David Strom of ComputerWorld has used some of my advice for business blogging in his latest article: "How to be a better blogger -- and still keep your day job" Thanks David!

I'm pretty familiar with the traditional Data Storage Industry (learn about my day job) and consider myself a web guy.

I've decided to keep a running list of all the companies offering Online Storage, (some lists collected from Techcrunch) Soon, this list will be hard to manage as online storage is/will be a commodity.

In fact I predict at some point storage providers will figure out how to pay YOU to host content on their spaces. (resuse of content business models, etc)

• Cnet's All you can Upload (reports techcrunch)
• Omnidrive
• Amazon's S3 (Simple Storage Service)
  
• Xdrive
• AllMyData
• Box.net
• eSnips
• Freepository
• GoDaddy
• iStorage
• Mofile
• Mozy
• Openomy
• Streamload
• Strongspace
• iBackup (submitted by Joe --see comments below)
  

Unconfirmed or not launched

• Google's gDrive? Rumors here.
• Microsoft's Live Drive

Related

• Mark's analysis on lifetime hosting plans --these spaces will intersect in the near future.
• Niall is hosting an Tech Sessions: Online Storage Even June 15. 2006
  

Left: A Snapzilla postcard from Second Life: look at all the fun Nylon and i are having Toast

Matt Biddulph of Hack Diary has figured out how to port in flickr images into a virtual life 3D Setting, be sure to check out the video which he's left at his post. It can go two ways as snapzilla can publish post cards from second life to your blog.

New to Second Life? I've been playing with it, even gave a friend a tour, and did an interview with Chris Salazar and an informal interview of Robert Scoble on this podcasts.

Besides publishing flickr images to second life, what else could be ported in?

• YouTube
• Google Video
• Dumpalink
• iTunes Podcast Directory
  
• Garageband
• Podsafe
  
• Techmeme News to a blimp
• Importing rich data and profile info from MySpace or Linkedin to pre-create your network of avatars
  

Create unique and 3D interfaces for any of the above, virtual stores, bands, or conferences. I prophesize that these applications at some point will share data and create unique mashups. When individuals start to communicate by email or IM, they're online avatars in Second life will also begin to interact or build relationships with others.

Kikkoman, which is known for it's soy sauce brands, has recently launched Your Teriyaki focus site with the aid of FCB Advertisting of San Francisco, reports a Forbes Press Release.

I've decided to give some exposure to this campaign, as it's both local and a product that we may use at home. The "Your Teriyaki" site deploys a popup flash experience that focuses on 'fresh' (asian california style) recipes that can created from their product. They integrate recipes via video as well as provide downloads for the recipes.

As a Web Strategist, here are some of my observations:

• I enjoyed the fresh interactive design, the videos are download recipe are helpful, maybe extend to monthly cooking videos using their products?
  
  
• Why is there no link or reference to "My Teriyaki" site from Kikkoman proper website, if such heavy resources were invested for the focus site, shouldn't there be cross linking?
  
  
• I reccommend that they give an option to download all receipes to PDF, as you currently would have to open and print each one.
  
  
• Also, I was prompted to go to the Kikkoman website from the Your Terikyaki site to "View More Recipes" I was expecting to see ratings by users of these recipes, as well as the apparent ability to submit receipes. Bonus points would be provided if it enabled user submitted pictures and tags --and even a subscribe feature. (FCB should propose pro)
  
  
• Another idea would be to create an export data format (XML or RSS) that would export these ingredients to a safeway shopping cart or other local grocery chain for immediate pickup or delivery. (Why not a simple link to Amazon, who already sells the product here)
  
  
• If Kikkoman really wants to engage it's audience online, consider building a community, a network that promotes both usage of it's product from 'recommended' recipes as well as community submitted. These communities will bond, and even form in real life --this is how I define Community Marketing.
  

Decent start Kikkoman and FCB, It would be great to see you both take it to the next level.

Speaking of cooking, last night I grilled Smoked Salmon on a Cedar Plank with fresh herbs, lemon juice, with Italian Squash, and Aspargus. (I don't do justice to my wife's cooking however) I think I'll make the Steak Salad with Fresh berries for my wife sometime --I think we'll both enjoy that on a hot summer day in the Bay Area.

More discussions about this
-Robyn Tippins Review
-Jason the Content Librarian

Attention: I've moved to Web-Strategist.com --you'll find more of my thoughts there. I've selected specific posts to add this link to.

Ballbug.com (the basebal version of tech meme) reports that Bonds passes Babe with 715 homers. I was there, see my flickr pictures there was a lot of streamers, fireworks, and happy people.

Bonds hit the HR into the center areas, no one in the stands caught it, however I suspect someone in the concession stands below got the ball. I find it interesting that my news now is found primarily from bloggers --even sports.

Are these names of droids in an upcoming Star Wars film?

Sounds like it, but it's not. The IE team has decided to announce that "that we will be naming the version of IE7 in Windows Vista “Internet Explorer 7+”. This primarily due to the release of Vista Beta. I attended the IE7 Beta Release Party: Product Teams, Editors, Podcasters and Bloggers party a few weeks ago -- we even recorded a podcast

I'm still keeping track of my use of IE, and tracked a few bugs, that appear to be working much better now.

I use IE7 at home to access my webmail, as well as a few other sites, I say I use firefox 80% of the time and IE 20% of the time.

Speaking of Science Fiction Films, I saw Xmen 3 last night and I really like it. There were even people protesting the Da Vinci code.

Attention: I've moved to Web-Strategist.com --you'll find more of my thoughts there. I've selected specific posts to add this link to.

Want to meet some fellow bay area bloggers and geeks?

I copied Shel's exact title, because I can't do it better. I could add that geeks could come too, not just bloggers.


According to Shel's post and comments, the following will be coming out.



I'll update the list as it grows. Who's Coming:

• Jackie Danicki
  
• Adriana Cronin-Lucas
  
• Tracy Sheridan (from Waxxi)
• Eric Weaver
  
• Christopher Salazar
  
• James Gross
  
• Jen McClure of NewComm
• ?
• ?
  

We had fun the last time at Hotel Utah, although Shel got a little bit crazy with the face paint. they have some good burgers, decent beers on tap, and a great area to hang out.

There's even a small stage with a piano on it --if you buy me enough beers, I may play some jazz for you --I'm rusty, but I'll give it a shot.

Webvisions, Panelist, Portland, July 20-21

Our Panel "Let Go, Jump In: Community Marketing Strategies for Empowered Customers" will be driven by Kit Seeborg (who runs Design for ROI) Among my peers will include Brian Oberkirch, (super cool guy at Weblogs work, we met at NewComm) Dan Saffer (blog) from Adaptive Path --A leading UX shop in SF.

I'm excited about the topic focus "Community Marketing" as I've been giving it much thought both in theory and practice. I'm planning to record the session, I know it will be fun, interactive and insightful.


My wife and I will be enjoying Portland for the weekend, we've never been before, it'll be fun to explore and check out the local art and music scene during the summer. Thanks to Kit for the invite --looking forward to it.

Ford Foundation Seeking Full Time Web Strategist, E-Products Manager in Manhattan.

It's very rare when I promote a job from my blog, ok, we'll this is the first, and I really don't want to get into the habit of doing this. However the Ford Foundation does good works and I want to do my part to help.

They are seeking a seasoned web strategist to define the role of web for their organization this person will build a great web program that will help them to grow, share, and maybe build web communities --ya know, the stuff I love.

The Ford Foundation is a private philanthropic institution that serves as a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide. Our goals are to: Strengthen democratic values; reduce poverty and injustice; promote international cooperation; advance human achievement. This has been our purpose for almost half a century.

The position is Full Time, and in Manhattan NY, (A perk right there) and they are willing to relocate the right individual (they also have a pretty good benefits package). Here's a brief summary:

The Web Strategist reports directly to the Communications Director and will play a lead role in conceiving and implementing a strategy for the Foundation’s website and e-based external communications. Under the supervision of the Director of Communications s/he will design a blueprint for overhauling the Foundation’s website, introduce e-based communication tools that support the Foundation’s evolving communications plans and goals, and guide the Foundation’s thinking on creative and mission-driven uses of the web and other interactive media.

Rather than I post her email up on my site and she get spammed from dawn to evening, please send me an email, and I'll connect you to her at jeremiah_owyang@yahoo.com.

Please make the subject line say: Ford Foundation, if not you run the risk of getting junked.

Waxxi Podcast Live

I've got my hands on the Waxxi Innagural podcasts before it will be published to the whole world. Yup, I had to pull some eStrings for this one.

You can listen to Scoble, Shel, CEO of Waxxi Tracy Sheridan, and a bunch of other participants (like me) in this first interactive podcast. Tracy has posted the links on the Waxxi Site.

Or you can listen to them directly from here:

• Waxxi Podcast with Shel and Scoble Part 1 (48min)
  
• Waxxi Podcast with Shel and Scoble Part 2 (46min)
• My Show Notes are here

Attention: I've moved to Web-Strategist.com --you'll find more of my thoughts there. I've selected specific posts to add this link to.

I've been raving about flickr (although James continues to tease) and have been uploading photos like crazy. I've uploaded at least 2000 photos in the last few weeks.

Last night at the podcast meetup, one kind attendee asked me while she had the mic "you've been taking a lot of pictures, what are you doing with them? uploading them to flickr"

I realized that my flash had been going off , and many didn't realize what a blogger and photo freak I was.

Best of the Best Photo Set
I've completed my favoriates photo set entitled "Best of the Best Photos Flickr Photo Set" , please realize that 99% of the photos were taken by me, exception of the wedding pictures.

Try the Slideshow version, if you want to kick back --best enjoyed with a glass of wine and good music.

Enjoy, leave a comment if you've any questions.

Left: Martin McKeay, Shel Holtz, Me.

I've taken quite a few pics of the event last night, here's my flickr set. I attended the Podcast Meetup in SF at Sauce. (they have a nicely stocked bar, and Trumer Pilsner) Interesting session, everyone went around the room introducing themselves and the podcasts they work on. Of course I told about my involvement with the podcast roundtable with Martin Mckeay. I ran into Shel Holtz (he was on the Waxxi podcast last weekend).

An interesting debate opened up between Jon Hammond, Jazz musician, and Michael the Rock and Roll Geek regarding rights and use of music in podcasts. We've heard this before debate before "should podcasters be allowed to reuse musicians music to promote, etc".

