An English teacher from one of our area schools used a public setting to teach her students

Coffee Shop

writing skills… but not just a public forum within the classroom or school. She literally used the public, customers at coffee shops, to teach students about collaborative journaling.

Here is how it worked. The instructor, Ellen Stackable, left the students’ journals each evening at coffee shops around town. Coffee shop customers would read the student comments, add their responses and follow-up comments… dialoguing with the students through the journals. In this particular case, the collaborative writing was physical, not virtual. The student buy-in, as well as, that of the customers was apparent in the progress of the project and the students’ comments about the experience.  The Tulsa World newspaper published an article highlighting the project, in case you are interested in reading more.

I see strong parallels between the interaction and engagement in this project and the projects involving student blogging from Christy’s post earlier this month, not just because students are developing writing skills.  More important in both examples is the conversation with an unknown public.

So, what is it about public writing that draws students (and the audience) in? Is it the conversation or topic that is so engaging? Or perhaps the recognition that someone is actually interested in what they have to say? Think how important it is to you to know you are being heard.

What a powerful message of conversation… knowing someone is “listening” and responding! I know, it works for me!

Psst….you. Yeah, you. I gotta good deal for you. A fool-proof investment strategy. One that can’t fail.

Scared yet? You shouldn’t be. I’m not referring to placing all your money on black or red or in the latest stock. I’m suggesting an investment that is going to pay off exponentially — an investment in people, your people. In the past, organizations looked for drones who fit the mission’s mold. There was one figure-head who represented everyone and many of those employed by the company or doing business with them had never even had any direct connection to this individual. But with the democratization of marketing and this newfangled thing called social media, where everyone (employees and customers) are brand evangelists, these figure-heads have been toppled.

In a recent post on HarvardBusiness.org,  authors Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd pointed out the necessity for companies/organizations to embrace what is no longer a fantasy land of what could happen in the future (like our childhood dreams of flying cars), but is happening with social media (like Dell selling $3,000,000 worth of computers on Twitter).

It’s time to think about the future and I don’t mean twenty years from now. I mean this time next year, next quarter even. How are you remaining competitive/relevant? How are you becoming part of the conversations that are occurring in cyberspace? How are you investing in your employees, members and/or customers? How are you empowering them?

We all embrace technology at different rates. Some are beta testers before the rest of us even know it’s available. Some of us jump on the bandwagon after the celebrity endorsement (you know who you are, even if you won’t admit you did it for Ashton), some (like me) need to weigh the pros and cons and talk to people who are currently using it before they invest time and money and others will go kicking and screaming into the new era.

I was on an NTEN Ask The Expert  call recently with Seth Godin and Beth Kanter. It’s impossible for me to recount every gem they shared but a couple of things stuck with me. Godin said we’re in the middle of an industrial revolution…and that new (social) media puts a sharper point on our need to tell our story.  He wasn’t telling us what to do merely pointing out that things are never going to return to the way they were prior to social networking. Things have changed. They will continue to change and you will be called upon to give your advice, story, expertise. If you’re not willing or are unequipped to do so, you may just find that you’ve brought about your own demise and the tradition you’ve clung to on how things have always been done, has relegated you to something of an antique.

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YourMembership.com - The Complete Online Member Community

Después de meses sin apenas escribir  (y sin leer tampoco la mitad de lo que quisiera) las cosas vuelven a moverse.

Algunas cosas interesantes con las que he tropezado estos días:

Por indicación de un tercero (que sabe de lo que habla) he buscado las presentaciones de Pere Rosales sobre márketing y comunidades online. En su versión y en la anterior (que no sé si es legítima), la última merece la pena. Sigue siendo una perspectiva de márketing y no de procesos de negocio, pero lo cierto es que todo lo que escribe sobre funcionamiento y promoción de comunidades podría suscribirlo sin pensarlo. No es extraño: le respalda la experiencia de haber construído un par de buenas comunidades… con dos buenos modelos de negocio. Además parece que Pere está haciendo lo que intento hacer en consultoría, de modo que tiene mucho más interes.

En tiempos de crisis, es interesante ver lo que cuenta Shawn Callaghan (y lo que muestra la Comunidad Foral Navarra). Que no se trata de despedir ni de jugar con flexibilidad de jornadas para reducir costes sin pararse a pensar en las capacidades que quedan (o no), ni de recortar presupuestos que no chillen mucho. Se trata de tener directivos que sepan para qué están ahí, y usen las herramientas que tienen que usar. Esencialmente, directivos y dirigentes que sepan dejar hacer y ayudar a los que hacen.

Fernando Tellado tocó (allá en Octubre) un tema curioso: el de la credibilidad de los medios online en España. A mí me sigue rechinando algo en todo ésto, leáse: la facilidad con la que se asume que la gente cree a los bloggers. No es verdad. Primero, porque no es verdad que un lector suela ver a un blogger como alguien “como yo”, cercano en perspectiva y experiencia. Y segundo, porque la mayor parte de los lectores se han dado cuenta ya de lo fácil que es modificar la perspectiva de muchos bloggers. Pero lo importante es que ningún blogger (al menos según la definición original) es ni pretende ser objetivo. Nos cuenta las cosas tal como las ve, influídas por sus gustos, su filosofía y su ideología. Por ejemplo, el bueno de Fernando es un entusiasta de los blogs, y por eso ni se plantea este tipo de análisis.

Lee LeFever y familia llevan tiempo rompiendo moldes con su serie de vídeos explicativos “in plain English”. Hace unos días han dado en intentar explicar ni más ni menos que el cloud computing. Aunque es muy básico y quizá menos intuitivo que otros trabajos de la casa, es un esfuerzo muy válido, y muy útil, teniendo en cuenta la cantidad de tonterías que distintas partes (generalmente ignorantes o interesadas) difunden sobre lo que es, lo que no es, y para qué vale. Están contribuyendo a retrasar una auténtica revolución en la productividad de los recursos informáticos.

