• Insight :: Seth Godin
• Generosity :: Michael Beirut
• Incisive :: Edward Tufte
• Timeless :: Paul Rand
• Treasure :: Boekie Woeki
• Limits :: Victor IV
• Gentle :: Origami Spirit
• Success :: Copyblogger
• Experiment :: Alan Fletcher
• Thought :: Daniel Eatock

Building a website that focuses on the user, is targeted to a specific audience with a well defined offer and has an abundance of useful information is an engaging challenge.  Work continues after the site is launched -and for the life of the site, when the main effort shifts from building and launching to growing traffic. From the start, any web project needs to formulate a strategy for attracting visitors. Here are three key elements to think about when engaging this high-priority activity.

1. MAILING LIST: The mailing list of opt-in contacts is gold. These are the people who have given you permission to contact them with relevant high-value information. This list provides a firm foundation for any marketing initiative and growing that list should be a high priority. All that’s needed is a name and an email address. Do you have a list? Even if it’s only ten names, put that list together. Don’t delay, start now. To build a list there are some great services available including: Feedblitz, Feedburner, and Aweber, to name a few.

2. CONTENT: You have your brand new site up. Great! Feeding the site regularly –as in at least a few times a week, with text content is critical for feeding the spiders and key to being found in search. Producing content takes time and for the lone individual with a mission it can be a challenge. But it can become addictive in a good way. We might not always hit our posting target, but that’s ok, life happens. Just keep trying.

3. COMMUNITY: The whole point of having a site is -among other things, to let others know what you can do for them. Engaging with social media and building a community is that powerful tool we all need to build meaningful connections and get our message out. If nobody knows who we are, what we do, or what we can help with, what is the point?

While social media is valuable for connecting, finding new acquaintances and building credibility, it almost goes without saying that these are public spaces and should be treated as such. As in the realtime world, if we don’t want something known, we shouldn’t reveal it. But being a hermit is counterproductive.

Among the many tools available I use the following…

• Diigo
• Facebook
• Flikr
• LinkedIn
• StumbleUpon
• Twitter
• Youtube

Embrace and enjoy the adventure.  Happy building!

I don’t know about you, but I use social media not only to keep up with people I already know, but to meet people I don’t know as well.

Two of the channels I use, Facebook and LinkedIn, seem to presumptuously think it’s their job to protect us from each other, and dictate under what circumstances we can say ‘Hello, you look like an interesting person. I don’t know if you’d be interested, but I’d like to get to know you. Would you like to connect and see what comes of it?’

I’ve never understood the attitude of those who would defend such an idiotic policy. What gives the developers of Facebook or LinkedIn the idea that they have the authority to lay down rules about who can, or cannot, meet and get to know someone else? And that some people agree I suppose is due to the paranoid culture of fear that permeates all levels of society. Circle those wagons, it’s dangerous out there!

Imagine the following.

You’ve been invited to a large social gathering and don’t know a soul. It might be some kind of ‘offline’ party, networking, or other business event. In the spirit of the moment you walk up to a complete stranger, a smile on your face and hand outstretched saying…

‘Hi, my name is Martha, how are you?’

Your potential friend fixes you with an icy stare, pauses, and replies…

‘Excuse me, but I don’t think we know each other. So, if you don’t mind…’ Then turns on a well- polished heel, and  vanishes into the crowd.

Stunning in its silliness, isn’t it? Probably wouldn’t happen, right? Well, it might given the coarse social habits of some, but generally I find it hard to think that anyone would be so socially crude or inept. If this is foolish behavior offline, why would it be any more acceptable in a social situation, online? To me, it isn’t.

Introducing myself and making a friendship request is my prerogative. Accepting or declining that request is the sole option of the other person. Nobody, has the right to get in the way.

What do you think? Have you ever had a rude experience online or off? Please, leave a comment and tell us what happened.