Thanks Jon, who gave me his latest CD --a pic of us, I listened to it on my drive to work, I told him I used to be a Jazz Performance Major before switching to a web career.

There were a few prizes given away such as books signed by authors, and an airclick. Got a chance to check out Shel Holtz recording device an M Audio Microtrack

I gave Shel Holtz a ride to the Bart station, I didn't realize he actually has a web consulting business helping corporations with Intranet Content Audits --a practice I've done several times.

Podcasters I met:

• Michael (pic), the host of the event is at Rock and Roll Geek Show.
  
  
• Raphael (pic) from the Retro Podcast, interesting podcast and show, they review/discuss retro furniture --it's a podcast with pictures to view
  
  
• Jon Hammond (pic) here's his main site or check out some of his CDs on Amazon.
  
  
• Ran into Deirdre Kennedy who is the Executive Producer and host of Animals Aloud.
  
  
• Grabed the cards of Joe and Pam who run A guy, a girl and a bottle (a wine podcast)
  
  
• IODA is the industry-leading digital distribution company for the global independent music community.
  
  
• Think Future Radio Show: "Like Limbaugh, Savage or Franken? You'll LOVE Chris Future."
  
  
• Of course, there is Shel Holtz and his well known podcast series
  
  
• Podshow Podcast Network (just added this)
  
  
• Lastly, I'm a founding member of the Podcast Roundtable: Discussions on Tech, and interviews with Tech Leaders.
  

You can view other pictures tagged podcastmeetupsf or sfpodcastmeetup in flickr

I've been writing about blogger lately (and why I use it) and was very thankful to be invited as a guest at Google's Mountain View campus, invited by Christine of the blogger team. I

She was gracious enough to invite me to the famous Café 150, which is a unique corporate campus cafe that only prepares food from a 150 mile radius. Obviously, as one would expect, fresh produce, cultural flavorings yielded a modern, California style cuisine.

Over dining in the sun, we enjoyed discussing our history at Exodus, blogging, and our interests in music, arts, and the challenges of bay area real estate.

I met some of the other friendly folks on her team like Graham. He's got an interesting blog, and I believe this is him playing guitar(mp3). I've offered to be a beta tester for any future blog enhancements to the blogger product

– Thanks again for lunch Christine!

I've been following the cheap laptop story, and even discussed this a while back in April. I'm fascinated by the thought of global enablement of the internet --I guess it ties back to me being a web strategist. I even got into a heated debate with Rick Cooper about global conversations and thought pollution.

SFgate has just asked if you would pay 100 dollars for this laptop. Pete Barr-Watson has put some pics up on flickr, or view the set here.

Alan Saracevic of the SFgate asks "Again: Why does everyone need a laptop?"

I think I've stated my case plenty of times, anyone else have an answer?

I've been having a few discussions with James Gross about feed syndication, and republication, he's recently posted some of his thoughts on Sphere, Feedburner and Blogburst (which I've signed up for) RSS search evolving to directories, and the future.

James used to work for Feedster, that is known for feed syndication, Technorati has just announced that it's going to


Be sure to check out Time's implementation of the contextual and relvent use of sphere on their site. Click on any article, and then you'll see a link to Sphere it.

Sites like Time are mixing CGM and EGM --going purple like CBS and NYtimes have done.

I'll be doing this series of "Unique Blog Update" and tie them into one post.

I think it's just as important to think about Web Strategy as it is to look at how different individuals are using blogs for their own unique strategy.

In particular, I like to focus on the career or professional blog that don't relate to web.

Here's a few unique blogs:

• Confessions of a Chiropractor
  Dr. Les Chu is a recent member of the blogging community, and has built this blog to reach out to other chiropractors. Interesting intersection of blogging and his focus area. Here he discussed public opinion of his profession in the blogosphere.
  
  
• Taxi Vignettes
  Joan the Taxi Lady shares her experience as a bay area taxi driver, in this post she gives us a nice picture of SF, and wonders why someone took part of her taxi!
  
  
• e-Bizz by Christopher Salazar
  Chris is one of the most well known intern bloggers, and is sharing his journey being an intern, he recently wrote this post about how to make the most out of a business trip.
  
  
• Travel Log
  BizNet provides some tips, special deals and other travel information from their perspective as a travel agent or traveler.
  
  
• THIS IS FUN TO MAKE A BLOG ON THE COMPUTER WEBSITE
  Mark showed me this one, it's a real 'riot' --I think you'll agree. My Aunt Chris rolls over laughing when reading this one. Be sure to start from the bottom --it's not random, there is really a story that evolves and some sort of strange character development.
  

That's it for now, if you know of any unique proffesional blogs of individuals that are sharing their experiences with the world, or are using blogs as communication and networking tools, please let me know!

MySpace is ready to step up to the partnership block. I remember just a few weeks ago when facebook was discussing it's value of about 2 billion? The world is catching on to the value of online communities. The Financial Times reports that:

Dell to build Offline Click Stores
I like Dell, my home PC is a Dell, and I even configured and helped with the ordering process for my Dad's and Sister's Inspirons. PC pro reports that Dell is going to open two live click stores. I agree with Dell's analysis that:


A Late Start to a Difficult Problem
It will be difficult for Dell to gain traction for profit, but by making a unique, interactive product showroom that encourages community interaction may yield long term results. I feel Dell products are a different market segment than the Creative Apple thinker crowd --many ties over to business sectors, both small and medium. Let's be sure not to forget about Gateway, that slipped quietly into the night with the cows --Dell has to be sure not to replicate those mistakes.

I even noticed my cousin's new laptop the Dell XPS, it's a real indicator of change in the Dell lineup. hipper, powerful, for gamers and less 'corporate' design.

Is Social Interaction and Community Marketing a component of brand zealotry?
This is how Web 2.0 is different --computer manufactures are going Offline as well as Online for an multi channel customer experience.

Social interaction is a core foundation of Web 2.0. Does social communinication assist in customer zealotry and thriving brands? Do Apple customers like to communicate, converse, and build communities? Is this the source of the brand loyalty for boxes filled with wires and chips? Do these communities need to socialize offline and online?

I just talked about how loyal customers can be created from unique 'dumbed down' customer experiences and products such as Trader Joe's, do the same rules apply to computer manufacturers?

Questions:

• Does Dell have the same unique brand as Apple?
• Does the Dell brand create customer zealotry like Apple?
• Is Social Interaction and Community required to build brand zealotry?
• Does Dell provide Social Interaction and Community?
  
• Is Dell late to the game?
  
• What do customers say about Dell? Try a Google Search on "Dell Support" and you may find this: (ouch)
  
• Jeremy Z's (Top blogger at Yahoo) on Dell Support
• ZDnet's conversations on Indian outsourcing mistakes
  

Just got back from our weekly trip to Trader Joe’s an unique American Grocery Store that is known for loyal customers


She also likes the diversity of products and that it’s often easy to prepare (we’re both busy professionals). Unlike traditional brands (like Safeway or Albertsons, Trader Joe’s has unique products that it’s difficult to predict what one will get.

As such, it’s an experiment and a experience to try new foods to bring home. I noticed how they try to 'dumb down' their advertisting and marketing, and make each store unique to it's biome, and staff are taught to be helpful and friendly. By "dumbing down" their brand and marketing they bring a 'local grocery store' feel from a very revenue intense corporation.

Forbes indicates in their most recent article "Cheap Gourmet" that


Seth Godin listed a few reasons why Trader Joe’s has been successful, he writes that

1. They target a consumer that cares a great deal about what they buy at the supermarket.
2. These customers are big mouths.
3. Most of what they sell is private label.

I suggested we start a blog on reviewing Trader Joe food, with ample pictures, descriptions and ratings of food, but we quickly decided it’s probally been done before, and I really don’t have time to start another blog.

Upon some research, I’ve found that there is already a Tracking Trader Joe’s blog (not aflliciated with the company it says) as well as the Candy Blog, that often reviews product from Trader Joe.

What are your experiences with Trader Joe? Are you a Consumer? Zealot? Don’t care? Or even dislike Trader Joe’s?

I've worked on four different enterprise Intranets during my career, so I'm pretty familiar with the ins and outs of corporate intranets.

A while ago, I published these thoughts on the Corporate Intranet and Health Inspectors --I noticed a trend between the design of Intranets and corporate cultures.

The Intranet Review Toolkit (managed by James Robertson, who I've communicated with several times) has published the following list of bloggers that discuss intranets:

James's excellent list of Intranet Blogs

(Special note, it should be known that I had originally copied the links and descriptors from James list and pasted here on this blog, However as an oversight I didn't put the quotes on it, so rather than adding the quotes, I'm just linking back over to James site where you'll find many other resources as well)

Also, I should note that I'm the moderator and owner of the Intranet User Experience Group --if you want to network with a larger group of intranet practitioners, this is the place for you.

Thanks James for the great list.

Information week discusses that Blog-Based Analysts Shake Up IT Research: A new breed of IT analysts is sharing insights over the Internet, leaving traditional research firms trying to catch up using the same methods.

No surprise to me, many analysts have been writing columns, articles, reports, reviews and performing analysis for years, to them, blogging is native to analysts. If anything, it gives them the opportunity to add some spice, opinion, or personal insight that they were restricted to before. Now that users and readers can usually leave comments (some of the analysts listed in the report have clunky comment forms) it becomes more of a discussion.

Let's not forget one of the most famous analyst bloggers, Charlene Li from Forrester, when asked what her ROI was (I was in the front row at Newcomm) she responded that (reports the Marketing Blog)



I noticed within some IT industries that analysts were the first to blog --even before many consumers --again, it's native to them

Waxxi the interactive podcast
This has been a monumental weekend for me, I was one of the first to participate in a truly interactive two-way podcast with Shel Israel and Robert Scoble –I was able to voice my own opinion in real time on the call as well as interact in the chatroom backchannel, and then blog about it (Shel blogged it as as did Scoble)

SF's Bay to Breakers Parade and Run --expressive to say the least.
Yesterday, I attended the Bay to Breakers run/parade, a 7 mile (plus one mile cool down) run and parade every May in San Francisco. It was interesting as anyone was allowed to participate in the parade, many showed their interesting and creative side, some took the race very seriously, and some just came to have a true naked conversation.