Sean O’Driscoll recuerda, indirecta y cruelmente, que en EEUU la creación, gestión y optimización de comunidades online es una profesión desarrollada por una abundante colonia de consultoras boutique y empresas integradas. Aquí… Pero en fin, como se suele decir, si quieres que algo se haga, hay que hacerlo en persona.

Un blog que no decepciona es el de JP Rangaswami, de BT Design. Nunca sales con el mismo tema en la cabeza. Dos ejemplos: uno sobre la reutilización online de viejos contenidos (apuntando ligeramente a modelos de negocio), y el siguiente sobre el papel de la elección en el funcionamiento de los consumidores modernos. Serios. Y si estás diseñando productos o experiencias, importantes. (Ah, y tampoco es malo éste sobre las descargas de contenidos digitales).

Joitske Hulseboch ha escrito sobre selección de plataformas para grupos online. Buenos ejemplos, pros, contras, e información colateral. De hecho cita dos servicios de los que no tenía ni noticia. Y una empresa de la que tomar mucha, mucha nota. Aunque pille lejos.

Otro que nunca deja de tener miga es el blog de Jordi Graells. Aparte de información sobre el Personal Democracy Forum (y hasta streaming de audio de las ponencias), aporta los papeles de su reciente ponencia sobre “gobierno colaborativo“, y sobre todo comparte una presentación sobre las razones, medios y resultados de la reforma de la administración pública en torno a la colaboración y la gestión del conocimiento (hay un cierto matiz sanitario y algunas particularidades de la administración catalana, pero es de aplicación esencialmente universal). Y encima gracias a él me entero de que el blog de Gestió del Coneixement del programa Compartim ha recibido un premio importante dentro de la blogosfera catalana. Muchas felicidades.

Y también para Luis Suárez e IBM en su aniversario . Aunque si sigue visitando Madrid y librándose de la invitación a cañas, un día de éstos va a caducar. Que no todo puede ser trabajo. Creo .

Mario Lopez de Avila sigue con la serie sobre “preguntas Fermi” para ayudar a estimar variables en un plan de negocio.  Personalmente lo encuentro útil , y como armamento para cualquiera que tenga que hacer estimaciones sin datos suficientes, muy recomendable. Se agradece.

Y me dejo miles (desde que he descubierto el servicio “Leer Después” ni siquiera puedo alegar que se me han perdido los links), pero no llego.

BabyCenter Community: TheBabyCenter Community offers parents a thriving support system where they can connect to other parents like them to get advice about parenting or just talk about a favorite hobby or the latest episode of LOST. Parents can invite friends, share photos and videos, participate in public and private groups, pass notes to other members, comment on journals and use tags to find others who share common interests, locations, childrens’ ages and more. Sharing in the joys of parenthood is a huge inflection point for parents. The BabyCenter community gives them a trusted place where they can make authentic friendships that could last a lifetime.

According to Ed Technology Glossary of Terms, online community is defined as a meeting place on the Internet for people who share common interests and needs. Online communities can be open to all or be limited to membership only and may or may not be moderated.

Being a fan of Korean Pop music, I myself is a member of several forums. Being part of these forums, I can get the latest information of the artist and communicate with people who have the same interest as me. Besides forums, the more popular online community would be Habbo Hotel and Second Life.

Second Life is a free 3D virtual world where users can socialize, connect and create using free voice and text chat. Second Life allows you to create a virtual version of you, and it allows you to explore the place, meet people, go shopping and settle down by buying virtual land and build dream house. Basically at Second Life, it allows one to live a life with no boundaries. Everything is achievable with the power of imagination.

Several people use Second Life for fun, to interact with other people. Others make a living by using Second Life. For example, Jennifer Grinnell is a furniture delivery dispatcher in real life but in Second Life, she is a fashion designer owning a shop called Mischief. Her shop creates digital clothes and skins, both allowing Second Life users to customise their avatars. A month after setting up the shop, she realises she was earning more money than her real job. Three months later, she finds out that her income online is sufficient enough to allow her to quit her day job. More and more people are using Second Life as the main source of income. (Read more here)

I think it is cool that people can make a living using Second Life, especially if the person is enjoying the job. Second Life also allows people to find people who share similar interests with groups set up. For instance in the US Presidential Election in 2008, supporters of Barack Obama could come together to attend rallies without leaving the comfort of their house.

Another popular online community would be Habbo Hotel. Similar to Second Life, Habbo allows interaction between people. However the average age users for Habbo is 15 years old whereas for Second Life, users have to be 18 years old and above. However a more secure version of second life is made available for teens between the age of 13-17, called Teen Second Life. With online community, people from all over the world can communicate with each other and make new friends. People with similar interest can meet virtually to discuss content they are passionate about. Whatever the technology made available, there are bound to be advantages and disadvantages present.

Posted by Crispin Butteriss – http://www.onlinecommunityconsultation.com/2008/11/advantages-disadvantages-of-online.html

Ultimately, I believe in the advantages online community have to offer rather than the disadvantages. What about you?

I talked to 25-year-old Yuri Lee, the founder of Lookbook.nu, the other day. Previously I had written about how inspiring lookbook is for Gen Yers, so I picked her brain a little bit for more insight. Here are some clips of what she had to say.

“Basically, my boyfriend [and co-founder] and I wanted to create a social network that was a streamlined fashion site, and from the get-go it was important to have it be very global; I thought we were missing out on the rest of the world.”

Understandably, Lee would stress the importance of having a global website, since her parents are originally from Korea and she often travels there for vacation from her hometown outside of San Francisco.

“I wanted to focus on the international aspect, I wanted that to be the foundation of the site in a way.”

When asked about the popularity of the site among Gen Yers (as most, if not all, of lookbook’s members are part of this generation), Lee said,

“We’re targeting a niche market, and that general audience is very young. I think fashion comes from young minds, because kids are willing to try new things. They’re also the ones growing up with the Internet as a means of self-expression. So young fashion-oriented people from all over the world is main demographic.”

When we talked about how Lookbook is currently invite-only, I asked how she chose members from the thousands who apply.

