2008 August | michellechance.com

Monthly Archive for August, 2008

Video Micro Blogging with Seesmic

Published
by
Michelle
on August 23, 2008
in Social Media and Video
. 0 Comments

Today I am going to put http://www.Seesmic.com to the test. I have just watched their HOW TO video, and now I am ready to play, uh, test. Seesmic seems to work in a way very similar to other social media sites. You can follow conversations, but they are all face to face conversations - or really screen to screen conversations. Just like in twitter, you can follow, send direct messages and even view the public timeline.

Registering for an account is FREE and SIMPLE (two of my favorites). I just picked a user name, entered the email address and a password and just a second ago this appeared in my Inbox

Welcome to Seesmic. We are so glad you are here!
We built Seesmic so that you would have a place to communicate and connect online through video conversation. It’s so easy. All you have to do is record a video directly from Seesmic, a mobile phone, or even upload an existing video straight from your computer to start a conversation.

So what to record first? Hows my hair? Is the lighting good enough in here? UH OH, I can see the first problem for me. With Twitter, I can hide behind the screen, with only that cute photo of me from my Kayaking Adventure in Thailand. But what’s this, I’ll need to be screen ready if I am doing Seesmic Videos. Mr. DeVille, I am ready for my close up

OK now that I have my first lame post out of the way, you try it. Come on, it won’t bite.

Big Businesses are taking on New Media

Published
by
Michelle
on August 19, 2008
in Social Media
. 2 Comments

Now that big companies are using New Media, will they be able to use it for the good of their customers? Heck can any size company use it for more than just marketing?

On our local news channel they highlighted a cable company that’s able to respond to customer requests FASTER on twitter than on their in house phone and email system? What?!!?!!? OK, Twitter is fantastic, but what’s going on here?

Don’t scrap doing business right for doing business the coolest way. New Media Guru Paul Colligan is struggling with some flights right now because Orbitz just plain messed up. They have publicly responded via Twitter that they’ll fix it, but as of this writing, they have not made it work. In fact on one flight, Paul is scheduled to leave on a connection before he even arrives.

If you are a business taking on New Media there are a few simple rules you can follow:

1) Be a business person first - it’s ok to be transparent - but remember the world is watching and listening.

2) If you make promises - keep them - period, new media or not, your reputation is on the line.

3) Don’t overwhelm yourself with every new media site out there. Pick one, make it a part of your social media and business plan, once you have that properly integrated, you can add others, one at a time.

4) Mind your ROI - sure you can spend lots of time Twittering and Friending, but if you are not getting the benefits of SEO, Referrals, and NEW CLIENTS … you need to improve your process so you can improve your results.

Print Media Turns to Video

Published
by
Michelle
on August 13, 2008
in Video
. 0 Comments

We have been using video on our websites for more than 3 years now, before there was a “You Tube” we used a software service to convert video into flash - and it was fantastic. A lot has happened in 3 years, and now we’re You Tubing our business stuff all the time. But today I was taken aback by our local paper. The local paper is using Video.

I was shocked to see a Video Report that was just an hour old - live on the newspaper’s website. And it wasn’t an AP Feed - it was a Jacksonville.com (Florida Times Union) video covering the American Idol Auditions here in Jacksonville.

Don’t think Video works for business? If an old style newspaper can learn new tricks why not your business?

What is twitter ?

Published
by
Michelle
on August 13, 2008
in Social Media
. 0 Comments

Just a few short months ago, I would have asked the same question. The best description I can muster is that it is a blend of and old fashioned chat room and mobile texting. You can use Twitter from your mobile phone or from any web browser, and now a plethora of Twitter Apps (I use TweetDeck). From either place you can send out “bursts” of info. Up to 140 characters per post.

So what is the big attraction? Gen X seems to be adapting to this clearly Gen Y and beyond styled app. The BabyBoomers, not all so sure yet.

Twitter allows you to post information to a micro-blog website. Folks who want to listen (uh read) what you have to say, can simply stalk (uh follow) you. In its original form, my guess is that it was for groups of friends who wanted to keep up with one another with Tweets (this is what a Twitter Post is called) like “Going to the Mall at 7 PM” or “Party’s at Joes at 10 PM - Bring Your Swim Suits”. Now there are all kinds of posts flying about. My last Twitter was more of a recap / announcement.

Great SEO MEETUP last night — blend of pros, entrepreneurs, and designers. Loving it! http://seo.meetup.com/106/calendar/8259370/

One friend says that her life isn’t really interesting enough to Twitter about, I’ll have to let her decide for herself, but I do like the fact that I know more about my peers and even professionals who are in my space. I follow Entrepreneurs, Web Designers, CEOs and more. I want to know what they are tweeting about. I spend about 4 hours a week reading blog posts and updates. I use Twitter to “listen” into the space where I market myself.

My life probably isn’t that interesting either, but somehow folks listen and respond, and I am forging wireless relationships with folks I have never met in person. And if feels less icky than a dark IRC chat window.