At the Bay to Breakers I saw Brett Crosby from Google Analytics running like lightning ahead of most of the other ruckus, I looked him up he did an amazing 1:11. I was wearing my blogger shirt on and as he ran by, he said "Hey Jeremiah" --too cool. I also saw my buddy Juan, (who needs to update his blog) who posted pics on flickr There are so many more pics on flickr (tag =baytobreakers), you need to view through them –let me warn you however, there are some nude photos that others have uploaded that may offend you.

These to me are both signs that society and information will continue to present the following

• The Participants are Taking Charge as the common person has access to publish their own thoughts and express themselves.
  
  
• Communication and Interaction is two way, as podcasts blogs, and parades allow the audience and spectators to talk back.
  
  
• The power is in the masses, while a podcast with Shel and Scoble alone maybe interesting, it’s a lot more fun to listen to when there are others participating.
  
  
• Human will use the internet, blogs, podcasts, and flickr and what's next tools to communicate, the lines of distinction between message controller and participant are blurred.
  

My fingers hurt from typing the following show notes:

Interactive Podcast with Shel and Scoble using Waxi
This was really cool, I was able use the chatroom feature (like a backchannel) , listen to Shel and Scoble talk, and even got to participate and join in the discussion via my phone. Multimedia two way experience --love it!

Getting started --little rough
Little bit chaotic getting this going, I'm listening in on mute. The call had to be shut down twice --the first was to reduce a buzzing sound, and the second time as someone initiated the conference call without permission. Then we were on hold for a minutes listening to some fantastic sounds of Yanni. Shel needs to get some better phones at home ;)


Show Notes
I took the following show notes, I had no idea it was going to be nearly two hours long, anyways, here's the fruits of my labor.

1) Email question around blogging impacting employees

• First question was around how has blogging changed some companies, and Robert talked about how Microsoft has changed it's HR policies

2) Tips for new bloggers

• Robert:
  
• Comments, taglines, looking at Technorati to find effective headlines, writing well. Having a good looking blog, nice url.

• Shel:
  
• Be passionate, join the conversation. Shel references my journey.

3) Web development, participatory podcasting, PBS

• Robert: 3.3 unique million visitors to Channel 9 without any advertising.


• Ipod is new distribution channel for audio


• Shel references how Waxxi is changing this global conversation


• Robert:


• It's two way, and the conversation and content is different


• Wishes Adam Curry would have used this type of technology in his shows on Sirius.


• (Jeremiah thought: does Waxxi move into the NPR space? ...global, free, infinite channels)


• Google empowers users to find obscure pieces of content --small niches.


• Shel:


• Hard to summarize the book, however "blogging is normalizing"


• The world is becoming a smaller faster place


• Robert:


• Mini Microsoft has changed MS.


• Discussions around blogging plumbers


• Shel:


• All business should blog


• Robert noticed that some businesses in Montana have yet to have a website


• (Shel asks why Robert goes to a fish restaurant thousands of miles from the Ocean --kills me, oh man)

4) Squidoo

• Shel brings the topic up from the chat room


• Squidoo is Seth Godin's baby


• Robert uses technorati and tech.meme


• Shel suggests that there are several companies are working on enabling effective search for --the solution is not yet here.


• Robert: Using word searches on Technorati, primarily words such as "geek" as it brings some interesting results

5) What's the bigger picture? (question by me)

• Shel:


• Blogs and podcasts are going to be considered 'cute' tools in the future


• The power is not with huge advertising, and large organizations, but rather by smaller communities that share common interest, not geographic boundaries


• Quotes Charlene Li's suggestion that companies that relinquish control will be the ones that can harness this.


• Shel heading on a world tour, seeking new technologies that will made the changes


• The connected world means the universe of knowledge is global and change can occur easily and fast


• Some politicians are realizing that bloggers can make them irrelevant, Shel cites how San Carlos bloggers are becoming empowered.


• Robert:


• The web is becoming real


• Businesses and execs don't understand why to talk to micro audiences.


• "Why communicate with 20 people, when I can buy a forbes full page ad"


• Is it important to have C level execs blog?


• Robert would rather see a grassroots build up rather organic and authentic


• Onenote blogger in the blogger team.


• Blogging is bottom up


• Discusses how Marc Cuban has top down blogs, and is the only one.


• How product teams can tell stories, have conversations about 'crashing' and real time support and communications.

6) but what if the onenote team started blogging about higher-level microsoft strategies? shouldn't bill gates be the one doing that?

• Robert:


• Bill Gates will blog but only if he could do that at a consistent basis


• Robert has to be careful about what he needs to say, such as he knew about the HR changes coming to MS.


• What about risky or sensitive information?


• Shel



• Robert's greatest loyalty is to the technology


• Robert


• What about IP discussions, or Financial


• Gotta be careful


• Reference to Google Blogger being fired (Mark Jen)


• Robert talks about the corporate membrane


• Shel


• Talks about Mark Jenn, and that he doesn't think anyone got fired for blogging, but the actions that they took.


• Robert


• Gotta check the risks before you take it


• It's about being a professionals and taking risk


• What is the reason you're doing something? Get a good answer before you do this, or you'll be in the hot seat.


• Shel:


• Many bloggers are blogging, although there's only been a few firings.


• Some are careful as they know they are in public


• Robert:


• Being in a public place employees will be careful what you're going to say.


• He needs to be careful about what is portrayed


• Shel:


• Very few bloggers have been fired as of recent.

7) Are blogs really 2 way communications?

• Shel
• 90% of blogs have 0 comments, and less blogs have comments


• Robert:


• When he first started, he didn't get a tremendous amount of blogs


• Although he has thousands of readers, he only gets about 50 comments a day.


• It doesn't bother Robert, as he can still find this content via Google


• Robert has been writing about his sick Mother, and received more comments back.

8) Frank Gruber (read his notes): how would you address F.U.D. of other professionals that worry about their online reps. For example, law students worried their blog will be used later against them.

• Shel
  
• gives examples of a student on myspace that wrote some criticisms --the college admissions held this against him.


• Digital is forever.


• Robert
• Robert says some interviewers print out and read his blog


• Gaping Void is on the edge, and his style has opened up doors where others have closed


• Number of comments has something to do with passion of post

9) Nature of Tags and Delicious

• Robert


• Collective way for a group to say something is interesting


• Folks can share tags so new things can get discovered


• Finding popularity


• Watches Digg as well --brings a lot of traffic. (40-80k visitors)


• Shel


• Tagging is advanced features


• Like putting your kids name before he heads off to camp


• Robert:


• Technorati is using it a bit as well


• Raw Sugar


• Different info than Google

10) ptvGuy: I also wanted to ask about the recent phenomenon of blogs being left in Wills and trusts and how a person or business would treat a blog as an asset.

• Shel


• Interesting to think of this as an asset


• If Robert leaves MS, then scobilizer goes with him


• Robert


• Will it be findable forever? Not sure, although it will be findable.


• Jeremiah Owyang: the blog will NOT stop...it will be findable forever...

ptvGuy: A blog memorial

• A large percentage of them will not survive

11) Talking about Sphere

• Shel


• Will it scale and make money?


• Interesting new products

12) When will MS enter the blog search?

• Robert:


• Working on it


• Shel


• Why doesn't MS buy Technorati or Sphere


• Robert


• Trying to persuade committees is difficult, can MS become more agile?

13) Shel Holtz chimes in looking at regulatory rules with blogging such as pharma

• Robert


• Discusses how folks must get approvals in order to blog


• Maybe pharma folks can blog about stuff on the edges.


• Talk about the work that you're doing


• Shel Holtz


• How about the world of R&D to talk about this without imposing any issues


• Shel


• within 12 months a pharma will be blogging, discussing larger issues


• Addressing how they've been accused of their bad rap


• knows of one consultant that may be able to show some results soon


• Internal blogs and wikis can be implemented

14) What about companies that have used blogs to launch something out of very little

• Robert


• Techcrunch and podtech have built businesses out of very little

15) Advertisting

• Shel


• Advertising are a little slow in how they need to adopt


• Contextual are becoming invisible, as we train to ignore them


• Doc Searls suggests we look at Attention Marketing


• Ads for when we need them


• wants advertising when he wants, but not at the cost of consumer freedom


• Advertising revenue will be driving down over long term.


• Robert


• Every big business is trying to figure this out


• Google figured this out

16) Will there be another book? and Publishing

• Shel is going to do a book on his own.


• Robert says "never say never"


• Seeking publishers to jump on this fantastic book


• Jeff Jarvis says books are dead! Books are less profitable, readership is constant


• References Powerpoint books and Davinci code.


• Blurb is a company that publishes books out of books


• 30 dollars to print today, 15 in a few years


• Everyone can publish,


• Direct access may be the future rather than book publishers


• Robert suggests that if he wants to make money he would be a landlord in Second Life


• Related Podcast here FYI on second life and scoble (and me)
  



• Books don't make authors rich, it's the reputation after it happens afterwards


• Gladwell and Seth make 40k per speaking


• Tracy:


• chimes in that you'll make money what happens after the book


• John says books should be free


• Scoble: My blog is the free book!


• Guy Kawasaki's marketing tips --it's free and it's out there


• Shel


• The chapters posted on Naked Conversations were less read vs the actual interviews


• Scoble:


• Paperless distribution --gotta be


• Shel:


• Agrees that media is too tied to paper. Newspapers should rely on bloggers to use bring the news.


• Tells this to publishers, but suggest they dont get it

17) How do you make money using blogs?

• Robert


• makes six figures as a pro blogger for MS
  


• Suggests that bloggers Use Google ads to make money


• Shel


• Andrew Carton, Treonauts


• Discusses how a tshirt maker can use a blog to build the blog

18) Frank Guber: Attention Marketing, Intention Advertisting, are people going to get paid for their attention?

• Robert:


• Oooh.. AHH...


• Shel:


• The shift of power and control from central to communities


• Shel will let you have my attention when I tell you to


• Special advertising will not get my attention nor emails.


• Sender has no power, but receiver has all the power


• Robert


• Frequent Flyer programs on airlines


• As you play games on xbox you'll get rewards --this will happen online?


• "Achievements" online --rewarding users as they participate


• Attention could teach the online systems using his history.


• Frank


• Rather than getting the free software, could you get paid for it?


• Shel


• Adsense is a primative way to find stuff


• Analytics and metrics are holy grails to find how influence is done.


