2 Comments Posted in blogging November 30, 2008

What I Am Reading On Sunday: Nov 30

5 Posts that I have been diving into on this snowy, ugly, Indiana day.

1. 123SocialMedia: by Barry Hurd
Post: Social Media Examples – Marketing Your Brand

“Social media marketing has been changing the way business utilize communication technology, combining different mindsets with flexible rules and non-existent standards.”

2. Logic + Emotion: By David Armano
Post: The 4 C’s of Community

“Quality content is a great way to attract the people who are needed to form the elusive community that your brand is hoping will to help build. When considering community initiatives, there are three questions to ask yourself.”

3. Amber.Rae: By Amber Rae
Post: Picasa Rocks

“Picasa pops up on the screen. “Sure why not, I’ll give you a try,” I think to myself. Two words: PHENOMENAL program.

… Read more

32 Comments Posted in social media, twitter November 29, 2008

Why I Hate Twitter Auto-Response And Why You Should Too.

I am fairly new at using Twitter. The concept and usefulness of the tool is by far one of the best on the web. I have been noticing an increasing trend in something I find completely worthless: Auto-Response. Whether you are using an @reply or a DM auto response I would prefer not to get them in my Inbox.

The beauty of social media is that (when used right) it turns into a BRILLIANT permission based marketing tool. Do you know what Auto-Response tools bring to social media? Nothing. An Auto-Response tool is simple a selfish method of promoting yourself or saving YOURSELF time. Notice a trend? Yourself.

I don’t care how much time you save using an AR tool. I wasted MY time reading your anti-relationship building response tool.… Read more

1 Comment Posted in blogging, corporate blogging, Corporate Strategy, Micro-Blogging, productivity, small business, social media November 26, 2008

Wouldn’t You Rather Shoot At Fish In A Barrel?

With the launch of the NING platform it has been becoming easier to create niche social networks. As a user, you can join any network whether it is location or interest based. The membership could range from 500 to 20,000 depending on the network and the participants. I have been talking randomly about the power of using networks that are geographically based (if you are using social media as a networking and marketing strategy).

Chris Brogan has a post that further enforces my idea that SMALL is the new BIG in Social Media. His post entitled Do You Have To Touch Every Conversation? talks about the importance of fishing where the FISH are located. As a fisherman you would not try to cover the ENTIRE ocean. What would you do? … Read more

2 Comments Posted in blogging, Social Strategy November 25, 2008

Balancing Strategy, Transparency, and Measurement in Blogging

Doug Karr has a great post over at his Compendium blog called When to Fire Your Blogging Expert. The post breaks down the concept of weighing the intangible and tangible benefits of blogging. Doug talks about what a blog consultant should be discussing when they are helping with an overall communications strategy:

1. Your Business
2. How You Drive Customers
3. Measuring Results

I wanted to map out a couple of things you should remember when planning your communication strategy. If you are the smart business owner, a social media strategy will be combined with your current offerings. I am gleening off of Doug’s comment:

Authority, engagement and transparency are all valid tactics when writing blogs for business, but the ultimate goal is to grow qualified leads through search

… Read more

67 Comments Posted in blogging, indianapolis November 24, 2008

Top 50 + Bloggers in Indianapolis

Lorraine Ball and myself decided to make a list of 50 of the top bloggers in Indianapolis. Let me give you the run down of how people made the list.

This is not ranked.

50 could be bigger than number 1.

I made the decision on who to make the list by updates on who I read. I read most of the blogs on the list. If you have not updated for the month of November you were not placed on the list.

I apologize ahead of time for anyone I have forgotten. Now. Enjoy

1. Douglas Karr: Technology and everything web
Recent Post: StumbleUpon Continues to Feed My Blog

2. Erik Deckers: Humor:
Recent Post: Sport Stacking: Pretty Cool, But It’s Not A Sport:

3. Hazel Walker: Referral … Read more