DISQUS

Hi Dave,
Awesome - Probably my fav UB40 song and riff.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Cheers, Adam

Very timely. Thanks Chris!
Wishing you a wonderful holiday with friends and family

Best of luck on the next step in your career path. I know you'll be doing great things. Cheers, Adam

Big fan of "Bonafide Marketing Genius" Marta Kagan (http://bonafidemarketinggenius.com/about) but social media is not f*cking PowerPoint ;).

Looking forward to meeting you tonight at Good Life (speaking of branding, why not "great"?)

Big fan of "Bonafide Marketing Genius" Marta Kagan (http://bonafidemarketinggenius.com/about) but social media is not f*cking PowerPoint ;).

Looking forward to meeting you tonight at Good Life (speaking of branding, why not "great"?)

Adam Ostrow,
Thanks for sending me over to that FriendFeed discussion. I continue to think Scoble is faking it/mailing it in these days. For example is this true: "I don't get paid to go to conferences, when that starts maybe I'll start doing work at them. :-) - Robert Scoble"

Umm, that's it? Guess this year was a bit more evolution, rather than revolution.

I'd love to see Scoble back up his point of "The best coverage was live Tweets and conversations on FriendFeed." That's rarely hard coverage - it's more of a "Where's Waldo" or pumping up you and your products or the useful - let's go out for drinks at the Mirage.

George Favvas, thanks for the tip about Southwest - I like the “blogospondent” video on the spot idea.

Pick me, pick me.

We're on the same page - I'm not worried about PR and Marketing. Lots are doing a great job of screwing up the potential of social media as just another channel to push their clients/messages and self.

I'm talking about people in under-served communities who don't have access to broadband and basic education.

Love Marc's view on this and I'm glad I skipped the recent cheerleader conferences in NYC and Las Vegas. Most of the pictures and tweets reeked of excess and Internet bubble 2.0. Actually, I take that back, I would've loved to been in Vegas ;).

As some on this comment stream know, in Boston we're following the launch of www.sm4sc.com @sm4sc (Social Media for Social Change) and its founder Gradon Tripp. He's brand new to this effort and approach, but it really just takes one passionate person who gives a s*it to make a difference.

Kudos to you! I like this idea of re-direction.

As always, I worry if we're leaving folks behind - whether that's on social networks, SoMe tools or basic broadband access and education.

I'm actually more looking forward to the next generation teaching us about social media. To do that we need to make Internet access and tech/math/communication education as close to a human right as possible. That can happen if there is pressure on school systems, corporations and local/national politicians to make it so.

Until that happens, I fear that the SoMe community (and occasional echo chamber) will think about "how do we save the world" for a little while longer, Then human nature suggests we will move back to the latest shiny object in social media and look out for number 1. Especially true in this economic downturn.

I can play the cynic with the best of them, but I really do want to see how SoMe can support positive social change.
Keep up your energy level and help us see and reach that potential.

This question is rapidly becoming second nature to young and old. My son was able to get onto Internet Explorer at age 2 and he has an internship with www.creaturepark.com (Ingeeni Studios in Somerville, MA) at age 9.

Funny you mention Club Penguin as I find most kids get bored of it pretty quickly. I', with Ryan and wonder if WebKinz has more staying power and of course commercial potential.

The other innovation in this space is combining test preparation and school skills to online tests that incorporate games. My son's school system has subscription/seats with http://www.studyisland.com as prep for state testing. Seems to keep him more interested and I like the ability for teachers and parents to monitor results and progress.

Let's get kids comfortable and interested in front of the computer or PDA, but make sure having fun outside or with friends or with a book or art project is the first choice. We don't want a generation of computer geeks like me and Chris Brogan ;)

You asked about job functions and work rather than the great social benefits of SoMe (yay for Tweetups, YouTube/Qik recommentdations, links + post-event dinners/drinks!).

Communicators need to keep up with channels. The online and on-phone tools provide ways to get messages, offers, links, questions, etc. out to wide and targeted audience. The best interactive SoMe tools allow for rapid feedback that helps the communicators learn about preferances, passions and opportunities. Businesses can make more informed decisions based on this data/analysis.

Chris, you're correct that all is still possible without including the tools in the marketing mix, but why limit the ways you engage with the world and potential business benefits.
Nicely questioned and even better - great comments above (and soon to be below)
P.S. Is it blog commentiquette to say hi to Chris and Suki? Hi!

Only gripe from me is the lack of tiles for my Entourage application. It was an easy way to go to someone's page. It that's up or someone has a way to tile all friends I'm in. BTW, isn't that why it's called FACEbook - you see the faces!

Teh easy answer is people don't like change - well, except for our current US political discourse and promises. I have some friends who are signing petitions to keep it old. I don't have a strong feeling on layout, but I'd be more suspicious of the advertising and tracking capabilities with the new platform.