• The attention is heading to the influencers


• Robert


• Had lunch with two guys from Kraft Foods


• Their management doesn't encourage blogging.


• They have a recipe site --more of this helpful marketing


• Honda has a series of Honda ads that go viral


• Discusses how Frank suggests that online video for cooking could occur.


• John Furrier has done this with podtech.net

19) Jeremiah Owyang: It's about Relationship marketing, Community Marketing, not about Top Down Marketing and forceful selling

• Shel


• Agrees, the stuff that is 'pushing' stuff out will be driving users away


• Robert


• TechRanch in Montana


• Robert is overwhelmed with pitches from companies

20) Frank Gruber: make them simple to understand and digest. RSS or Atom should be called something else...so people get it

• Shel


• Says RSS should be as easy as changing channels


• Robert:


• Microsoft research shows that When a company gives stuff for free, they get more money in return rather than charging for it


• Shel


• That may work for MS, but smaller companies can't give stuff for free


• Robert


• Google Images, and Google properties.


• Shel


• Google Images can't make money


• Robert


• Different groups within MS need to figure out revenue models

21) How can you convince your companies, where can you point them to ?

• Shel


• Don't force your culture to blog


• You can't stop employees from blogging


• noticed that some corp comm groups have the most resistance.


• Companies will have to blog, as the next generation will be coming.

22) Character Blogs

• Shel


• Tony created a character blog,


• Discusses the conversations at NewComm


• Who wants to talk to a talking Moose?
  
  
• Discussed the Darth Vadar blogs a well

23) Changes in culture

• Robert
• People in the valley had time to develop products
• Fight the corporate scandels
• Sick of Marketing dont by committee
• Anti Marketing Marketing
• Swimming downstream rather than upstream

24) Om Malik's thoughts, Web 2.0 is not a technology but a way of thinking, kind of like how Robert did this at MS

• Robert
  
• WOM at his camera sales experience in San Jose
• Web 2.0 is tying into the WOM experience, it's an enabler
• Shel
• The tools are not as important as what the outcome is
• Doesn't like the term 2.0
• Considers himself a journalist

24) Blogging and Journalist

• Shel:
• Discusses london bombings and pics put on flickr
• References Rodney King
• There are more people that have cameras
• Need to have closer alignment with journalists

my fingers hurt.

I've decided to take Eric's informal analysis to the next level by using free vertical search tools that measure user opinion --sentiment. I met CEO James Kim at Newcomm forum (how fitting this all is) and have used his tool to find out basic sentiment of the company name

Steps I took: 1) Obtained the list of top company lists from Eric. 2) Plugged each company name into opinmind.com 3) Recorded the sentiment below:

Left Number is instances of positive mention (+), right is instances of negative mention (-).

• 1. Wal-mart sentimeter 60%(+) 40%(-)
• 2. Exxon Mobil sentimeter 80%(+) 20%(-)
• 3. General Motors sentimeter 58%(+) 42%(-)
• "GM" sentimeter 53%(+) 47%(-)
• 4. Ford Motor sentimeter 16%(+) 84%(-)
• "Ford" sentimeter 71%(+) 29%(-)
• 5. General Electric sentimeter 67%(+) 33%(-)
• "GE" sentimeter 74%(+) 26%(-)
• 6. ChevronTexaco
• "Cheveron" sentimeter 71%(+) 29%(-)
• "Texaco" sentimeter 50%(+) 50%(-)
• 7. ConocoPhillips sentimeter 67%(+) 33%(-)
• "Conoco" sentimeter 67%(+) 33%(-)
• "Phillips" sentimeter 78%(+) 22%(-) (multiple result list)
• 8. Citigroup sentimeter 60%(+) 40%(-)
• 9. AIG sentimeter 52%(+) 48%(-)
• 10. IBM sentimeter 60%(+) 40%(-)
• 11. Hewlett-Packard
• "HP" sentimeter 79%(+) 21%(-)
• 12. Berkshire Hathaway 100%(+) 0%(-)
• "Berkshire" sentimeter 78%(+) 22%(-)
• " Hathaway sentimeter 83%(+) 17%(-) (multiple result lists)
• 13. Home Depot sentimeter 57%(+) 43%(-)
• 14. Verizon sentimeter 38%(+) 62%(-)
• 15. McKesson sentimeter 100%(+) 0%(-)
• 16. Cardinal Health sentimeter 100%(+) 0%(-)
• 17. Altria sentimeter 100%(+) 0%(-)

I suspect opinmind is not prowling all results as many of Eric's results in technorati are a higher level of quanitiy of instances vs a handful found in opinmind. (James told me the primiary data set is myspace, xanga, blogger, and a few thousand 'influentials') --it needs to have all the data to be truly effective for the longtail.

What would be interesting if one were able to apply a more sophisticated measurement like Factiva or other conversation mining techniques to graph sentiment.

Please note this is very unscientific but a real testament to how free analysis tools (google, technorati, and opinmind).can quickly allow individuals to find global converations, and get some sense to what's occuring in them.

Eric Mattson writes a brilliant analysis via the New Comm blog titled Is the Fortune 100 Participating in the Blog Conversation?

He performs a rough (but effective) measurement to determine how many of these large companies are being blogged about, and if they have a blogging strategy to respond.

Here's how he did it:

1. How often do other major corporations get talked about?

2. Are they participating in the online conversation?

So I decided to answer these two questions in the following way.

For question #1, I decided to take a rough average for the last month via Technorati. I also decided to grab the total number of posts that included the company's name. (I recognize some inherent problems here and where possible I've attempted to aggregate it.)

For question #2, I figured I would google "xyz company blog" and look on the first 3 pages of results. I limited it to 3 pages because if the company can't get their blog to show up in the first 3 pages of google results for these terms then it's probably pretty worthless.

It's interesting to see the results, just the sheer number of consumers talking about compaies, talking back, and creating a new media. Look at how many are not participating in these conversations? In the last few months we've had the cover of Business Week (attack of the blogs) discussions in NYtimes, it's really everywhere. Hopefully companies are watching and listening at the very least.

If Eric would take it to the next level, he should conduct Sentiment mining using opinmind

Shel alerted me to his most recent post announcing his plans to travel the globe with Rick Segal to perform research on his upcoming book Global Neighborhoods. (and his progress in planning)

If you’ve read Naked Conversations, you’ll realize much of the book was based upon first hand knowledge, case studies and examples of blogging done right and sometimes wrong.

Shel and Rick (who is packing his bags) will be continuing his saga by now trekking the globe to uncover how companies (and cultures) are giving up control in order to build community –a topic I’m all too familiar with. Here are some subjects I’d love to see covered in his book:

• Provide some examples of companies and cultures that have given up control, what were some of the shoots and ladders that others should be aware of?
  
  
• What tools were most effective to build these neighborhoods, blogs, forums, wikis, social sites, opt-in, opt-out communication tools, etc.
  
  
• What were the specific benefits to companies that have opened their arms to the community?
  
  
• Put some focus on Globalized Companies that are embracing the global neighborhood.
  
  
• Spend time in China, how has blogging changed the social structure, and what changes can we expect in the upcoming future?
  
  
• Where are the next Silicon Valley’s appearing at? And how are they different?
  
  
• What can Web Managers start to do that will really make a difference, that will delight customers?
  
  
• What are the equivalent web giants around the glove (or does Google, Yahoo, MySpace, Blogger, dominate?)
  
  
• Please, Please, Please take a lot of pictures and put them on flickr --this should be a supplement to the book and blog --serious.
  
  
• Make the book available online (I don't mind paying for it) and have links to valuable resources. (Perhaps be true to the theme and let the community upload and provide examples and feedback)
  

This focus area of Shel's is dear to me heart. as I'm currently focused on Defining Community Marketing, and I'll be publishing some practical strategies on how companies can use web tools to build communities --more to come from me soon.

Early this morning I was discussing Google Properties but what about length of stay?

Bill from Hitwise just emailed me the following --he also gave me permission to publish his email and the attached graph.

Hey Jeremiah,

Was just reading your post referring to my Google Properties post yesterday. Thought you’d appreciate a screen shot of our session times for the same sites (ask and ye shall receive). The times you quoted from Nielsen look like average visit time cumulative over a months time (not sure about time frame) our average session time below is per visit. BTW, average session time for MySpace is 28:21.

-Bill

Bill Tancer
GM, Global Research

Hitwise USA Inc.
2 Bryant Street, Suite 240
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 597-4200
Blog: http://weblogs.hitwise.com/bill-tancer

Users spend 13 minutes on Google Images? Hunting? Exploring? This time is longer than using Google proper by over a minute and Gmail --I would be interested in knowing what those keywords are people are searching for in Google Images --anyone know?

Thanks Bill --keep me updated, yes coffee soon!

Interesting to read about Google's top properties, no surprise the primary search field is the key lead followed by Google Images. The other prorperties quickly fall down the tail. I'm assuming since the tool that is measuring this is called 'hitwise' then it's looking for hits.

What about Destination Social Sites?
With Social sites taking the lead where eyeballs are, will Google need to change it's strategy? Google is THE search engine, but if it's primarily used as a transport device to end up at a destination site, is this a risk for Google in the long run?

Take a look at ZDnets recent March 2006 Report on Top Websites

Top sites in March 2006 (Sorted by Length of stay)

1. AOL | 75,348 Vistors | 6:13:54 Length of Stay
   
2. Yahoo! | 105,027 Vistors | 3:28:39 Length of Stay
3. MySpace | 36,373 Vistors | 2:09:04 Length of Stay
4. eBay | 55,573 Vistors | 1:59:18 Length of Stay
5. MSN | 95,124 Vistors | 1:52:10 Length of Stay
6. Google | 93,244 Vistors | 1:00:56 Length of Stay
7. Microsoft | 99,368 Vistors | 0:50:16 Length of Stay
8. Real | 36,961 | 0:43:00 Length of Stay
9. Amazon | 40,721 | 0:23:21 Length of Stay
10. MapQuest | 40,809 | 0:12:05 Length of Stay

Search is Lead at Google, but if just a Vehicle to other sites, what impact does that have? Look at the duration of users on Yahoo, MySpace and AOL --they're clearly showing that users come and stay, network and share. You could easily combine Microsoft and MSN to suggest a single entity as well.

I'm asked this questions very frequently, in fact just yesterday at lunch I was asked this. Most who know me realize that I'm very serious about blogging, in fact I publish 2-3 posts before I head to work nearly every day.