“It’s about having that creative mindset, not just the means of buying something trendy right now. I’m looking for the inherent sense of style…after all it’s about expressing themselves.”

Almost two years in the making, lookbook has grown into what is arguably the most global fashion site, resulting in a lot of media interest in the site. Though Lee says she is selective about ads–”We’re really grass roots”–Lookbook now has a collaboration with Vogue Germany’s online site, making up the inspiration section with looks submitted from German lookbook members. For the future, Lee says she hopes to more closely integrate Lookbook into the global scene by dividing into location-specific pages, like lookbook.co.uk.

“At the end of the day, I just want to provide people with something they can relate to and express themselves with.”

Ever since I joined the newlyweds@work group, I’ve been constantly barraged with a variety of tips and whatnots regarding pregnancy, child care for a whole range of kids, marriage, household issues and the like. I always look forward to when I get to check my emails and find all of the threads for the day. It’s very different from the weddings@work group which I previously belong to, having been a giddy bride-to-be as I geared up for my wedding.

As a new mom, I absorb the info I get from n@w like a sponge, and always want to try out the things that I stumble upon in the course of the discussions. I glory in the mommy and wifey talks as I want to hear the experiences of those going or have gone through this path but who are more or less near my age. Feeling like a mom of the century, I didn’t want to arm myself with facts and figures that were spun of old wives’ tales (read: no scientific basis and based on superstition). Not that I follow everything I read, I still sift through the information I get, and apply only those I personally believe in after careful thought and much weighing. You meet different kinds of people in this online community, and they come from all walks of life. With these, they also view the world with through different eyes. Some are very wise moms indeed, many are neophytes in the field of mommyhood and wifehood, quite a few are downright shallow, but most are just eager to lend a hand to give tips on anything and everything under the sun. they bring about the best and worst mom in me. Their views make me think (twice, thrice, etc.), crack up, want to slap my head in exasperation or frustration, smile, empathize, nod in agreement, even cry, or just plain muse about stuff. it’s up to me to sort through everything, and worry only about things that matter. If you’re the kind of anxious person who gets easily agitated or icky, then maybe this is not for you. If you’re the type who want to gag at the silliest ideas, then maybe this is not for you. I also get to read mommy blogs, and have lotsa links for other mommy sites which have really become my lifeline in the past five months.

Reading posts can make or break even your staunch beliefs, or may make you rethink about how you do things. For example, I wanted to buy a whole new line of feeding bottles and consequent accessories for Mischa ever since I found out about the effects of BPA (but have calmed down since then when I think about all the BPA that were in MY bottles yet I turned out fine), and want to go organic when it comes to diapers and infant food (really want to try earth’s best now). And really, really want to dab my hand at being a SAHM or a WAHM if only we can afford a single income household.

On the other hand, I sometimes feel really defensive when the topic of breastfeeding sometimes comes up because of the way formula-feeding mothers are quietly portrayed as “antagonists”. Yeah of course I know breastfeeding is still best for babies, but I had problems with it. I tried my damnedest after I gave birth only to have my breasts bleed after I overdid trying to pump them to no avail. At first I felt really insecure that I couldn’t do it even if I did arm myself with how to’s and bought myself an Avent manual. I managed to mix-feed for a month. I guess it’s not just for everybody, and I’ve learned soon enough that giving formula doesn’t make me a bad mother. I should get an A for effort. But I know deep in my heart that I make up for it through other things, and I thank the heavens everyday that Mischa is as healthy as can be. I even think she’s healthier than most breastfed babies who have experienced jaundice, low weight, sepsis, etc.

On the whole, I really appreciate having this kind of network for when in the world would you find a hundred or thousand virtual friends who actually think what you’re thinking, and understand your weird or valid quirks? It’s very rare that you can share even your littlest problems, such as household helps (this seem to be quite a regular topic), kids’ illnesses, achievements and even peculiar in-law behaviors. I like my virtual friends because they are there and are often non-committal or non-judgmental (or so I think, or at least online). side comments are very rare.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Francheska Liberman, one of my “virtual” blogger friends, and the brilliant mind behind Fashion Canvas, a blog filled with inspirational pictures, beautiful editorials and, recently, some of her own styling and photography.

I stumbled upon her site a few months ago, and soon she was one of my top 5 favorite fashion inspiration websites to go to, as she had the knack for finding great photographs that I wouldn’t see anywhere else. Plus, she updates so many times a day that everytime I refresh the page there’s new content.

When I asked the 19-year-old from Marbella, Spain some questions, here’s some highlights of what she had to say.

Have you found that blogging about fashion helps you connect with people from all over the world?
That´s one amazing thing that I have gained through my blogging experience…the amazing people I have “met” from all around the world. I feel that we bloggers have created our own little world where we can really relate to one another without using speech as a form of communication. Instead, we use fashion as a way to communicate with each other. Before I started blogging I was one of the few people in my town who had this huge love for fashion, and it´s like I couldn’t really share it with anyone, but ever since blogging became a part of my life, the people in that world did as well. I never knew it was possible to meet so many new people without leaving your house. It´s truly magical if you think about it.  And the variety between those people is insane: I´ve met photographers, stylists, models, writers, artists, and designers.

Where do you turn to for your style inspiration? Fashion magazines or blogs or other things?
I´ll tell you one thing: I haven’t been buying magazines for a few months now and that´s just because I dont feel like I have the need to do so anymore. I can get all the latest editorials, photographers, streetstyle and trends from blogs out there. So I most definitely prefer blog inspiration over magazines because inspiration from blogs is real and it comes straight from the heart whereas every single little thing published in a magazine has been criticized by maybe 50 experts before it was shown to the public eye. However there´s of course nothing better than to own a hard copy of a great magazine issue. I´m also really inspired by literature, movies, music and cultures. After all those are the raw products that make fashion what it is today.

