. Let's be honest. Anyone can post 140 characters. And setting up a blog is as easy as picking a template and clicking a mouse. But, that's not enough to build a brand. The value lies in the relationship. In not only understanding the tools at your disposal, but how your audience wants to recieve your message and why that message is important. It's about understanding what your community wants from you and including them in the conversation. In a way, it's so much easier. Your customer is telling you EXACTLY what they want. Not that merely listening is enough. The business opportunity is taking those insights and turning them into something better for them.
It's a whole new game. And it's harder to quantify or explain with pie charts and ROI. It's a whole lot messier. But, hey, I feed a toddler everyday. I am used to mess. Mess is part of the process. Grab a bib, folks. The fun is just starting.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Fashion Musings on the Front Tuck
It's Fashion Week in NYC. Here in NOLA...not so much. But, I've noticed lots of fellas sporting the front tuck recently. That "carelessly" tucked in behind the belt look that is simultaneously casual but hip. The best explanation I've found comes from an unlikely source:
Much like how a mullet shows the world your business side in the front, and your party side in the back, the half-tuck tells one story on the right side, but a completely different story on the left. In encapsulates the contradiction that you are: The shy extrovert, the organized slob, the guy who likes to shop at Banana Republic but also likes to fall into the Gap when he’s feeling a little crazy. The half-tuck reassures the ladies that you’re a man who cares about personal grooming, but who, at the same time, couldn’t give a f##k. Who doesn’t like that?
Also known as the "frat tuck" and "half tuck", it's metrosexualizing the South. We are sooo 2006. Watch out, Bryant Park.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
I like you. I really like you... Maybe.
There's been lots of discussion over the past few days about "fake following." including a dynamic debate sparked by Gwen Bell. If you haven't heard about this new development, Tech Crunch sums it up
1. Loss of credibility
When I find a voice online that I truly admire, I'll dig around their blog roll and check out the people they are following. Often, I'll find a new perspective worth keeping an eye on. I trust the people I follow to lead me to other interesting people, based on their curatorial preferences. If you follow everybody, I can't trust that you are leading me toward like-minded people.
2. False sense of self-importance
If you have 3,000 followers, you are likely pretty interesting. If you are only following 30 people, maybe you could be a little arrogant. But that doesn't mean you're not still a pimp and people want to hear what you have to say. If you are following 3,000 people and only 3 are following you back, it should probably tell you something. Truth is you might not be offering valuable content. Maybe you tweet about your lunch or you are a spammer offering free coupons for porn. If I follow you, I am encouraging you to continue posting crap. No offense, just tough love.
3. Nobody is listening
"Is that the social part of social media/networking?" The Simian Downtown Time Analyst suggests that Fake Feed creates a distance from readers. If you are pretending to listen to me, I might expect your response. I hope that you will contribute to the conversation. Inviting me to a party and ignoring me all night isn't cool. Especially if I could have made better plans. So, don't patronize by offering an insincere relationship. Skip the small talk, I'd rather be engaged.
Don't get me wrong, I value the idea of managing content. Tweet Deck is a great way to create groups and streamline your consumption. It allows you to group the people you are following and only review one group's posts at a time. So, you can just look at the "professional" tweets. Or "mommy" tweets, or "people I knew in high school, who sometimes say funny things" tweets, depending on how much time you have, or what you are hoping to find.
Granted, I am not inundated with follower requests. I am a very quiet voice with one pinkie toe in the water. But, if I choose not to follow you, don't take it personally. I am probably just washing my hair. If it is meant to be, I'm sure I will find you and kick myself for not sensing our compatibility sooner. And when I follow you, you'll know it means I like you. Really.
"Users often expect to have their “Follows” reciprocated by their peers, and a failure to do so can lead to bruised egos. But indiscriminate following comes with a price too, as it ultimately leads to an unmanageable amount of noise (and stories you might not care about). Fake Following manages to skirt the issue with a digital white lie.""Digital white lie?" Oh my. Is that the future? Aside from turning social networks into playground politics, Fake Following creates a disingenuous relationship that negates several valuable features inherent to online social networks. Ahem, soapbox, please...
1. Loss of credibility
When I find a voice online that I truly admire, I'll dig around their blog roll and check out the people they are following. Often, I'll find a new perspective worth keeping an eye on. I trust the people I follow to lead me to other interesting people, based on their curatorial preferences. If you follow everybody, I can't trust that you are leading me toward like-minded people.