I've even been told that Google is reusing my content in an 'evil' way. For someone as serious about blogging, why don't I upgrade to a hosted solution from Six Apart, or use a Wordpress solution from a web host?

Two reasons

1. I'm performing an experiment regarding enablement of the global conversation. I want to see how far I can go by using free software to publish my voice and thoughts. (note: Although I upgraded to flickr pro, this doesn't impact my blogging efforts)
   
   
2. I'm content with Blogger --it's meeting my needs. I realize one of the key turn offs from users is the lack of categories , metrics, or widgets, I'm making do by using other free addon tools. Also, in times of need, I've found the blogger support staff and community to be very helpful.
   

For now, I'll continue to use Blogger for my personal site (although I use word press for some other blogs, and typepad for business use), let's see how far this can go...

My good bud Waili and former colleague at Exodus was able to get me a pass to the SF Gartner Conference in San Francisco this week, however I've been too busy with work to get away --Thanks Waili, it's much appreciated. Apparently, I missed a very interesting topic as Nick Carr reports that CIOs Flee IT:


He also goes on to suggest that IT management will tend to distance themselves from the pipes and power from the data center, in order to become more business aligned and strategic. Dennis and I have discussed at great length (PDF) the need for enterprise IT groups to align closely with the business when it comes to the opportunities and risks that Web 2.0 can bring to organizations. Nick suggests that CIOs are being repurposed within organizations to provide the following:


Nick, isn't the sum of Information Technology (IT) about innovation, change management, process and collaboration? That is the end result when you add up all the boxes, pipes and code? All of these focuses are important --if enterprise IT departments don't provide such tools and processes, then employees will find a way to have their need solved --by using the Social Web.

Let me tie this back to web... While cheap, rapid deployment of Web 2.0 tools can fill a void that's not being provided a long term strategy should be deployed to prevent ASP terrorism, data protection, and inablity for integration or silo based user expereinces.

Just last night I was invited to dine with managers from my own IT department, they know I'm committed (from the business and web side) to working with my IT management to deploy a holistic platform --which will provide the much needed communication and collaboration needed for today's modern business.

If Nick is right, as IT budgets remain flat, and top IT management refocuses on other issues, this could provide helpful to the business --but as long as the data center lights still stay on.

Tracy A. Sheridan has invited me to participate in an interactive podcast with Shel Israel and Robert Scoble --the Naked Boys. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I'm a big fan, and consider Shel a key resource in my development in business blogging --which I've helped to spearhead at my day job.

I've discussed how Voip tools are now going from one-to-one, to many-to-many, I've been doing this for months with my podcasts with the Podcast RoundTable using Gizmo.

There will be quite a few folks in the 'room' during the podcast on Saturday morning, I'll chime in when appropriate --I'm looking forward to discuss business blogging and the impacts it has on society, companies, customers and employees.

Tracy is moving to the bay area soon, and I'm going to meet up with her to welcome her to San Francisco. I think she'll be a wonderful and welcome addition to the bay area geek events.

Left: James Kim, CEO of Opinmind

I've discussed Opinmind at a few of the conferences I've spoken at, as mass sentiment measurement is an emerging method to obtain user opinion and overall market position.

I've been having some conversations about identifying the voice of the customer to create a mental model that will map out your user needs. I had the pleasure to meet up with James Kim, the CEO and founder of Opinmind.

James and I met at New Communication in Palo Alto, we've recently been exchanging wedding tips (I reminded him not to forget the ring like I almost did). James is partnered with two other minds that have developed a unique technology that can determine what content is saying in context. --Basically, their software can determine if a blog is saying positive or negative things about your product, company, or offering.

It's very easy to use, simply type in a keyword and it will sort positive mentions on the left, and negative instances on the right, there's a bar at the top that calculates the overall percentage.


As the blogosphere continues to grow, this will be absolutely valuable for marketers to quickly obtain a snapshot of what people are saying about your latest product release, executive, or presidential candidate. They're primarily searching the tail end of the 'long tail --meaning they are crawling and analyzing consumer level blogs, such as Myspace, Xanga, MSN Spaces, FaceBook and Blogger --the smaller opinions count as much as the big ones. He told me that they're primarily picking up blogs that are more active than dormant and of course are filtering our those nasty splogs.

I made a few free Jeremiah Web Strategy recommendations to James such as tying their product to other blogosphere intelligence services (many which pitch to me), and really raising awareness of their product. I also suggested some graphs and premium services for marketer's to use could be of use. Tracking user sentiment is difficult, and when you add in sarcasm (no really) it can get a bit hairy (Try Bush) so giving users the option to suggest results into different positive or negative buckets would be useful. Although Opinmind is focused on the long tail of mass marketing, it would be helpful to filter highly relevant results either by influence, market, location and any other type of cut.

Although still emerging and growing, I recommend giving it a quick try, and recognize how tools like this will quickly be able to track user sentiment --imagine how this will happen in real life during presidential debates, product launches, and even real world news occurrences.

The web empowers the voice and opinion of the people and masses --sentiment trackers like Opinmind will track and report on these.

Resources:

• Try Opinmind, type in your product and your company name and see what happens
• 81% of indexed blogs love Jeremiah (are you surprised?)
  

I've several web analytics friends, I enjoy learning from them, but often I've had to remind a few that web analytics is not the only tool and method to understanding your user needs --Avinash is one of the guys that I don't have to tell that to --he already gets it.

Avinash and I are discussing the different methods in undestanding the voice of the customer or documenting the mental model of your web users. This has been discussed at great depth over the last 10 years --frankly, other than my practical experience in conducting such research, I can only add at a limited level.

At first, Avinash was suggesting that a survey would be an effective way to understand your users from a qualitative method --I fired back that the most effective way to understand your users is to just ask them. He clarifies that the most important question is not "Ms User, what do you think" but to first ask, "Who" are the customers.

"More importantly all the advanced techniques in the world will not add any value if you don’t understand what your core customer segments are and what the needs and wants are of each of those segments. The web is such a complex environment that anything done on a sample of six or eight or ten or twenty is rarely representative of the “real world” interacting with our websites.

Challenges galore!"

The first step in understanding your user is Who your user is both for quantitative and qualitative --Galore it is!

A few days ago I discussed the Top Social Networking Sites, and how a majority of the web is within these defined walls. DJHowatt (who leaves comments on blogs but doensn't post on his own blog) left an interesting comment that I think should be elevated.



This observation is exactly how I see it as well, the world is flat, which is tied to the cluetrain manifesto connecting the citzens and customers. It's hard to define the specific continents that these social websites have as the citizens can migrate between villages, and marketplaces. Content and data are amorphous and are going mobile.

DJ's concept is right, however I would clarify that the WWW is a social networking platform --a collection of apps.

Left: Someone is lost in the Clouds

Today I just posted about how I implemented a trial of a tag cloud on this blog (if you're reading this in a feedreader, please swing by to take a look)

Martin doesn't get tag clouds, and says the following.


Just for clarification, I never said anything about Tag Clouds being a tool for SEO strategies, in fact I don't see how that relates. Also Information Architecture (IA) is the study of organizing content in way that your user will understand --a Tag Cloud can help Information Architect's understand the content on a web site, forum or blog. A Tag cloud, as I mentiond before is about folksonomy, or content that is organized from users.

Guys, tag clouds are helpful, as the application can easily seperate content into nice neat piles, (with no additional effort of mine) for example nice buckets like podcast, scoble, and mobile devices.

Dan on the other hand is talking about cranky old men, but is confusing me but is it he who is confused?

I think we need a ray of sunshine here to really clear things up, Dennis, Robyn, waddaya think?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Edit: Patrick reminds me that it's not a true Tag Cloud, but probally a Content Cloud

Left: Mark Jen (Plaxo) + Glenn Dixon (HipCal)

Mark Jen of Plaxo extended an invite for me to be part of the acquisition party between HipCal (online calendaring) and Plaxo (Contact Management). They have a pretty nice campus in Mountain View, Alan and I checked out the fountain area and we're looking at some of the neighbors signs. And yes, for the record, Plaxo doesn’t send out spam mail anymore –Mark Jenn confirmed that with me in a recent discussion.

I spotted long time buddy Damon from Simplyhired, and met Randy Lee from Spark, who has a hardware synching device, Cellstick that can transfer phone contacts much like a memory stick. He's promised to send me a beta product to try out with my LG. (see demo pics)

I met intelligent Glenn Dixon, (see team page) one of the founders of HipCal, who’s still in college studying mathematics and computer science –yup, I said that right, they are still all in college and already have a job lined up for them.

The five of them created this online calendar to help manage their fraternity events, (that’s a nice way of me saying toga keg donkey goldfish swallowing parties). Glenn told me it was originally called MyPIMP.com (PIM as in Personal Information Manager)

Anyways, good luck to the marriage, as after they graduate the five students (who barely look legal to have a beer) will be moving into a 5 bedroom Los Altos home, and get to work at the cool digs at Plaxo. (dual montitors, foosball, pool, huge snack room, and even a flaming basketball on the coffee table)

Thanks for the Pizzas and Beer Mark, I’ll see you at the next lunch 2.0

Other Resources

• My Full Photo Set in Flick of the night (37 Photos)
• Edit: Mark Jen's photos from the party

Attention: I've moved to Web-Strategist.com --you'll find more of my thoughts there. I've selected specific posts to add this link to.

Tag Clouds, Navigation for the Folks
I cruised by Clint Ivy's blog, who is a web analytics expert, Clint is my feed angel and tells me when my feeds get corrupted due to nasty MS code. He's implemented a Tag Cloud, which is used to help denote what are heavily weighted topics within a particular data set.

Great Resource for Information Architects
Tags are often user generated, who are also known as the 'folks' --this makes nomenclature for a particular social data set a real snap. If I were to create a structured website, or deploy a controlled vocabulary, then looking at a tag cloud may be a quick way to get a sense of the group content and terms.

How to Read a Tag Cloud
The larger the font and darker the font, the more 'weight' is attached to the conversation. See how Zoom Cloud has deployed this to some various traditional news websites. (shouldn't most news websites have similiar tag clouds? They should have the same weight on global or national news)

Other Examples
Flickr is one of the most famous sites to utilize tagging, see their tag cloud of images that are uploaded. Also check out Acurazine an online forum, that has deployed a tagcloud (right body area)

I've added a Tag Cloud to this blog
I've added the Zoom Clouds tag cloud script, which took about 10 minutes to configure and add to my template. It pulls my RSS feed through a Yahoo Content Checker (read their FAQ) and then listed the tag cloud on my lower right column. I'll keep it up there for as long as it's interesting or useful. For those who are new to my blog, it's pretty obvious what my focus is --click on the text to see a listing of content.