Do you think that fashion for Generation Y is different from all other generations?
I very much believe that nowadays people are able to show their own true style and dress to express themselves and share something with the world rather than wearing something because it´s seen in the new Vogue. Haute Couture will always be the real art of fashion, so I don´t think that haute couture actually affects the way we dress because it´s practically unwearable. But I do think that Vogue has had a much bigger impact on fashion decades ago rather than fashion now. Of course we still turn to Vogue and ELLE to see what´s new and what´s in but I think that somehow we are able to take what is “in” and adjust it so if you think about it, it´s the real people in this world who are making fashion happen. But this only started happening not so long ago so I think that right now some people must really be struggling to decide what to do with their personal style; whether to trust their own taste and eye and wear clothes the way they want to wear them or take the safer way out go by the book.

With these wise words, Francheska paints a great picture–influential as she is, with almost 650 Google followers and a feature in Slice magazine, she is one of many other Gen Y fashion bloggers, who all connect with each other with this shared interest and global platform.

Do you have a favorite author? I know I do and most of them have blogs or websites. To find them, I run their names or their book titles through a Google search. And voila there they are! Sometimes, though, they don’t have an RSS feed in place or, because they are extraordinarily busy, do not update their website on a regular basis. I might bookmark the site but forget to go back to it and then, much later, find out my favorite author was at the Barnes and Noble on Saturday! Without an update, I would not know they were there because I never received the information.

Aaarrgh!

All is not lost though! The date and time might very well pop up on the Internet and, if I have my own RSS feed in place, I can have it sent to my feed reader, also know as an aggregator, to keep me updated. To do that, create an OPML file and upload it to the feed reader.

Gina Trapani has a great tutorial on how to create one for Google Reader. Netvibes and Bloglines also allow you to create OPML files and upload them.

You can do the same thing about people and topics you want to follow. Create an OPML file and feed it into your RSS aggregator. Be proactive in your findability and personal learning.

What does it mean to be findable, though, on a professional level?

It isn’t just opening up a LinkedIn profile (although that’s a good start) but also being active in the learning community at large. You are an expert in your field and therefore should be findable. That means that if a peer reads a comment on a forum you belong to, he or she may want to read your blog. Or find an article you wrote last year. Or respond to something you wrote on a wiki or on Twitter.

By being visible, or findable, on the Internet you are participating in a learning community that spans the globe, age range, and digital divide.

Resources

• Open Directory > List of Web-based Feed Readers
• 8 Tools to Track Your Footprints on the Web
• Feed Your Ego with RSS

Facebook is an online community where you can stories and photos with friends. LinkedIn is a community for work professionals. And YouTube is a “home movie lover’s” delight!

And now HelpMeFinancial just had it’s own Facelift. We’re going social like everyone else so YOU can share news, stories and ideas – about your finances.

Do you get it? It’s all about getting YOU talking – because those conversations have tremendous value.

Log into Facebook and fill in the text box, “What’s on your mind?”. Twitter asks “What are you doing?” (even if it’s just 140 characters or less). Even your Yahoo! mail account now prompts you with “What are you doing right now?”

Sure, I may not care HERE what you ate for lunch, or what movie you watched last night.

But I DO care how you lowered your credit card interest rate, or how you paid off your 30-year loan in 22 years.

Share a tip, news story or ask for help. You don’t have to be an expert – you’re amongst friends here.

You only need to answer, “What’s on your mind?”

Because “we are smarter than me” let’s show each other how it takes a community to get smart about money!

I wanted to take a quick moment and, once again, thank everyone who has ever participated in my blog. Without you, this blog would not be the success that it has become. This blog has recently reached over 78,000 readers…that is an accomplishment that is due to you and your input.

Booktoots’ Weblog has become a welcoming support community where others can come and express their ideas and concerns about undergoing a total knee replacement (tkr) and/or hockey. It is a treasure to be able to see how we all encourage each other and provide inspiration.

Thanks for bringing a smile to my face and spirit, my online friends.

(Credit: www.toothpastefordinner.com)

One important lesson I have learned as a community manager is that no online community is the same as another.

Sure we have learnings and teachings which we refer to as industry standards or ‘normal’ indications of community health – but depending on the audience, the topic, the platform – all are factors in making your community unique.

One community I manage has grown to be a star example of a fully functioning online community. It adheres almost perfectly to the 90-9-1 rule, has several recognisable top contributors, and members regularly communicated with each other. This community is a organically (and continually) growing,  self functioning community.

Another community has an audience of fierce brand advocates, but however they can become disengaged very easily. The members need fresh and new content, and techniques such as newsletters and EDM prove to be successful reminders and incentives for members to revisit the site. While they love leaving their suggestions and ideas, they prefer not to interact with other members, or comment on others ideas. This community has developed as more of a sounding board where members easily give their opinions and thoughts on the brand they love.

But what to do if your community content is difficult to engage with? Is every subject area suitable for discussion in a community atmosphere? This community had the common struggle of recruitment and retention with a perceivably dry subject area – but with the incentive of a prize (non monetary), the ideas poured in. While I’m usually against using incentives for eyeballs, as quality does tend to suffer  when a prize is thrown into the mix, the high standard of ideas didn’t suffer during the promotion.

What if a community is private, only accessible by customer’s – subsequently engagement and recruitment is more difficult than a public, searchable open community?

Comparing the health and success of these different communities is almost impossible and you must remember to take each community at a case by case basis and never assuming that each will mirror the other. You must set objectives for what you see as a successful community – that may be number of members, number of repeat visits, level of participation, time on site. Different incentive, different content, different audience, different brand = different community.

Even factors such as whether or not a community is company driven or only sponsored by a brand (Ruby Connection is a good example of this), or even if a community is based around a passionate subject matter (such as Essential Baby), will influence the size, rate of growth and ongoing success of an online community.

Lee Weinstein of Lee Weinstein and Associates PR , a boutique public relations agency based out of Portland Oregon, has asked me to be this week’s guest on his PR Works Radio Show.