November 4, 2010 must have been a lousy day for the editor of a formerly obscure, freely distributed, for-profit food magazine, Cooks Source, of Sunderland, Massachusetts. The unfortunate and misguided editor, Judith Griggs, committed a copyright infringement and public relations mega-blunder, then compounded it with yet another error of poor judgement. The result was a viral media backlash of the nth degree, one that could only be considered remarkable for the intense negative reaction (Twitter: #cooksource).

Here’s a brief chronology of the day’s events as understood.

Mistake #1: Cooks Source magazine publishes in its on and off-line October 2010 issue, a 2005 article written by Monica Gaudio about the origins of apple pie, without asking her permission.

Mistake #2: When Monica Gaudio finds out, she contacts editor Judith Griggs, asks for a public written apology and a small donation to the Columbia School of Journalism. Instead of owning the error, Judith Griggs’ responds with condescension and contempt. Big mistake.

“…honestly, Monica, the web is considered “public domain” and you should be happy we just didn’t “lift” your whole article and put someone else’s name on it!”

Surprising isn’t it, especially coming from someone who claims to have worked in publishing for more than thirty years? Respect for intellectual property rights is  something Judith Griggs should have learned a long time ago. But, adding fuel to the fire,  she wades in even deeper.

“…If you took offence [sic] and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally.”

Reading these words it’s hard not to feel pain along with a deepening bloom of embarrassment for her. But, after taking in some of the comments on the Cooks Source Facebook page in a day long comment frenzy that showed no sign of letting up, maybe a little sympathy could be granted.

Why?

First there must have been a degree of naiveté, if not ignorance, of the potential danger of mixing arrogant disregard for a sensitive issue like copyright infringement, and the viral power of social media. I don’t think Griggs had any idea of the minefield she was flirting with. If she had, I would bet she’d have been more circumspect and less cavalier in handling the situation.

Second, while many of the comments directed at her were sincere and justified in their indignation and anger, as the day wore on most seemed  repetitive, if not gratuitous, foolish, and silly. Many who  joined the witch hunt, jumped on the bandwagon of condemnation appeared to do so merely for the sport of it. If I had to guess, I would say that many of those who left comments are probably far from innocent themselves of borrowing at one time or another the images or ideas of others without credit or permission, much less compensation. A case of protesting a bit too much, maybe?

Whatever. Even though the likelihood is small of being called on the carpet by the social media jury for misappropriating an image or article, it can happen and this particular incident  remains  a cautionary tale.

FURTHER READING:
Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits
10 Misconceptions About The Public Domain
University of Maryland: Copyright and Fair Use

Photo:
Flip Schulke (1930-2008), Forest Fire in the Everglades, Collier County,  Flikr Commons

‘Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing about.’ Benjamin Franklin

More than ever people do understand there is value in the Internet. They might not know exactly what the value is, or how to access it, but they know there is value. So, recognizing this value, what do most of us do with the potential? Beyond initial faltering steps, not much.

Yes, websites get launched and social media accounts are opened. But then, after a short period of time and initial enthusiasm has worn off what happens? More precisely, what doesn’t happen?

Survey Website Usage

Conduct a survey of personal or business websites in any community and you’ll find an answer. As with millions of other websites most sites are antiques that were designed years ago –probably in the shadow of the Internet bubble, and sit untended and abandoned. If the site is more recent and the owner had the perspicacity or sound advice to invest in a site built with a blog framework or other content management system, it’s most likely unfed; its power and potential unrecognized or under-appreciated. If this same owner has opened social media channels, tying them to the main website, the opportunity to cultivate relationships with subscribers or customers are either not exercised, or clogged with content that has no direction.

There are plenty of businesses and individuals who use the Internet to fulfill clearly established goals. These folks often use a strategy based on the well-established broadcast model, or, the maintain-control-of-the-message-at-all-cost paradigm. But as a rule, most people tend to treat the Internet not like a communications powerhouse, an unparalleled interactive medium, but as a toy. The image that comes to mind is of an infant gripping a wood letter block in a small moist fist, and banging it incessantly on the floor looking up periodically for approval with a grin and an elastic drool.