Web Tactic: Tag Clouds

• Deploy Tag Clouds in converastional or social site locations
• Users can benefit from quickly analyzing what is frequently discussed
• Site Managers can easily to determine the social nomenclature and vocab from looking at a tag cloud. (for forums and social sites)
  
• It's dynamic so it can quickly updated with minimal effort

I'm deciding to share a bit of my personal life with you.

Left, a picture my wife took at Santorini - Greek Isles.

Aside from being a Web Strategist, I've actually got a real life too --here's the proof.

I've gotten carried away with flickr, and uploaded quite a few pics, you can view my index of sets on the link below. Feel free to leave a comment or let me know if you've any questions. I tried to tag most of them, but it started to get a bit tedious.

Flickr is the Mercedes of Photo Applications
I really like how flickr is designed as a social media sharing application, there are so many ways to 'cut' your images via tagging, sets, groups, favorites, etc --it's one of the best applications I've ever used.

I'm hoping you (my in person friends and virtual) will get a better sense of understanding of me, my interests, and my lifestyle --step into my life.

Jeremiah Owyang's Flickr Pictures:

• All of my sets
• Wedding Photos Yes, we Salsa and Rumba Dance (or at least try our best)
  
• I took some pictures of my friend's lotus
• I cherish the days I used to work at Exodus and Cable and Wireless
• China 2000
• China 2002
• Italy
• French Rivera
• Pompeii
• Santorini (you gotta visit this place)
• Barcelona
• Sefton Park and London
• SF bay Area Pics
• many great memories when living in Foster City, CA
• Good times in San Diego
• Greek Isles

Welcome Avinash to the blogosphere, after several of my evangelistic pesterings, I'm pleased to see that Avinash has joined the blogging ranks. I've praised his accounts on Web Analytics from a podcast he's done: Avinash and the 10,000 foot Analytics view. Listen in.

I'm glad that he's taken an active commitment to share his thoughts (in keeping it simple) and knowledge in the blogosphere, do welcome him, and if you're a web proffesional, I suggest you subscribe. Avinash heads up analytics programs at a leading ecommerce software company Intuit here in the bay area. He's responsible for the business, technical and strategic elements of the Web Research & Analytics platform that supports decison making for 40+ Intuit websites, ecommerce and non-ecommerce.

>>>>>>>>>
Other Web Analytics Blogs

• Clint Ivy agrees Avinash it's about bloody time!!!
• Jeff the Web Nerd
• Fred Kuu
• David Berkowitz
• The all knowing Andy Beal

Once in a while I run across a really interesting and unique blog, Today I bring you Joann the Taxi lady. Joann is the Aunt to my buddy Mark –he showed me his Aunt’s blog a while ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Joan is a taxi driver in the SF Bay Area and Silicon Valley area and writes about her adventures meeting interesting clients from politicians, Sports figures, to moves and shakers in the tech industry. It’s fascinating to watch her journey and check out her photos as she cruises the bay area.

Check out Joann the Bay Area Taxi Driver Blogger

• Taxi Vignettes
• Joann's Flickr Stream
  

Nice follow-on from yesterday's discussion on how the future holds a mixture of The future holds a mixture of Traditional/Personal and Expert/Peers.

Techweb reports on the top Social Media sites. --half of internet users are landing and living on these social network sites. ZDnet has some stats on internet usage.

Top Social Sites (via techweb)

• MySpace, 38.4 million unique users. I've been doing some analysis on how companies are harnessing myspace, such as radio stations and skate shops, this trend continues, and it will impact the workforce.
  
  
• Blogger, 18.5 million visitors and an 80 percent growth rate. (you're there right now) publishing is so easy (and free)
  
  
• Classmates Online grew 10 percent to 12.9 million visitors. Have you read work from the Value Framework Institute --interesting analysis done here.
  
  
• YouTube and Microsoft's MSN Groups, which saw a 14 percent drop in visitors, rounded out the top five with 12.5 million and 10.6 million, respectively.
  

I think of blogger as less of a social networking site than a blogging platform ASP. --Amazingly smart buy for google. (check out this old article from 2003, Why did Google buy blogger --too funny) I wonder how new media sites factor into this? What are the impacts of social media sites and more eyes on the web than TV? As iTunes bumps up TV viewership.

Changes in Marketing and Social Media

• Companies, Advertisers, and Marketers will start to hone in on these social networking sites
• People are spending more time on the web (think about all those surfing at work) than watching TV at home.
• Unlike TV, Web and Internet are bi-directional --tie that into your strategy
• Entering these social sites are easy, often setting up accounts are free --low barriers to entry and access to free customer research and intelligence
• Advertisting dollars will follow

Intersting post from entrepreneur Mark Cuban, just yesterday, regarding Blogging vs Traditional Media. He shares that:


He outlines the difference between blogs being personal and other media being driving by monatary gains.

Will blogs be the primary way people obtain news and information in the future? --It is for me. I stopped going to cnn, msnbc, mytimes and bbc, several months ago for my primary news.

Blogs, while considered amateurish, do provide commentary and trusted opinionis that I can't get from articles --in fact, many of these opinions are from individuals I know and trust. In the end, I prefer the thoughts and opinions of 100 bloggers I know and trust more than other methods or people 'like me'.

The future holds a mixture of Traditional/Personal and Expert/Peers
Traditional media inputs have figured out to head towards the blogging way, check out how CBSnews heads purple and NY Times. In the coming months and years, I prophesize that the seperation between Traditional and Personal media will mix into a new type of media channel never before seen --it will contain both fact and opinion both from 'expert' and 'street', and someday will pull in opinions from friends and family. (wouldn't you want to know what your best friends think of a particular topic?)

My good friend Les is getting interested in creating a business blog for his health related business.

I've been encouraging him to create a blog based around the best practices information he's gleaned from his education, training, and experience.

He asked me how long it takes me to blog: I spend about an hour blogging every morning --30 minutes is reading blogs, and the other 30 minutes (or less) is spent writing. Often I've already taken some notes, or have a very clear idea of what I'm going to write about, so it simply flows. I know my tools very well, so it's really just a matter of practice --think about it, how long does it take the average person to write an email? For me, A blog post is about twice that length.

Here's a list of some resources that could help him, I realize some are corporate geared, but the principles often hold up.

Resources around the Net:

• Quick Tips on Corporate Blogging
• The "Blogging tips" series
• Blogging Tips - Hundreds of Resources for Finding Content for Your Blog
  
• 10 Tips for Becoming a Great Corporate Blogger
• Corporate Blogging Tips from Robert Scoble and Shel Israel
• Blog Tips --Central Register
• How to be a Corporate Blog Evangelist (my thoughts)
  
• Learn from my pain: Business Blogging "Best" Practices (my thoughts)
  
• 10 Tips for Becoming a Great Corporate Blogger
• How to become a successful business blogger
  

Books:

• Weblog Handbook (I've read and own)
  
• Naked Conversations (I've read and purchased copies for colleagues)
  
• Corporate Blogging Book (I've read before it was published)
  
• Blog Marketing (I've not read, but know Jeremy and respect his thoughts)

Best wishes Les on your blogging journey.

Last night I attended a highly pumped pop concert, at a major bay area venue with lights, sound, and effects you'd expect from overpriced tickets of a "Pop Hop" (view various Youtube vids)

Participation Via Moblie Devices: Text and Pix
My usual social media analysis filter kicked in. Before the show got started, video screens were displaying showing music videos, on these massive screens the audiences was encouraged to “text message to screen at number 22509” and also to send Mobile Pics to an email address listed on the screen.

Mobile text messages were displayed prominently on the screen, as well as pictures taken from cell phones in the crowd. The crowd was participating in the event –even concerts are becoming more like social media –technology is enabling two way communication.

Mobile Phones: Pop Culture Icon?
Lastly, as a true sign of the times, towards the end of the concert the closing group dimmed all lights and asked everyone to waive their cell phone (formerly would have been lighters) a sea of blue and white lights appeared across venue –I was reminded me of a pulsating dancing star cloud.

The social media landscape is changing, as mobile devices become more sophisticated with text, audio, still pictures and video, we'll continue to see more participation and recording of life's events in coming years.

Interesting and potentially helpful article Interviewing Web Developers - 20 Good Questions to Ask.

Finding a good team is so critical in web strategy --if your vision can't be implemented by your team then you're dead in the water.


Questions I would also ask:

• What type of management style do you prefer?
  Over the few years, I've had a variety of management styles I've needed to adjust to, the same adjustment applies to web developers.
  
• Describe your work style to me.
  I'm seeing to find out if they work fast and furious, or slow and careful, or some combination thereof --personality match to the team culture is important.
  
• Why have your projects been helpful to your company?
  Then sometimes I probe to see if they see the bigger picture --the business reasons for what they are doing --to me, it's important the whole team gets the business reasons for a particiular strategy, feature, function. It's one thing to be a web monkey, but to be a web monkey who understands their place in the jungle is even more empowering
• What are some future skills that you plan to learn?
  Here we can gauage is the individual forward thinking, keeping with the times, or just being forced along. Web development skill needs change every few years, finding someone with attitude to learn new things is critical.
• Google Them
  I often do a Google Seach for individuals to see what I find --not sure how legal this is, but it's what is commonly done. I hope my next employer does a search for me.
  
  

What would you ask?

>>>>>

Additional Resources

• Interview questions for web developers (Dey Alexander Consulting)
  
• Interview questions for Web developer position
• Microsoft Interview Questions (interesting experience)
• Jeremy Keith's interesting mono/dialogue
• Geek Interview Resources
  

I'm sure this is just the start of aiming in the wrong direction --as Congress targets social network sites, to curb online predatory behavior and opportunity.


Difficult to prevent communication
Is this the solution? Josh also asks "Why?" I already know of some school libraries (someone close to me works to the public school district) that have banned MySpace is ineffective --kids tunnel in using remote tools, so they can access their home PC and surf. Don't forget many cell phones will continue to offer internet access --in North America it will be easy to access the web. Will shutting down access from MySpace from school zones truely prevent students from accessing it?