We’ll discuss why social media initiatives need strategy and planning, a baseline understanding of what that entails, and explore:

• Why PR practitioners are using Online Community to engage
• Common pitfalls of social media initiatives (why they fail)
• Successful social media strategy and planning

Please join us on the PR Works Radio Show, Friday, November 13, 12 – 12:30pm PST @ http://prworks.sprnetwork.com

My Work

As some of you may know, I’ve been employed by TigerDirect.com to:

• manage their social networks across Facebook & Twitter
• implement and manage an online community (blogs, forums, wikis, etc.)
• run all contests/sweepstakes/social media promotions

This has been a HUGE undertaking with the holidays approaching rather quickly, and projects being thrown at us at a million miles an hour. I will say, I LOVE my job! We’ve got several contests fast approaching, we’re constantly updating our social networks and we’re looking to set the trend and not follow it!

Don’t be Corporate – Be Personal

For many of you out there that think, “I have to make my content corporate because I work for a corporation,” I have one word of advice – don’t! People join your Facebook fan pages and follow you on Twitter not because of your corporate jargon, but because they want to actually speak to someone. It took me a bit of time to learn that, and it can be difficult to change that corporate mentality from the execs that sign your pay check, but let the actions speak for themselves. Since I’ve switched my content to a more personal one, I’ve seen an increase of interaction and better feedback from our TigerDirect Facebook Fans.

Measuring Social Media ROI

To show you the power of social media, when used correctly, I’ve included an interesting slideshow about how to measure and quantify social media. It discusses the basics of ROI and how to show it in your social media campaign. This may not be for every small/mid size business, but just take what you can from it and see if it helps. Enjoy!

I recently caught the end of a BBC Radio 4 programme called Aping Evolution (potentially only available to listen to for a limited period). It was the second in a series of two programmes.

It was an interesting and thought-provoking piece, which I want to highlight a few points from.

Firstly, a point was discussed about at what age people decide to have children, and how this can be quite different within a UK city; a matter of a mile apart the average age that a woman decides to have children might be 21, whereas a mile down the road it could be 31, and that is a significant difference. A large factor in this choice would seem to be the differences in expectations from life. If, for example, there is an expectation of being a single mother with a reliance on the help of your own mother to assist with child care then this needs to be done while the mother’s mother is still young enough and capable of helping. This decision is taken on a subconscious level. And though there’s an emphasis on improving sex education for children in the UK, it is actually an improvement in expectation from life that needs emphasis by policy makers; and the instilling of the concept that there are things in later life that are worth waiting for and putting other things off for. To achieve this requires improvements in things like access to collage and university, with the potential to get a better job with greater life prospects.

Another point from the programme was that the amount of time that parents can dedicate to their children significantly improved the prospects of those children. So this includes the time parents have to play games with their children, take then to sporting activities, and so on.

A final point I’d like to pick  up on from the programme is about community and the work of Robin Dunbar, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Director of the Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology in the School of Anthropology, and a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. His work has shown that each of us have a series of circles of people in our relationships. The first inner circle sees about five close friends and relations, and this is the intimate, emotional support level. The second layer is at about 12-15, where less intimate support and friendship takes place. It isn’t by chance that a large proportion of team sports have player numbers around this range. This number appears a lot in culture and society, 12 member of a jury for example. The next level up is a closed community. The human neocortex part of the brain has evolved to enable us to work well with groups of up to about 150. This is the number at which we can understand how we relate to the people in the group and how they relate to each other.

The MP David Willetts, as the Shadow Minister for Universities and Skills, finds this interesting and it has prompted him to consider differences in behaviour between schools with smaller numbers of pupils and larger schools. There is a tendency for there to be poorer behaviour by pupils where numbers are higher. One argument being that in smaller schools all the pupils can know each other by name and therefore relate much better to each other. The programme gave an example of one school where the headmaster had restructured the school along the 150 people lines.

This raises questions from me about online communities. What number of member within an online community is it possible to still have meaningful relationships with those member? Does this figure of 150 still hold?

The flow of power through the Internet is surging like Niagara falls and no where is it more powerful than in the user inhabited worlds of social networks. Through giants like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, we the users are in a position to have more pull as consumers than ever before. By enabling us to connect with long lost friends and relatives or our favorite celebrities we’ve never been more connected as a society than we are today. The size and scope of these networks is ever expanding. Now, on Facebook you can play games, rate movies or rally to a cause. This only grants us more power, and by interconnecting

services like iTunes to Facebook, iTunes to our favorite instant messenger clients, and our video games to social networks the circle of connectivity is wide and all encompassing. But what does it mean to have all of these things reporting to one another about our doings on the Web? First, it means that big companies and organizations can get rather detailed information on what you’re doing, when you do it and how many times. To an extent, that’s the bad part. But if Google has shown us anything it’s that giving the giant evil company a little personal information at least results in less annoying ads. Second, and most importantly, it means we’re on the verge of a potential boom in the best user created content to date. If Digg.com is any indication it’s that people can work together to create something that we all can enjoy. Now close your eyes and use your imagination for a moment. Take the power of the popular vote of Digg and merge it with software where content is generated by text and ideas inputed into it. Think Scribblenauts, now put those two together with the multitudes of users on Facebook, Myspace, Youtube or Twitter. What you’ll get is an ever changing, compelling piece of content created by and voted into existence by you the user.  (Side note – Why hasn’t someone come up with a “choose your own adventure” style web series?) What started with Youtube and blogging has the potential to truly go into the realm of what we today consider science fiction. The cool thing about science fiction though, is that it only stays that way until someone with the know how and resources makes it science fact.

I am curious as to how you read the title. Did you mentally put a question mark at the end, or did you feel the excitement of an exclamation point!

Exclamation Point for Me!

If you read the title with an exclamation point was that because you are competent enough to be a “coach” to others, because you are “in the know” on how to use social media for a variety of purposes, and you are “in the know” on places to go, people to listen to regarding getting the most from social media.

Question Mark for Me!

And if you are in the question mark group, perhaps you are one of many who are struggling to understand social media. Asking questions like should I be engaging in social networking, or committing more time to online communities. Maybe you are wondering if there are really benefits to using it for your business. And maybe, just maybe, you are trying to put your arms around how to learn to use this new technology.

It’s All About the Conversation!