2. False sense of self-importance
If you have 3,000 followers, you are likely pretty interesting. If you are only following 30 people, maybe you could be a little arrogant. But that doesn't mean you're not still a pimp and people want to hear what you have to say. If you are following 3,000 people and only 3 are following you back, it should probably tell you something. Truth is you might not be offering valuable content. Maybe you tweet about your lunch or you are a spammer offering free coupons for porn. If I follow you, I am encouraging you to continue posting crap. No offense, just tough love.
3. Nobody is listening
"Is that the social part of social media/networking?" The Simian Downtown Time Analyst suggests that Fake Feed creates a distance from readers. If you are pretending to listen to me, I might expect your response. I hope that you will contribute to the conversation. Inviting me to a party and ignoring me all night isn't cool. Especially if I could have made better plans. So, don't patronize by offering an insincere relationship. Skip the small talk, I'd rather be engaged.
Don't get me wrong, I value the idea of managing content. Tweet Deck is a great way to create groups and streamline your consumption. It allows you to group the people you are following and only review one group's posts at a time. So, you can just look at the "professional" tweets. Or "mommy" tweets, or "people I knew in high school, who sometimes say funny things" tweets, depending on how much time you have, or what you are hoping to find.
Granted, I am not inundated with follower requests. I am a very quiet voice with one pinkie toe in the water. But, if I choose not to follow you, don't take it personally. I am probably just washing my hair. If it is meant to be, I'm sure I will find you and kick myself for not sensing our compatibility sooner. And when I follow you, you'll know it means I like you. Really.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Proud to call it home
Lately I've been pretty impressed with my hometown. First of all, there are Twitterers in my midst. Who knew New Orleans was embracing social media? And not only embracing it, but enthusiastically encouraging it. A chance encounter on Twitter introduced me to @jeskanola, who graciously made me her partner in crime in introducing NetSquared New Orleans, beginning with a Meetup on Tuesday Sept. 9th. Top that with the New Orleans 100 list of innovative local companies and the city's looking pretty good. So back off, Gustav!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Pardon my grammar
I am a grammar geek. I keep my AP Style Guide nestled beneath my desk and silently cringe every time someone ends a sentence with a preposition. But, even I can't buy into the gender sensitivity of punctuation.
Over at Salon.com, there is a discussion on the femininity of the semi-colon. Who cares, right? But what irks me is the evolution of the debate and it's underlying implications. To sum up the highlights, when Trevor Butterworth asked celebrated writers and editors about their aversion to the semi-colon, it was implied that Americans are intimidated by its "nuance" and "complexity." Why not just use a period? It's easy. It's the McDonald's combo meal of punctuation. Sure, I buy that.
But, some take great offensive at this "useless" little symbol. Like Mr. Kilpatrick's assertion that "This pathetic hybrid is so shy, so bashful, so gutless, so easily overlooked, that a reader runs right over it.The semicolon is a belly-up guppie in a tank of glorious Siamese fighting fish. It's girly." Girly? Did I miss something?
Why is "pathetic" equated with being "girly." The implication is that femininity is synonymous with feeble, inadequate uselessness. That something deemed nonessential and purposeless is decidedly womanly. Hold on there, Grammar Guy. I think you might be mistaken. Might I suggest you take that girly little semicolon and shove it up your asterisk;) Still bashful?
Over at Salon.com, there is a discussion on the femininity of the semi-colon. Who cares, right? But what irks me is the evolution of the debate and it's underlying implications. To sum up the highlights, when Trevor Butterworth asked celebrated writers and editors about their aversion to the semi-colon, it was implied that Americans are intimidated by its "nuance" and "complexity." Why not just use a period? It's easy. It's the McDonald's combo meal of punctuation. Sure, I buy that.
But, some take great offensive at this "useless" little symbol. Like Mr. Kilpatrick's assertion that "This pathetic hybrid is so shy, so bashful, so gutless, so easily overlooked, that a reader runs right over it.The semicolon is a belly-up guppie in a tank of glorious Siamese fighting fish. It's girly." Girly? Did I miss something?
Why is "pathetic" equated with being "girly." The implication is that femininity is synonymous with feeble, inadequate uselessness. That something deemed nonessential and purposeless is decidedly womanly. Hold on there, Grammar Guy. I think you might be mistaken. Might I suggest you take that girly little semicolon and shove it up your asterisk;) Still bashful?
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