My Proposal: Educate kids how to communicate online and offline
Parents and schools could take active involvement with their Children's online/offline communications, teach children what is appropriate to share with the world and what is not. Duncan even suggests that we're punishing the wrong audience.

Maybe an educational program should be recognized. Reminds me of how most businesses have reacted to business blogging by creating blog policies, assigned resources. Could parents become an active participant in understanding who they hang with, and how they communicate?

You can't stop kids from communicating with each other --Perhaps we should focus on awareness and educating them HOW to communicate and protect themselves offline and online. But what do I know --I'm not a parent yet.

Any real parents want to chime in?

Other Thoughts:

• Wait till the MySpace Generation hits the Workforce
  
• Radio Stations Harness MySpace for Low Cost, Effective Marketing
• Web Strategy: "Viral Chicklets" applied to MySpace
• MySpace Users Organize Mass Protest
  

Ran across this interesting post from the WebBreakStuff crew, they're a user focused design and development firm. Here's some interesting thoughts from Fred:

Agreed, but don't discount that these tools are being used in different ways --less of a one way publishing model, and now more of two way --or even three way as the audience has started to participate. I understand the focus of WeBreakStuff crew --their about page demonstrates they are truely user centric focused. (I think that's great)


Sort of. I believe the largest factor in this new era or wave is the social aspect. What if rather than only being 'user centric' we also adapt a "Community-centric" approach? Really, it's about sharing --not just user centric design.

Left: Chris Messina's famous Color 2.0 dabber via Ross Mayfield

Lately, a few budding web designers have been bouncing some ideas off me, I cherish these discussions as I remember my journey as an UI designer. I've directed them towards some new design movements, as well as some practical online resources. Here’s a few resources that I’ve seen recently, we’ll add more to the list as they emerge:

• Natalies's Color Scheme Exercise (via web 2.0 podcast, I religously listen to)
• Newport Blues
• Color Schemer Tool
• Web Standards in a Nutshell
  
• Colors of Web 2.0
• Web 2.0 for Designers (Digital Web Magazine)
  
• Design for Web 2.0 (Kottke)
  
• Web 2.0 Design in a nutshell
• Current Style of Web Design (screenshots)
  
• Web 2.0 Logos (part 1)
• Web 2.0 Logos (part 2)
• Logos and Fonts of web 2.0
• The Web 2.0 Big Font Controversy
• Web 2.0 Secret Design Weapon
• Adam Polselli
• Colors of 2005
• Various color pallettes

• Yahoo UI Grid Library for CSS (added May 11th)
• 50 ways to be a better designer (added June 21)
• Color Theory from Blue Anvil Design (added June 27th, 2006)
• Emily Chang: Design 2.0: Minimalism, Transparency, and You (added June 27th, 2006)
• Popular Dan Cederholm of Simple Bits has designs everywhere (added June 27th, 2006)
  
• Web 2.0 Design Tutorials (added June 28, 2006)
  
• CSS Galaries (added June 28, 2006)
• Color Palette (added Aug 24th)
  

Leave a comment if you have other resources on Design 2.0. Font 2.0, Color 2.0, Logo 2.0


Attention: I've moved to Web-Strategist.com --you'll find more of my thoughts there. I've selected specific posts to add this link to.

I enjoyed some beers and a hot link with Daniela, Danny, Sally, Mark, and Julio at the Giants game last night –Bonds did not reach the homerun milestone, but we had fun regardless.

I shared with Daniela (who has roots in Information Library Sciences, and works for a premium content aggregator) some wisdom that Robert Scoble shared with me on multiple times I’ve talked to him about the “membrane of the corporate culture”. Robert mentioned that the membrane could be felt, and customer evangelists will push that membrane, let it heal, then push it again –each time getting closer to the customers.

For corporate blog (substitute this word for customer if you prefer) evangelists like Daniela and myself, this wisdom from Scoble is all to true. She shared with me her ideas on training the sales account teams at her company to understand blogs, at Factiva, understanding the information needs of their clients is critical to their success.

We smiled as we compared the parallels of how SMTP (another word for email) evangelists had to struggle to obtain adoption –many think blogging is the same.

New Hire Checklist: 2010

• Company Values Mantra
• Compensation Information
• Health Benefits
• Tablet PC Account
• Email Account
• Blog Account
• Podcast Account
• Video Conferencing Account

I suppose when eTelepathy emerges as a technology, some crazy evangelists will run around promoting this technology --I'll quietly sit back and smile as they endure the journey.

Very interesting Video Game. I just ran across this older video done in 2005. A game called Spore (By the creator of Sim City) --worth checking out the video. More discussion on this blog. Interesting experience as the player can start with a single celled organism, then build it into an intelligent creature --you eventually build civilizations, and then advance other planets in your solar system and beyond.

Players can interact asynchronously, as pre-built characters and worlds will be uploaded to your PC and the IA will determine their interaction level and personality. It will be released in Quarter 1, 2007 says Game Spot

We just discussed how Radio Stations are harnesssing MySpace as a cross medium experience.

Let's look out how A TV series (errr um media content) has just been announced as only being available via mobile phone. It stars the pop group Sugarbabes with 2 minute clips consumers can subscribe to. (Not too different from Rocketboom)

It's an interactive experience and readers can set the direction of the show --remember "Choose your own adventure". I'm sure user interaction will continue, the lines between actor and audience continue to blur.

The Sugarababes website is mobile friendly as they even offer ring tones for download --it's a cross medium strategy. There is a dedicated WAP version of the site available for those on the go --you know what I'll be doing when waiting for my next bus or bart train.

If users continue to consume content online, and using mobile devices, are Newspapers and TV dying?

Takeaways:

• Media content may be web only or mobile only.
• Media is going cross platform, cross medium --think integrated.
  
• Online strategies are often supplmented by mobile strategies.
• TV continues to become less relevent as a standalone.
  
• Sugarbabes has figured out to harness their young mobile female audience (or the 30 year old asian male).
  

There are so many productivity tools being offered now
--primarily with web 2.0 companies replicating every type of service. Techcrunch compares all the different ASPs that offer todo lists and checklists. (if only one of those lists could actually do my chores for me). How many do we really need? Which one should I use? What if one goes chapter 11, I don't want to rely on a product that could be gone after a few months (remember eCircles? back in 2000)

Lifehacker Blog sorts out the noise
Thank god for Lifehacker, the productivity and software guide. This frequently published blog provides reviews, tips, and suggestions for improving one's life. They sort through the various options and just list out what really works. You'll find interesting articles, such as taking unique photos, being a better copywriter (or blogger), and what to do if your identity is comprimised.

Yesterday, while channel surfing the local radio in the bay area, I heard an advertisement:


If you don't know what we mean by "Friends" within MySpace you can share a connection with other users, and they are tagged as 'friends'. It's an opt-in, a trusted connection, an alliance, a definition of one's peer group.

There's quite a few radio stations that have harnessed MySpace, here's some in the bay area (Warning! web design chaos and some racy images): Wild 94.9, Energy 92.7. This is part of a strategy to harness the massive social network MySpace for using a Community Marketing strategy.

I’ve discussed how MySpace is an entire generation of networkers, bloggers, and individuals that will share, and as they intersect with business and politics in the coming years, this changes the magnitude at how quickly information is shared.

Community Marketing using MySpace Benefits:

• Asking users to fill out an email form for a newsletter doesn’t make as much sense any longer.
  
• MySpace gives users the ability to customize their own area and really make it theirs (self identity is important at that age group).
  
• The social networking aspect (peer to peer) communication and interaction is a far richer experience than one way communication.
  
• Easy access to MySpace interest groups
• Easy intelligence for this market, in fact, Shel reports savvy parents already do this.
  
• The radio station has instant access to it's core audience via MySpace, they're a predefined target audience, and have opt-in --that's gold.
  
• Users can leave messages for each other, for the radio station and interact and be part of this experience.
  
• It costs 0 dollars, the cost is just labor, and if done correctly, the community could generate the majority of the content.
• Expect to see MySpace parties, cruises, and other events in the future.
  

Other WOM Tactics
Some Marketers have already figured out how to harness this existing community, see how this skateboard shop implmenets "Viral Chicklets" on MySpace. There are other low cost tools to use in your community marketing effort --of course this should be determined by your audience and strategy. Check out that Girl from Marketing blog, her blog is great lens for this type of information.

This is part of the bigger picture
Shel Israel has recently announced the focus of his next book –Global Neighborhoods. I’m hoping he’ll be sharing how these new populations that span borders and regions will impact communities as we know them.

Harnessing New Media Tools to Delight Customers
There are a variety of new online tools that are emerging in this era of social software known as Web 2.0. Used correctly, a company can cultivate an online community around their organizations and products to build a deep relationships. In the future the lines between company and customer will blur, as the conversational web blurs the lines. Companies and Customers will be communicating in a fluid manner, these tools allow companies to listen to the needs of their customers, participate in the discussion, and harness an online community and build a trusted relationship online and offline –this is community marketing

Community Marketing is Modeled after real life Conferences
Community Marketing is much like a real life conference –except that it’s truly global and 24/7 persistent. Most conferences have elements of the following; Keynote Speeches, Workshops, Social Mixers, PinupBoards, News Flyers, Recorded seminars, and of course a knowledgeable and warm host –the same applies to Community Marketing.

When building your Online Community Marketing Strategy consider the following tools.

• Keynote Speeches are your corporate bloggers
• Workshops, Social Mixers, can easily be held online with webinars and online forums
• Pinup Boards, are collective knowledge centers, user wikis, and other collaboration tools
• News Flyers; are your RSS News feeds
• Recorded seminars: consider using Podcasts
• The Host: Is your Community Advocate

There are many companies that have a community Marketing Program such as Intuit, Black Eyed Peas music fan community, Microsoft's Channel 9, VMware, Oracle Technology Network Pinko Marketing Examples and pretty much every Web 2.0 company that’s budget constrained and wants to harness the power of the web.

I'm heading offline for the whole weekend, we'll see you back on Monday.

I leave you with Thomas Hawk's flickr photos.

Produce can be cultivated in both structured and organic methods --the same applies to collective knowledge

I've worked on four Enterprise Intranets, and have been interested in the wisdom of crowds --how collective intelligence via social software can enable an organization to propel itself forward.