The Force of Habit

As a still relatively new medium, the Internet has variably been misunderstood first as a substitute vehicle for traditional print, and more recently as a substitute for television. But the Internet is so much more than a broadcast medium. It’s a level playing field. The Internet is a democracy. Joe Kraus, the founder of the search engine, Excite, observed in an interview that when faced with adapting to new technologies there’s the all too common tendency of falling into the classic anachronistic trap of mistaking the old methodologies, for the new. The Internet is no exception.

“When a new medium comes out it adopts the practices, the content, the business models of the old medium –which fails. For example: all the television programing in the early days looked like radio. It was literally the same guys reading the radio programming on television and it was extraordinarily boring. And advertising was radio advertising –the announcer reading the ad.”

Have an opinion on this? Please leave a comment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVh7sZl2H8c

Further Reading:
Founders At Work, Jessica Livingston

With a flood of media interest promoting and evaluating the uses of social media during the last few years, social media is becoming a permanent fixture in our cultural landscape.

If different social media platforms are used in a coordinated fashion, these applications can be tailored to effectively build a personal or business brand. But as powerful as these tools are they are most useful when harnessed to a specific business or social goal: building relationships, introducing a product, raising awareness.

An obvious and conventional use of broadcasting a message about a product, a service, an opportunity, or an issue is only one use. More important is the creation of a place for dialog, information sharing and exchange in an environment that reflects a certain personality. Building community in this way –within the context of specific interests or expertise, is similar to designing a home and hosting invited guests for a meal.

Cultivating relationships, creating conversation, building a community and serving that community is what being social is all about in a physical space and an online community is the same. Even though it seems merely virtual, an online community can easily transition to real world relationships.

Social media platforms are among the most useful tools the internet age has spawned. The five platforms I use regularly are listed here with a brief description and a recommendation for further reading.

1. A Blog Based Website
My website –the one you are reading this post on, is a WordPress content management blog platform. This website forms the hub of my web presence. On it I can maintain a simple blog or incorporate an e-commerce platform if necessary. Through the use of plugins, functionality on the site can be basic or more fully developed. Ideally, a WordPress blog should be on your own domain and while relatively simple, does require some rudimentary technical knowledge, and patience, to set up and maintain.
Recommended reading: Copy Blogger

2. Facebook
I’ve found Facebook ideal for connecting with people I’ve known. No surprises there, are there? At first I felt constrained by the memories that built older friendships. Seeing a collection of people from different corners of our lives can dislodge forgotten memories through the reconnection. Building a community of old friends many of whom have no common history with each other other than through you, brings on a vague sense of vertigo. Facebook is a Venn diagram of friends, acquaintances, new faces, mixed interests and perspectives. Sharing ideas and events in your life today by posting commentary or links, photos and videos, keeps the bonds with your past alive, and offers the opportunity for building new memories and new friends from old. Recommended Reading: Facebook Marketing An Hour A Day, Chris Treadway and Mari Smith

3. Twitter
What a free spirited, twitchy, free-for-all this platform!
140 characters makes an art of brevity; an exercise in pithiness. In contrast to Facebook there is no barrier or limit to finding and following people. The tendency here is to think that the more numbers you have, the better, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you follow thoughtful people interested in providing useful information and you reciprocate, you’ll find fewer than you would otherwise and you might eventually discover you’ve made some real friends. Twitter is about finding people you would like to know, and those who would like to know you. Recommended Reading: Twitter, An Hour A Day, by Hollis Thomasas @hollisthomasas

4. LinkedIn
Of the three platforms, LinkedIn was an enigma that at first seems almost impenetrable. This platform has a reputation for being a no-nonsense corporate environment that isn’t creative friendly. At first I thought the reputation was well deserved. I couldn’t figure out how to make connections outside the few contacts I had within the limitations of my own email list, and everywhere I turned there was a barrier. What I’ve discovered is that one key to connecting with people is in joining groups within LinkedIn that involve your particular interests. Once you find a group, listen in and then join the conversation when you have something meaningful to say. The one thing to be aware of with LinkedIn is that this is about making connections, not making sales. Help people solve a problem if you can and make note of your contacts’ strengths for future reference. You never know when you’ll be able to pass on a name and ‘pay it forward.’ Eventually it will come back in a good way. Recommended Reading: Understanding, Leveraging and Maximizing LinkedIn, Neal Shaffer.