Whether you felt an exclamation point or you were hoping for a lesson on social media because of your questioning of this new world, here is the root of social media. It’s all in the conversation. I am challenging you, whichever side of the fence you are on, to join in conversation. Share your favorite websites, LinkedIn groups, people to follow on Twitter, etc. that have helped you grow in your knowledge on social media. For those of you wanting to join in but didn’t have anyone to ask, here is your chance! Post your questions. Let’s start talking about what works, what doesn’t, and try to help each other out by breaking down the barrier to social networking.

One request: please post your comments on this WordPress blog site where it asks you to “leave a comment/reply.”

It will be much easier to follow the conversations if they are all in one place.
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Eileen Weisman is a communication strategist, an on-going student of social media, good listener, a walker, a recycling expert, a dog lover, and a mother of the bride (read previous posts to learn more). Contact The W Group to discuss opportunities for improving the listening environment within your company or organization

I decided to relate something that is somewhat off topic from social media, or is it?

I had the pleasure of running into an old friend, Zach West, yesterday on Purdue’s campus. He was visiting from Chicago: classes he took when he was a student during the day, and an Old Masters Meet and Greet event that evening. I asked how he was doing and how his book was coming along? He answered great to both questions. Zach was compiling interviews done with various student leaders at Purdue University, including their reflections, lessons learned, and advice for future student leaders. I thought this was a great way to gather sound messages from a very personable source. I then asked how long until the book comes out, and here is what he responds:

“I have the first and last chapters done, that was the easiest part. Basically, it is because I feel that I have something that I personally want to share with the audience. I listened to the interviews over and over again. As I listened, I am finding that each story needs to appear as it is in writing, uncut. With the exception of a few grammatical errors, I plan to publish what was said during each interview, word-for-word.”

I shared with him my experience with Best Camera and Chase Jarvis’s book, The Best Camera is the One That’s With You. I explained how the books coming out that are most popular are collaborative, where many contribute, and the author simply weaves it together in a series for the publisher. He agreed with the idea and added, “There is a common theme with each interview. I noticed that one of the successful tips found in student leaders, the difference between success and failure during their college experience, is the ability to make the place their home. By transforming the university to a homelike atmosphere, the community became smaller. Student in organizations, especially leaders, noticed this effect.”

Wait a minute! This is exactly what social media is accomplishing in the online world. It has transformed the internet, which was cold and static, into a vastly rich and dynamic community of peers and people just like you and me. And those who are successful, those who become the social media gurus and familiar faces we look to daily for advice and guidance, simply made the internet their home. They made it using the tools developed for social media. Like the student leaders in a university, if you made the location your home, you are relating to it better. By relating, you will end up more successful with your experience.

On several occasions I’ve shared with you one of the most popular franchises I created and continue to produce in my online community. What I do is interview members over the phone and then transcribe the conversation into a blog post. People love it.

Well, one day last year, members of the community were asked to turn the tables on me by a co-worker and they submitted their questions they’d like to have me answer. I answered them all and again, the community loved it.

I just realized that I never shared that with you and I think it is something you may want to consider in the future. Sharing a bit more of yourself with the community always makes it easier for them to share more of themselves.  If you’re interested in the 47 comments posted, here is the original interview.  But I’m also posting the entire interview below. Warning: Some of the screen names are a bit wild.  Enjoy!

Well, since you decided to go behind my back with the help of  web editor, Kelly H. with a sneak attack and force me to do my own profile, I suppose I had no choice but to succumb. And since it would be a bit odd to introduce myself in the third person, I won’t.  So, without further adieu, here are the answers to some of your questions. Enjoy!

Bosoxbaby: How in the world do you put up with some of the attitudes on here day in and day out?

Angela: I really don’t know. I guess I have a high tolerance for “crazy.”

Meh_whatever: I’d like to hear more about Angela’s history prior to coming to GOLO. What sort of jobs she’s held, etc.

Angela: I’ve worked in newsrooms my entire career. I started out in Cleveland, Ohio where I was an assignment editor at the CBS turned Fox station and Planning Editor at the NBC affiliate. I then moved to Tampa and worked at WFLA as an assignment manager. After that I worked at WPTV in West Palm Beach and then moved to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel where I was a broadcast producer and ultimately managed all of our media partnerships and served as multimedia editor.

Prayergirl: Do you read ALL of the blog posts everyday?

Angela: I could never get through them all but I do read a great deal. I suppose there are days when I read about 90% of them though.  It really depends on my workload, what other projects I’m working on and how much administrative stuff I have to deal with.  Contrary to popular belief, I don’t sit on the GOLO homepage all day waiting for the latest posts. I will look at something if a person points it out though. And I do have to read those that are reported as abuse.

Mythoughts22: When you read racial comments does it bother you?

Angela: What bothers me most about those types of comments is the fact that the person behind the comment is probably raising children. I mastered the art of not caring much about what others say about me a long time ago. Particularly when I know it’s not true.

Beauty Comes from within: Did you know this was what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Angela: I knew I wanted to be a journalist. I love to write and research and I can never ask enough questions.  There was an anchorwoman in Detroit, where I grew up whom I admired a great deal. I thought she seemed so smart and I wanted to be like her. She’s still on the air.

Kewlmom: What is your criteria for screening comments? Do you try to keep people from being offended, or do you simply look for cursing/public attacks?

Angela: I try to be fair and adhere to our guidelines. But oftentimes I do it based on what my gut tells me.  I know that many will beg to differ, but it’s tough.

BlaBlah: How do you keep sane, Angela?

Angela: Why do you think I’m sane?

Rocknhorse: OK, here’s my question: We know by your comments and the job you do here that you are very dedicated to both your family and your job. But sometimes everyone needs those “ME” moments. What do you do for yourself that keeps you grounded and at peace?

Angela: I enjoy bubble baths and I love to read. Put the two together and I’m good for at least a day.

Historians_13th: Tell us about the report you wrote on Ella Fitzgerald in the fourth grade, and what it  meant to you then and now?

Angela: I don’t remember the details 100%, but listening to my grandfather talk about her and mimic  her singing and dancing was quite the treat.