I've been following with great interest the use of wikis (websites anyone can edit) for use in the enterprise intranet. Used correctly, wikis can allow for the collection of commonly agreed upon knowledge from an orginzation.

This is a movement that for many can be counter culture to the traditional few content distributors that control a majority of the information. As times progress, it will be interesting to hear the successes and challenges of organic intranets using blogs and wikis vs a structured content management system. New Comm forum offers this article on Wiki the Intranet:



Shel Holtz a legendary podcaster suggests that wikis may not be the replacement of an intranet, but perhaps could be an evolutionary addition: Shel writes:


Zoli (a former VP) suggests that the intranets of the future will be more two way, not just a method for leaders of a company to cascade information downward.


When considering implementing a wiki for intranet use, Ross Mayfield offers some suggestions on using the tool for it's intent. In the Wiki Effect, Ross writes:


IT consultant, Dennis McDonald and has written that It's Time to Take the Quotation Marks Off "Web 2.0" Why Enterprise Resistance to Web 2.0 Applications Makes Sense – and Why It Will Crumble. --he doesn't pull any punches, a must read for IT and web folks alike.


Over the next few years, I'll expect small business groups to implement wikis, either on their internal network, or use external password protected wikis. We can also expect traditional CMS vendors to start to offer snap on blog and wiki features (Some with success, and some without). One change is for sure, the publishing model will continue to become more organic, open, and collaborative as companies harness the collective consciousness using social software.

With all the talk of Typepad and hosting, (such as the distributed denial of service attack) my interest has been perked in reading hosting and ASP models.

Web developer and designer Mark Wiens lists out the benefits and drawbacks from lifetime hosting plans. If you're interested in such a plan, it would be wise to piggyback off his research. Check out Mark's Analysis on the Economics of Lifetime Hosting

"Hey I'm Jeremiah from San Francisco" --I just got off a concall with some folks in Iceland.

I'm reminded of AOL text chat rooms in mid90s but now it's audio, as the Mercury just reported that: Skype putting town-hall idea on the Internet NEW SERVICE LETS UP TO 100 HOLD AUDIO DISCUSSIONS. For some of my podcasts, we've used Skype or Gizmo voip tools to do our connection and sometimes recordings --at the PRT we're scattered around the country.

This is certainly not something completely new, gtalk, Yahoo IM, allow for synchronous voip, and even odeo is a platform for asynchronous voip --however can skype now tied with SixApart to connect with skype be THE audio channel for bloggers and econversationalists? See Skypcast

I just hosted a SkypeCast, but it's way to early for anyone to be on it that I know (330am). I got on call with some folks in Iceland called Iceland Test.


The internet is the great enabler --now if we can distribute the 50 dollar laptop and cheap internet access we're getting closer to the global conversation.

I'll be encouraging my cousin who's going to Japan for a year to try this out.

If you're not familiar with Rebecca Blood, she's one of the early, early, pioneers of blogging, and is an expert on the subject.

Brian recently recorded a podcast interview with her from the NewComm. I highly recommend you listen in, if you're a blogger, listen to her experience from being one of the first bloggers, let alone female bloggers.

The conversations ranges from early blogging, the internet, social change, nanotechnology, early social media between customers and companies, and even post humans! I like Brian's question "Is blogging a fad" and Rebecca's thoughtful answer. (IMO, I do believe the web will enable text to evolve to voice, and then video..listen as she ties it back to the telgraph and phones)


Brian, thanks again for the great pictures, blog posts and content. Rebecca, please come down for lunch again in Santa Clara.

Communicating to Customers during Fire Storms

I'm not happy that Typepad was down yet again, it's key to blogs that I assist with. You can check out their status page. This has happened way to many times considering it's a service we pay for. I used to work for Exodus Communications, a dotbomb webhost, and we promised 99.99% uptime --it's serious business for those who rely on the web.

I am thankful however for Ginevra at SixApart who both called me and emailed me during the downtime to let me know --thanks Ginevra for the excellent feedback, I prefer to hear from the company, rather than from others. Despite a bad situation, excellent communication seems to make instill trust --Thanks Ginvera

I recently received this email newsletter from Media Post, Just An Online Minute... Trust In Media. It suggests that some groups may trust media outlets (traditional?) more than their governments.


More from Just An Online Minute... Trust In Media, as they write:


I've had many discussion about Online newspapers going 'purple' as well as morph or whither.
The world is changing.

Questions to be Answered

• Does this apply to Google?
• How about Consumer Generated Media? (or do I say Authentic?)
• Do Chinese citizens trust Google more than their own government?
• As consumers take over the media does the theory on wisdom of crowds take hold?

Thanks Robyn for the info on Plaxo acquiring HipCal. FYI the plaxo team has stopped sending those email 'join' notices, that should curb those type of messages. She writes that "I’m a sucker for a cool calendar app so I’ll probably check it out."

I met Mark Jenn at a Simply Hired Party, and he blogs about the acquisition and even gives a brief tour of the HipCal home. More details from the HipCal official website. How many calendar apps are there? Don't forget about the scheduleing and event sites like upcoming as well. In the end, only 2-3 will survive --each will carve a niche. Let's not forget that Microsoft has a huge stake with their enterprise Outlook piece.

Interesting times ahead.

I don't use the regular Megite for blogopshere discussion trackers, I use memeorandum --however, I stumbled onto MyMegite, (Although I know it's been out since Feb) which is an OPML submitted based memetracker that specific individuals can submit to. (In plain English, MyMegite will display feeds from your feedreader, and will group specific conversations that multiple individuals are talking about in context of each other)

It was interesting to walk in the shoes of others, I could see what and how Scoble Reads, Robyntippins, Dennis McDonald, Ross Mayfield, Shel Holtz, Jason Kottke, Dondodge, Davidparmet, Brianoberkirch, Docsearls, and a ton of others.

Now consuming feeds is getting interesting, wait till someone creates a way to mash MyMegite memes with some type of other meme --it's going to get really wild in the next few months.

I'm a fan of the Lost TV series, and even a bigger fan of online cross overs. it's an interesting fantasy of individuals stuck on an island (regardless of how many new people popup). In addition to tying into online activities, they offer streaming video, as well as channels for iPod users to download --a TV show that's left the television.

I've been talking about Community Marketing, which involves building an online social circle around one's company or products. Many bulletin boards and communities have sprung up in support of the popular TV series. ABC has figured out how to harness the web medium to expand the TV show experience.

Reports The Lost Angeles Times: The "Lost Experience" develops a related story on the Internet. The clues are everywhere. (Interesting to see all the 'beauty' and 'plastic surgery ads' within the LA times.com site.) Link compliments of mediapost.com's daily newsletter I receive.

Friend James Gross is heading off to find a new venture, as he just announced his parting ways with Feedster, a Blog Search indexer and syndication company in San Francisco. I've met James several times, and always been impressed. His passion for the future of Syndication, Feeds (he's not tied to the term RSS) always impresses me.

James is seeking new opportunities, and I feel the next company that acquires him will benefit greatly from his articulate writing, engaging community personality, and subject matter expertise.
You can learn more here on his recent announcement. Should you feel compelled to contact him, send me an email, and I'll connect you. Good luck James --let us know where you land.

I’ve been thinking about Community Marketing since Sept 2005, I recognized a trend that many companies are building online communities, and creating real trust between customer and employee using online tools.


Stay relevant. Be a resource for customers, build tools that will help them in their day-to-day needs. It’s about building trust through direct, transparent communication. It’s about listening, acknowledging, and responding –serving your audience. It’s about involving your customers with your product teams as they are just as much an integral part of growing your company.

The Web is a Great Community Enabler
Although you don’t need web tools to build community, in today’s globalized economy tools such as blogs, forums, wikis, podcasts, and RSS can help to connect birds of a feather like never before –it’s a true global conversation. If you work at a technology company (like I do) then it’s likely your customers are online –they use the web in many or all touchpoints during their customer experience (awareness, evaluation, purchase, support, etc). Don’t get carried away with the specifics of the tools, as they are just vehicles to build community, as such, find out why I think that blogs are NOT important.

Customers Trust other Customer Opinion above all else
Many humans trust others ‘like me’ more than any other person. It’s part of our being to find what works well for others –as well as for social acceptance. Do a test, next time you’re going to purchase a product or service, see if you ask for feedback from someone you trust, or customer ratings on a site. We all want to spend our money, time, and resources on products that will meet our needs.

Customers can use the web to connect directly --without you
Now that the web enables anyone who has internet access to have a voice (like a blog) and it’s easy to find. (see sites like Google Blog Search, or even OpinMind) customers can find other customer opinion with great ease. In some cases, Marketers, Advertisers, Sales, could be cast by the wayside --a real risk of being irrelevant to the conversation. This conversation between customers is happening and is real –you can’t stop it, but you can adapt.

Adapt. Be a resource for your audience, be part of the conversation
Ok, if you haven’t shut the browser so far, you’re still with me. You can adapt and morph to be a friend to your customers, be part of the conversation, be a helpful resource, build tools that will enable them, build trust (be careful, because once lost, you’re now irrelevant again) be open, and be transparent. Companies that make themselves as part of the conversation, part of the relationship and part of community will be enabled. Sometimes adapting will require you to acknowledge your competitors, and this will make your customers happy but your company uncomfortable --but you'll build trust.

This is just the start
Online activity is growing across the globe, there are cheap PCs being engineered, mobile devices are already a commodity –people are connecting. Blogs are doubling in quantity every 6 months, and consumer voices are taking control. Sometimes I’m asked if this is a fad –I always reply wait till the very connected MySpace generation hits the workforce, they will carry their network to their careers, jobs, and companies, regardless of affiliations.

Listen, Communicate, Be A Resource, Build Trust
In summary, Community Marketing is realizing the control has shifted to your customers, you’ll need to adapt by listening, communicating, and letting them get closer to your company. You’ll need to be transparent, build tools to help them, in goal to build trust. Once you’ve established trust, you can build a long and healthy relationship between your customers and your company –it’s a community.

Other Resources

• ClueTrain Manifesto (Online for free)
  
• Naked Conversations Site (Book)
• WOMMA
  
• Ethical Word of Mouth Marketing
• How do you pitch to a blogger
  
• Book: Cultivating Communities of Practice
  
• Pinko Marketing Wiki
• Community Marketing Jobs
  
• More about Jeremiah, Web Strategist