5. YouTube
Images are compelling. Media is even more irresistible and YouTube is the way to go when delivering video content. Setting up a YouTube account is easy, free, and freely available. Video adds immeasurably to a personal or business brand and may be incorporated into blog posts, Facebook pages, and Twitter posts. Videos can be used to conduct interviews, provide instruction, offer opinion, entertain, demonstrate or review a product or service. As a personal and business branding and marketing tool it provides attractive content and adds a dynamic dimension to any web presence. All that’s needed is an inexpensive camera with a video feature and a point to be made. Recommended Reading: YouTube and Video Marketing An Hour A Day, Greg Jarboe

The content on any one of these platforms can be, and should be referenced on other platforms within the context of the total online property mix -blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN , YouTube, and any other social media platforms. Such cross-platform sharing will reinforce the message being delivered and elevate the visibility of the main platform –website or blog, by providing inbound links from such high value sources as social media platforms.

This morning I helped  set up a book fair at a local elementary school and had the chance to speak for a few minutes with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while.

After some idle chit-chat I asked how her craft business was doing. She told me that sales on Ebay were flat, but that a few months ago she’d sold an item or two. Those sales were encouraging, but business had tapered off.  I empathized about the state of the economy and the difficulties of marketing and finding customers and so on and so forth.

‘So, do you have a Facebook page? Do you do anything with social media to meet people who might be interested in what you’re selling?” I asked.

“People keep badgering me to be their friends on that thing, but I don’t want to spend five hours a day sitting behind a computer,” she said.

‘Well, what about a smart-phone? That would give you some mobility and you wouldn’t be bound to your home or office,” I said.

She then went on a five-minute rant about computers taking over the world, and people hiding behind cell phones and that if she had a phone –which she doesn’t, her kids would be calling her all the time and who needs that and on and on it went. And no she doesn’t know about Facebook business pages.

‘Does it cost money?  Who has time to learn about all that stuff anyway?” she said.

In thinking about it afterward, I congratulated myself for holding my tongue. I’ve learned from experience that when such firm opinions are expressed, offering a contrary point of view can be perceived as a hostile act. No thanks. Technophobia is nothing to mess with lightly. I’d rather wrestle a wild boar.

While I understood her angst and justified criticism about misuses of technology and the avoidance behavior it allows, her throwing out the baby with the bathwater is all too common.  She wasn’t open to seeing the greater picture; that the tools she held such contempt for could give her access to information and people anywhere, at anytime. And if she knew how to use these tools, she could meet people she would never meet otherwise who want what she has to offer! By learning to use Facebook, and Twitter, and LinkedIn, and a blog,  she could reach a bigger audience than she has yet to realize.

It’s my hope that someday my friend comes around and sees the light. But she’ll have to adjust her attitude a bit and if she wants some help, I’d be more than happy to oblige. We might even open a market for her goods, in Brazil. Now wouldn’t that be exciting!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl2WJdn3qOE

Bebel Gilberto – Samba da Benção

So, you’ve decided to give Twitter a whirl and see what it can do for you. You may or may not have a specific objective in mind and just want to see if Twitter is a fit for you.  That’s perfectly fine, and the way I approached it. But however you start, and for whatever reason, there are few simple things you must do if you want to give yourself the best chance of developing  relationships with real people.

Of the many options that should be configured in your Twitter account settings  panel, there are four essentials that should be tended to right away. For arguments sake, I’m going to assume you want to use Twitter for business.