Sue Donym: If you could have dinner with any famous person past or present, whom would you choose and why?

Angela: Past: Harriet Tubman. I’d like to understand that kind of determination and perseverance. Also (and this might sound a little crazy) Adolf Hitler. I once interviewed three Holocaust survivors for a story I was producing and the way they recounted their experiences has stuck with me since. If I could talk with him in a controlled environment where it was impossible for him to kill me, I’d like to get to the root of all of that hate. Present: Oprah Winfrey and Tom Brokaw. Oh, and maybe Alice Walker. Love The Color Purple. Okay, one more…George Washington Carver. I’d like to know how the heck he got so involved with the peanut.

Deer Slayer: Do you like venison?

Angela: I’ve never had it. Does it taste like chicken?

Squirrelingdervish: If the Mothership flew down and picked up one Golo’er and took them off forever, who would you pick?

Angela: It already came and got him.  But a few more trips would be welcome.

Godbless: When you started this, did you have any idea it would be as successful as it is? Or were you thinking this was temporary?

Angela: I really didn’t know what to expect. I’m pleased, but I’d like to see it grow exponentially. I keep a notepad in my passenger’s seat because I’m always flooded with ideas. My mind runs a mile a minute.

Full_Decker: What are some features that you feel would benefit GOLO even more?

Angela: It’s not so much the features. Those are easy. More members. More distinct voices. Active participation from the majority of the members. I’d like to see GOLO filled with invaluable content.

GoldenLvr: I would like to know what job you would like to move up to in the WRAL family after you finally go insane babysitting all us Golo’ers. By the way, Kelly is a cutie!
Angela: I’m not sure where my career will lead me. Hopefully to some amazing job that doesn’t yet exist.  Oh, and I’ll be sure to let her parents know you think they did a good job.
Sweet Rose: I’d like to know more about her growing up … where she was from … how she came to be in NC … how does she like the area.

Angela: I’m from Detroit. Most of my family is still there. I left for college at 17 and never went back there to live. I visit often. I enjoy NC so far, but I’m still learning. The verdict is still out on whether or not this is home for good. I don’t think I’ve lived here long enough to make that assessment.

Sue Donym: What advice will you give your daughters when they get old enough to start playing on sites such as golo?

Angela: Be smart, and use common sense.

Tarheel Army Mom: What kind of meds do you have to take to manage GOLO?

Angela: I believe that’s classified information.

Sue Donym: It is clear that your work entails MUCH more than simply moderating golo comments. What are some of the other responsibilities you have as part of your job?

Angela: Well, I am responsible for all things GOLO and all things generated by our users for GOLO and WRAL.com.  I also hire, train and supervise the moderators. I interact with users a great deal so a large part of my responsibility is communicating with people. I manage the Pet Page on WRAL.com and make decisions about a lot of other projects. I am called on to incorporate community into our products.  There’s so much more…but I’ll stop there.

Rabid_Wolf_3: When I talked to you at the outing, you told me that your lawyer got you off of a triple murder charge after you spent 12 years in a maximum security prison, on a technicality! Can I have that lawyers name?
I really can’t believe they called you ‘Cell Block Momma A’ either . . .
Did you really make the warden cry?
I know, I know . . . rabid_wolf_4 . . .

Angela: Go talk to Tarheel Army Mom about getting some meds. You need them more than I do.

Nauticagirl501: How many children do you have?

Angela: Two girls. And they are fabulous!

Patty002: Angela, why do some of the blogs get through with offensive words and some don’t?

Angela: I can’t see everything. That’s the answer.

Iluvwilmy: How much does WRAL pay you? I would love to be a co-editor of Golo. Golo as a job? How awesome would that be?!

Angela: There are two things you never ask a person. When the baby is due, and how much money they make. Remember that.

Chill0913: Angela, if you and rabid_wolf? were driving in a car having a debate and he wanted to get out, whould you A: slow down and pull over, ask him to calm down, close door and continue your route. or B: Pull over slow down some when he opens the door shove his behind out and proceed on with your business?
LOL…Personally, I’m prone for option B. LOL

Angela: I would be hesitant to get in a car with him.

Con Amor: Angela… Does anyone in your family GOLO? …. Do you ever GOLO under a different profile? …. Do you secretly enjoy looking at the juicey hott hunk blogs that I post before they get pulled for being too hott?(hahahahahahahaha!)

Angela: No. I would never go incognito. My ethics won’t allow. No family members on GOLO. I plead the 5th on the hunks question.

NCMomof3: Angela, I think you do an awesome job referring, mediating, and just plain babysitting us characters on GOLO. Are there times where you have to sit back, take a deep breath, count to 10, then go outside and scream anyway?

Angela: Yes.

Made in USA: Angela… What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction and what part of your job do you dislike the most?

Angela: Making a difference is extremely satisfying to me. If I tell you what I dislike the most, I will be exposed and vulnerable. I don’t want to be either.

Steve Crisp: How much does Canada weigh?

Angela: I thought you knew everything. That’s what your profile says.

Javajoe: To our dearest, most tolerant Mother-of-GOLO, Angela — what’s your biggest, worst, skin-crawlingest, nerve-splittingest pet peeve?

Angela: The sight of chewed gum. YUCK! And please, NEVER read over my shoulder.

Halyard: If you only had ONE chance, what person, living or dead, would you like to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with?

Angela: My father. He died when I was 16. I’d love another chance to talk to him.

Web 2.0: Does new/social media rule our daily life?

The Internet plays a significant role in our life. Whether for satisfying information needs, networking or even just to satisfy the need of belonging and love. Even economy cannot proper perform without the usage of Web 2.0.

So it can be said, that our needs are the reason for the development of Web 2.0. I recognized that people more a more become dependent on the online possibilities. Well, I do understand that sometimes it is the easiest way to get things done and sometimes a really would suffer without the usage of today’s online world. But if I take a look 10 years back everything worked quite well with the absence of Web 2.0.