For Facebook to keep the positive press in VC circles (valuation is up to what this week?!), they need to have a better mechanism for conversions and brand "fan" communications.

Are you guys feeling a similar sentiment about changes when it comes to MySpace. I spent a bit of time on it and still didn't feel a need to do much more than check my concert schedule.

Keep up the vanity looks at Facebook UI, but please keep the reporting eye on the ad revenue prize.

If enough people complain about the layout they will keep it, right?

I'm guessing the changes were made to better position advertising content and allow for easier feed sharing and monitoring. If brands can join "the conversation" at a simple level like a Facebook/MySpace fan page they can then select and focus more attention on their best supporters. Probably the only post-Beacon way for Facebook to justify the previous valuations to Fox and investors. FB needs a business model and revenues more that Twitter does, but look at all of the companies launching their own Tweet streams and community building activities. That quick response and sharing of a link is very simple to do on Twitter.

Back to the layout issue - why not let the users design their page and even pay a premium for first run content? If asking for money doesn't work, they can at least build their databases of user info and preferences.

Hmm, I guess I was on to something

How the heck does Jimmy Page get booked for the closing ceremonies. Isn't Kashmir in India/Pakistan?

Hi Chris,
"So how does one know which to support?" is an interesting question, but might not be action-oriented enough - the critical "how do I support" question.

For example, if @dough or my friend Dave Kay at www.iba-etc.org in the South End ask me to donate $, I'm in. But to make a gift meaningful, the donor probably needs to do more than send a check. Especially in planned giving and major gifts, it is up to the donor and the development officer to determine what happens to the money - unrestricted budget or program-specific, how reporting happens and deliverables will be measured.

The above is probably too "insider" for my wider point: Talk to the person asking you for money or read all of their materials (annual report) and if possible go to the organization's office and ask how their funds are distributed and the overhead for the agency. Better yet, volunteer and go to the organization's events, open meetings or community outreach. All these steps will make you feel more involved and a true partner for change.

It can be hard work, but simply writing out a check is a bit too easy when we're talking about social change IMHO.
Great topic and discussion - thanks.

I salute all linked above (especially my homeboy @gradontripp with www.sm4sc.com), but let's make sure that social good in social media isn't the latest shiny object we chase and then leave.

In my experience (seven years as Dir. of Development at Northeastern U's Center for the Study of Sport in Society + lots of non-profit membership/boards/consulting), one-time events realistically do nothing, whether it's a basketball player visiting an inner city school or a big bank writing out a big check to a community center or a cool concert like Live8/Live Aid helping Africa or the environment.

Social change and philanthropy need dedication over a long period of time to work, and even then, there are so many factors that shaft kids (and adults) at an institutional, economic, health level.

So, let's all continue to support the latest Twitter causes and write out checks, but if you get a chance, please find out how sustainable and long-term those funds and people on the street are.

Umm, do we really need a company to do this?

IMNSHO, I don't see the point of social media if it's not "social" w. in-person gatherings (& I guess business meetings) at some point.
Meeting people like Pete, Brett, Karen & the crazies & darlings of NYC/Boston/NH/Maine & a cast of thousands during Summer Mash Boston was big fun. Add to that my summer blur of BlogPotomac, PodCamp Boston, Social Media Camp, Social Media Club, GaryVee book in Boston, Tech Karaoke, Mzinga BBQs, Bryan Person bye breakfast, Scott Monty roast, WBUR Tweetup, Pulver Pizza & later Pulver beer, etc is the chance to meet people face-to-face & talk/network/drink/karoke/cuddle rather than just blog, qik, tweet, talk and stalk on Facebook ;).
I respect the perspective of the introverts, but if you're a social media shut-in you'll never get to see me do "Borderline" Karaoke (no big loss for actually) or talk to the sharp dressed man of social media - Pete $ Cashmore

We must put an end to the ChrisBroganization of PodCamp hallway music!

Suggestion 1 - Next several events will require all acoustic guitars to be played by Natalie Gelman http://www.nataliegelman.com and Jody Gnant http://www.jodygnant.com and people who don’t have day jobs in social media.
Suggestion 2 - Someone please teach Brogan AC-DC, Run DMC, Aerosmith, Foo Fighters, Wilco or anything that doesn’t suck.

P.S. To add to the Thanks meme above: Chris, thank you for reminded my that you were part of PodCamp NYC 1.0 after-midnight pizza trip and booze up with Russell Holliman (sponsor Podcast Ready, my fav client), the Jewish Maxim model (I heart Edyn), the other woman with tattoos and piercings, Philly's "Roadie Show" and fans of "Best Damn Tech Show, Period."

That was a PodCamp, my friends!

Meeting and speaking with Kat was a highlight of PodCamp Boston 3. On introduction, she said she was your daughter - again the Canadian humor - Awesome!