• Name: Use your real name when registering a personal account. Using a false persona makes it difficult to develop a long-term  relationship especially if one of your goals is to using Twitter as a marketing tool for business. A real name builds confidence and trust which is critical for a  meaningful relationship whether online, or offline.

• Picture: Like your name a picture of yourself will strengthen trust, and represent you in the best possible light. The most common Twitter photo is a cropped photograph of your face. Sometimes people use their Twitter Photo to make a statement, overlaying their image with symbolic graphic additions such as ribbons or borders. The free site Twibbon (http://tibbon.com) has many design choice suggestions. Visuals are powerful so use this feature wisely.

• Weblink: Insert a link to a website home page, blog, Facebook personal or business page, LinkedIn profile, or any other link that you think would provide useful information about you, your company, and your offering. Eighty percent of your tweets should be useful information rather than self -promotion. The URL you have listed on your Twitter homepage will serve as your proxy giving people the option to chose for themselves whether or not to find out more about your. Remember, Twitter is about meeting people, not forcing yourself on them

• Bio: In keeping with Twitter’s character, the bio line gives you a chance to further define yourself, in 160 characters or less. This could be strictly business, or personal, or a combination of both. Or empty. I’d recommend filling it out though.

Happy tweeting and remember: it’s not the number of followers you have or the number of people you’re following but the quality of the tweets and the relationships you build. Give Twitter a chance to produce results, and for that, I would suggest working it for a year, at least. The results will come, but you must be active with your engagement.

Follow me on Twitter:  @johnsutton4

Recommended reading: ‘Twitter Marketing An Hour a Day’ Hollis Thomases

Illustration: Leyla Torres

Setting up a unique fan or like page URLgave me some trouble and I understand it’s been difficult for others too. I just recently walked someone else through the process so in hopes that others might benefit here are the steps that worked for me.

Two things before starting.  First is that the benefit of setting a custom URL is that your page address will be much easier to remember and identify. If a custom URL is not set, the address of your page is a long indecipherable string of numbers. And secondly, before setting your unique URL 25 people must have ‘LIKED’  your page.

Now we’re ready to begin.

1. Log in to your personal Facebook account.
2. Go to www.facebook.com/username  [NOTE: type the string 'username' not your real or account name.
3. The www.facebook.com/username page will declare your username as set already.
4. IMPORTANT - Just under the yellow box stating your username is set, there's a link that reads "Set Username For Your Pages." Click this link.
5. A box will appear along with a dropdown menu. Click the dropdown menu and then select the page for which you want to create a username.
6. Type whatever username you've chosen and then click to check availability.
7. You can ignore the warning that you'll transfer ownership.
8. Once you have confirmed the business username it will be set and can't be changed.
9.Now you can access your page from www.facebook.com/companyname replacing 'companyname' with 'yourRealCompanyName']

Please let me know if this has been helpful. Thanks!

Over the last few years, I’ve been slowly adjusting to the rapid changes in the way we communicate, and followed the same route as everyone else. I’ve produced websites, started blogs, worked my Facebook and Twitter accounts and I’m even warming to LinkedIn.

Maintaining these social media channels takes time and effort and while I do my best to keep up, it mostly feels like I’m writing for myself. And I’m fine with that. Unlike a few people I know, I haven’t yet developed the habit of journaling at length on a regular basis, so my 140 word Twitter posts (@johnsutton4) are easing me into adopting a regular schedule.

While I like the concept of social media tools, and the idea that they allow access to a potentially huge audience. I’m not sure what I want do do with such exposure, especially since I’ve never been  comfortable as the focus of attention in a small group, much less a large one. So, where is the appeal?

Well, turning on its head the  idea of what I think the internet and social media tools can do for me, I realize daily that the appeal of virtually unlimited reach and connection is not about projecting myself, my wishes, my needs, my talents, my skills.  What it is about is receiving, of learning, and of growing. It’s endlessly humbling.

Please visit: http://tinyurl.com/y8moohr

Thank you: @VAinParadise @DediKatedVA @PrimoAssistance