A perfect example of the power of social media

Did you happen to catch this feature last week on the Today Show? This actress--Amy Walker--has apparently taught herself 21 dialects, and created a video of herself that's making it's way around the Internet. I was at home getting ready for work when the spot aired, and I was immediately captivated. Not only because I think it's cool that this chick is marketing the crap out of herself (I'll give anybody props for that), but also because it got me to thinking:

Should American celebrities be threatened by video sharing and social media sites like You Tube and the like? I'm wondering how long it'll take before people like this woman--who seem to have genuine talent and skill--demand the attention of Hollywood and other media sources, and take jobs from those who have less-than...well, really any skills...like Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.

If you haven't seen the video take a look at it here, and let me know what you think. This is the original video Amy created. I tried to find the interview from the Today Show, with both Meredith Viera and Matt Lauer, but TodayShow.com is not particularly user-friendly when it comes to searches and I wasn't able to find the segment.

In front of the lens

I've been getting into looking at photography lately. Pictures fascinate me, particularly when presented in an artistic fashion. This is probably because I've been more active blogging over the past few months. I'd like to get more into taking pictures myself but I don't have the greatest camera, and don't really have the money to go out and buy a new, fancy one. (Maybe I'll get one for my birthday.)

Earlier this week I started thinking about this, and tell me if you think it's a stretch:

Photography just may be the very first form of social media. Maybe not social in the way we think of it today, but consider it.... As defined by Wikipedia.com:

Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words and pictures. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and "building" of shared meaning, as people share their stories, and understandings.

Photography is a thread to technology.
It definitely sparks social interaction.
It certainly tells stories and creates understandings.

To honor the art of the first form of social media, and to accompany my "Music Monday" series, I'm adding "Found on Flickr." Even though I'm not the biggest champion for Flickr (I think there are other photo hosting sites that are way more user-friendly), it is the largest and has the most stock to choose from. So every Thursday I'm going to feature a photo I think is interesting, weird, beautiful, etc. I will surely give credit to the account/author, and hope it will open others up to the beauty of photography.

Here is the first in the "Found on Flickr" series, taken from lifedeathpeet's photostream:

Mommy bloggers determined to change the face of a nation.

Because of my job and my personal interest in blogging and social media, I somehow managed to get signed up for a newsletter distributed by the Chicago Moms Blog. A few days ago a newsletter dropped into my inbox, titled "Open Letter to the Presidential Candidates." I was immediately intrigued.

In a nutshell, this network of women bloggers (Silicon Valley, Chicago, New York, and DC Metro Moms Blogs) is pushing an open call for the Presidential candidates to meet with them, and discuss the issues they feel are important and relevant to them (the bloggers).

What a great testimony of the power of social media. I'll be watching closely to see if any of the candidates respond.

Twittering and Politics

I'm an avid Twitterer. I've been using it both professionally and personally for quite some time now, and find it useful--and productive--on both accounts. I recently learned that many of the current Presidential candidates are Twittering as well (or at least someone on their staff is). Oddly enough the majority of the candidates are running on the Democratic ticket, at least this is what I've discovered in some minor research (if you know of a central location that lists all the candidates who Twitter please feel free to pass it along to me). One individual who stands out as a rather active Twitterer is Senator Hillary Clinton. You can view her profile here. John Edwards has a profile as well but he hasn't posted any updates in quite some time.

Now, what's interesting about this observation to me is that I really have to question why the Republican candidates haven't embraced this medium. Particularly as someone who is not only young but is also extremely active in social media and technology. That doesn't leave a good impression with me. I believe an application like Twitter is certainly something that should be integrated into campaign packages, if the campaign managers were smart. I'll be interested in watching this as the elections get closer.

R2D2! I can see you!

The Star Wars franchise is unarguably one of the most famous--and popular--in existence. I do enjoy the films, although I'm not a hardcore fan. Still, I found this post today on Oh Gizmo! and thought it would be a valid tie-in with the pop culture & social media themes often found throughout my blog. (I know some folks who are probably drooling over this right now.)

Here is the post: R2D2 Is Now a Remote Control, Wireless Webcam.