With today’s knowledge I assume Web 2.0 as a milestone for business and social usage. The other aspect which has to be considered is that it becomes more difficult so set borders between reality and cyberspace, whereas the World Wide Web mostly already belongs to our reality. In some aspects this is very dangerous. For instance, if anybody is ill and searches via Google what he our she could have and what could ease the symptoms. Risky idiocy!

Moreover from my point of view the social relocation is also a key problem of Web 2.0. I really ask myself if younger generations know how to put a stamp an a letter or how to search for things without online help. The information must not be a scientific question, it starts with routing from A to B (distance irrelevant).

Society is online. Until now this works but how about the offline society? Does the offline society work without the online world? I assume not – How?

Finally let me raise the point of privacy. We live in a century where everybody shares private things with the world’s population. Humans therewith satisfy there need of belonging and recognition. I picture the online society as a desert. Respectively the World Wide Web consists of many sand grains (users). Some are on the surface and share everything with others, some are buried. So, where is the psychological border of not sharing and are the surface users more satisfied in their needs?

Those thoughts arose during the research for my Bachelor Thesis and I would be thankful for comments and discussion.

Best Wishes

The conversation about social media, Twitter and Facebook is the wrong one to have, even though it’s the one most people are having.  It is now a normal everyday action to connect on the real time social web the same way you share with friends on the phone or by email; only now one action can reach thousands of people.  Though these topics were revolutionary a year or two ago, now they simply point out the obvious way these tools are ingrained in our everyday communication behaviors.

The conversation about Trust Communities is the right one to have.  You’re already a part of Trust Communities even though you may not call them that.

Your family, your Facebook friends, your Twitter followers and the people you work with interact with you in those general Trust Communities.  If you connect online or offline with a group of people who share your interests (gardening, motorcycles, football, reading, music, underwater basket weaving, etc.) then you participate in niche Trust Communities.

With the latest advances in social networking technologies, people are naturally searching out and finding others in their tribes.  Without the geographical and time constraints that we had only a few years ago, it is now possible to instantly connect, build relationships and share content with thousands of people who care about what you care about.  Real-time search has changed the game forever.

The Internet is becoming exponentially more socialized every day.  Since humans are psychologically driven to connect and be validated by other people, this is the primary way we are using the new tools we are being given online.  We are connecting, creating content and consuming content like there’s no tomorrow.

This has generated a seismic shift in power from the limited number of perceived experts and authorities we used to follow to an unlimited number of influencers we follow because we like and trust them.  These influencers have proven themselves by sharing content in blogs and videos.  They didn’t necessarily have to have a degree or a fancy title.  If fact, we believe regular people with a passion long before we believe many people put forth to us as experts by sources that we don’t trust.  These regular people are the tent poles that Trust Communities are based around.

Do you remember when your only choice to get an expert medical opinion was to make an appointment with your doctor?  Then you discovered WebMD.com, and then you could join forums, then you could Google search articles and now you can send a message on Twitter and get real-time answers from doctors and regular people who know the answers you’re looking for.  With Google Side Wiki and other new technologies it’s only going to get easier to build Trust Communities.

These days we know that doctors are human.  They have limited knowledge, can make mistakes and are heavily lobbied by pharmaceutical companies to push certain drugs and treatments over others.  This doesn’t mean doctors aren’t experts, just that we can now get second, third, fourth and fifth opinions to weigh in with what a doctor suggests.

If you have a child with autism you’ll be joining Trust Communities based around autism.  If you surf you’ll be in a Trust Community with surfers.  You may even be in both of these communities depending on your interests.

You’ll participate as a community member.  This will increase your trust in other community members, it will increase their trust in you and you will all support each other.  People in Trust Communities benefit from the community.  People who ignore Trust Communities will be left behind in a cloud of confusion as to why they’re not experiencing the same benefits that Trust Community members receive.

This is where we are headed.  In the coming years the measurable difference will be between those with a static website broadcasting information and those with a thriving ecosystem based on their creation of, and participation in, niche trust communities.  Which one will you have?

Last week I spent some time with Elisa and Lily of Style Like U, and actually went to their apartment (which doubles as their office) to see the two of them, their assistants, 5 interns and 2 dogs in action. The website is run by mostly Gen Yers of Lily’s age (20), but the site’s subjects range from the 9-year-old daughter of a model to fashionistas in their 80’s! That specific day, I followed Elisa on a shoot in Chinatown, where she interviewed a 53-year-old artist about her life, art, marriage, and most importantly-her style.

At their apartment in Alphabet City, Elisa tells me that she founded the website because it’s something she was passionate about, and she was tired of the industry after being a professional stylist for 20 years.

It’s not about showing yourself like ‘Oh, look at me, I look so good!’ It’s a contemporary forum, and I’m trying to bring back creativity, something inspiring, something that isn’t controlled by advertisers. This site is more of a movement, and it allows me to show that style is different than fashion.

The world is full of people that aren’t so interesting, and I’m trying to get the interesting ones. The style and the clothes part is just the door, and the common thread, but it’s really about the people behind it.

Photos: I took these at the shoot, of Elisa filming Katia Santibanez, an artist, in her studio with her favorite clothing and her artwork.

For daily inspiration from every corner of the world, I visit Lookbook.nu, an online community of fashionistas who post daily “looks” of what they wear and where they go.

With hundreds of thousands of members that hail mainly from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, it’s a little place on the web where fashion and style collides; members make friends and start discussions in the online forums, and can “favorite,” “love,” or “hype” looks for easy access in the future. One catch: it’s invite-only, or by an application process. Invite-only means that current members may invite their most stylish friends, or if you don’t know anyone, you can send in an application saying why you should be a member as well as your first look for the founders to judge.

That said, Lookbook.nu, created by Yuri Lee and based out of San Francisco, is really the ultimate source of inspiration; not limited by place, designer, garment, or even the person wearing it–it’s all of the above mixed together for the truest definition of what it means to have style.

Luckily, I’ll be speaking with Yuri next week and will be asking lots of questions! In the meantime, check it out.

Photo Credit: The #1 most hyped look on Lookbook.nu