Social Media Marketing

As I've written before, everyone has an opinion about social media. I think it's captivating. Perhaps I feel this way because social media & networking is such a product of my generation; perhaps it's because I love the feeling of connectedness it brings; perhaps it's because I'm completely fascinated with how quickly it allows news and information to travel. No matter the reason I'm always looking to consume as much as I can about current and future social media.

MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube are unarguably the most well-known and most mainstream of the social networks. Yesterday I stumbled across a great site, educating online marketers the value of using these three sites. Aptly titled "MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube Marketing," Nick Jag offers-up some very valuable information about playing "smartly" on these sites. I'm definitely going to have to spend some time sorting through his site, and certainly take advantage of his "Resources."

It's All About Being Social

The more time I spend online--particularly in the blogosphere--the more opinions I hear about social networks and social media. Everyone has a take on what sites "work" and what sites "don't work," which ones are more reputable and such.

Honestly, I don't may too much attention to these "opinions." I'm going to be active on the sites I like and enjoy; not only that, I want to be where my friends and blog readers are. So I'm pretty active on the following social sites and directories:

- MySpace
- BlogCatalog
- MyBlogLog
- Twitter
- Wink
- more

I'm curious to know...what sites are you active on? And if you are active on various sites, why aren't we friends?!?!

It's Not Easy Being Green

I'm registered for gobs of e-mail newsletters. Some of them are related to my job, some have to do with my personal interest, and some are just to keep in-line with what's going on in the world. One of the newsletters I typically find interesting is from C|NetNews.com.

In today's "afternoon issue" there was a feature about...what I think...is a pretty absurd use of social media. Here are the details:

A group of NYU postgrad students have been working to develop something called the "Botanicalls" system. This lets plant owners essentially communicate with their green friends. Through technology and social media plants and convey their needs to people. "What?" you ask? "How is this possible," and "what is the point?" Well, moisture sensors can be placed in the soil of the plant, to send a signal over a wireless network to a gateway that places a call if the plant's too dry or wet.

Now I ask if this is really necessary. I suppose if the "owner" were out-of-town on business for a long period of time or on vacation, this might be worthwhile, but seriously.... Will a plant kick the bucket if it goes a few days without water?

Here's photo documentation of what the grad students came up with:



And the team that came up with this:


This is silly. Maybe if I think-it-over for a few days I might feel differently.

Bravo!

I'm a fan of television. I'm not going to lie. I don't think I watch nearly as much as most people do but I certainly have my favorite shows. I also have my favorite networks, Bravo being one of them. True, some of their programming has gotten slightly cheesy, and their reality-show platform is just about out-of-control, but you have to admit some of their shows are captivating.

One of my favorite things about the Bravo network is their website. Albeit a bit busy, aesthetically speaking, it's an awesome example of how a television network integrates technology and social media into their mix. Just look at their site.

Here are a few reasons I love Bravotv.com:

- Video
- Blogs
- Mobile

Truly, this network engages their audience with numerous interactive features, and know how to get their viewers involved, and I think it's great!

CNN * YouTube Debates

Referencing my last post, these debates are so much better than I was expecting. Sure, CNN is still very much involved...and selecting the video submissions...but for the most part I think it's an incrediby innovative way of approaching relevant topics.

My friend Kim and I keep exchanges text messages back-and-forth about who we like! Social media at its finest!

FYI...I'm NOT voting for any person who wears a hearing aid.

Social Media & Politics

If you haven't already heard, politicians and major [American] news organizations are jumping on the social media bandwagon. Actually, bandwagon isn't the appropriate term to use. Typically, I think of "jumping on the bandwagon" as being associated with something trendy or fleeting, and social media is certainly here to stay. Politicians and news organization undoubtedly recognize this and are therefore taking note of how to integrate the medium with their business models. The big question right now is just how much does social media play in both of these fields? Does it dictate news stories and political platforms? Or does it merely supplement them? Personally, I don't think anyone really knows the answer (although there are definitely strong opinions about both), and we probably won't for years to come.

I bring all of this up because I just learned that CNN is hosting the first-ever Presidential video/social media debates. I'm a little surprised that I'm just hearing of this since I live much of my life online. Anyhow.... Taking place tomorrow (7/23) at 7pm EST these debates will unarguably be historic, and could determine the relevance of social media in such vital events. The concept is really quite simple: candidates will answer questions directly from the American public, via video-sharing powerhouse YouTube.com. No journalists. No panelists. No agendas. Or so we're told.

Dubbed the "CNN * YouTube Debates" the live broadcast will launch with the Democratic Presidential candidates. The Republicans will follow in mid-September. Of course, only time will tell just how much of an impact these initiatives will make, but it'll be interesting to watch.

If you're interested in taking part in this landmark event click here. The deadline for submissions is today (7/22) though, so you'll have to hurry!

Intersection

The "official" Tori week here on the blog is long over. I had a few folks leave comments on some of the posts so that's appreciated! I know there are more Tori fans out there though. I'm still thoroughly enjoying "American Doll Posse." Anybody have any opinions about the album? Now I'm just eagerly awaiting the release of some US tour dates!

On another note this past weekend I was really thinking of how the merging of popular culture and social media--particularly in this day-and-age--is really an interesting thing. Specifically as it pertains to the entertainment & art worlds.

Sunday I was kickin' it old school, watching Margaret Cho's "Revolution." For some reason I was jonesin' for some Margaret. Similar to what I mentioned in an earlier post, you are either a fan of Margaret's or you're not. There's really no in-between. Quite honestly I don't know how there could be -- she is vile, vulgar, and absolutely hilarious! You get turned on by her sort of humor or you don't; I can almost guarantee the majority of conservative folks do not.

Her sets usually contain references of self-reflection, how our country thinks people should look and act, and, of course, politics. Now, I have a friend who thinks celebrities & artists shouldn't use their fame or notoriety to push their personal beliefs. I respect that, and can understand that point-of-view. I must disagree, however, particularly when it comes to "artists": I believe that the role of an artist is to interpret and comment on what's going on in the world around them. If not for anything than just "waking people up" and making them aware of what's going on in the world around them.

Humor aside, Margaret is a prime example of celebrities utilizing social media to convey their platform. Margaret has an extremely active MySpace page, and a blog on her official website.

To Twitter or Not To Twitter (Part 2)

You might recall a post of mine a few weeks ago, about the rage (in a good way, that is) over Twitter. I wasn't terribly familiar with it at the time so I decided to check-it-out and see what's going on.

It's now official! I'M A TWIT! I realize this might not be a legitimate term for those who use Twitter but I think it's funny so I'm stickin' with it. I first decided to set-up a profile for my company, and mess around with it. Adding friends. Making updates throughout the day. Asking questions. Honestly not putting forth too much effort because...well...I have a lot going on at my job right now! But I've been pleasantly surprised to find that with that small effort I've seen some traffic coming through to the various sites I've been promoting. Pretty cool!

Now I've decided to establish a personal profile, although I'm a bit more reserved, shall we say, with who I engage with when it's me personally. It's still a great way to meet folks with similar interests though, and will hopefully lead to some new traffic and readers.

Are you a TWIT? If so, drop me a note and introduce yourself. I'd love to know how you've been using it.

To be continued....

To Twitter or Not To Twitter

In a post earlier this week I'd talked a little bit about my recent trip to NYC (more to come on that later). Well, in addition to having much fun exploring the concrete jungle, as they say, I was actually in town for a business conference. The first BlogHer Business Summit, in fact. If you're not familiar with BlogHer--and it's likely you're not if you're not a blogger--they are a great organization which is essentially a network of female bloggers. I was, of course, there representing PayPerPost.

Well, the core content of the two-day event was Social Media, and how it's really blown-up over the past two years, if not less than that. One thing I was really intrigued by--and was the topic of conversation in several different sessions--is Twitter. I am certainly aware of Twitter, and I think I have a fair idea of its purpose, but I really need to do much more research to see how it might fit into both my personal and professional lives. Their self-proclaimed mission is "A global community of friends and strangers answering one simple question: What are you doing? Answer on your phone, IM, or right here on the web!" They have a pretty cool blog too, that you should check out if you get a chance.

If anyone reads this post and uses Twitter, or has any thoughts about it please feel free to leave me a comment.

'Til next time,

A Potential Future Twitter-er (does that work?)