Disqus - Latest Comments for BrettFromTibet

Re: Will The Real Micah Baldwin Please Stand Up?

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:33:10 -0000

Good to hear your path of self-discovery, making choices, success and failure, learning about shades of grey. Definitely let the real you stand up.

As you know, I voted against over your #1 d.b. quest on Sphinn. I just didn't buy that it was anything close the the "real you" - maybe some kind of wacky idea or tangent - at best an inside joke that many people wouldn't understand. I was thinking "What the hell is this for? What exactly are you trying to accomplish / communicate / brand? Why spend your energy AND ask people to spend their energy linking to a dirty word?"

I've found "keeping it real" is tricky. I am a lot more than the sum of my thoughts, opinions and ideas (although the internet / social media empowers the illusion thoughts, ideas are everything). Also the line between my real feelings and my public feelings can get blurry - no matter how honest I try and be. If I openly and honestly said everything I thought - I would run into rocky patches with friends, family, relationships, business, the law. Also I've noticed that many of successful sales / bizdev / management types are rather skilled at maintaining various masks as the situation requires. It's something I struggle with cause I am too straightforward and hate politely agree and candy coat.

The Japanese have two words I like. 1.)tatemae - "enunciated principle - i.e., what you say in public / at the company / on the blog" and 2.)honne - "your real, dangerous, private, gut thoughts - what you REALLY think" . The Japanese banter around tatemae (to be civilized and comfortable in groups) but they read between the lines and use psychic powers to pick up on the honne.

A lot of what controls, motivates and inspires me is deeply, wickedly unconscious. I have to read deep in between the lines to even start to understand myself and what I'm "really" thinking and doing.

It sounds like you have been doing some self-reading and made some discoveries. Keep up the great work!

Re: Why I Live In Boulder? Mercury Poisoning, Of Course

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:39:29 -0000

>basically NewTech Meetup with beer, has 300 people attend.

Hey! New Tech Meetup has beer! Wine too! Helps ease the pain ;)

Re: Be Available

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:50:26 -0000

Social media means different things to different people - and there are various difference scenes and circles in the landscape.

I think that "being available" is all that is needed to a mommyblogger / Twitter Whore (or "conversations and communities") type of social media user.... and it is important part of the social media equation. Being available can be very trivial and time consuming if you've got serious product to push, and tons of code and content that require your focused attention.

The people I regard as powerful, top gun social media influencers (i.e., Maki @ DoshDosh) are brilliant minds who produce and/or consistently discover amazing content and memes that spread all over the Web. They succinctly graph and define this new media territory for the rest of us, and they consciously push the culture and standards to the next level. I want to figure out how they do it. This fall I am launching a blog called "Social Media Rockstar"... to explore the characteristics and best practices of powerful social media users from all the different tribes. Check it.

Re: Be Available

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:14:37 -0000

I live in a social media world and I find "social media experts" interesting. There's a lot of people who claim that title, and it means very different things to different people... as you touched on in a blog a few weeks ago.

I think there's a "social" side to social media, and there's a "media" part of it. I think you have to be good at both to be a serious player. I think being available is very important... but it's not "all"...

Some people don't work on many projects and they just sit around all day and are totally available.. typing random thoughts into Twitter, sharing what they had for breakfast or other personal rants on their blog, being warm to everyone who interacts with them. These people are so darn "available" that they amass attention and some degree of influence... getting thousands of Twitter followers, etc.

But I don't think they have much to offer the social media sphere and they ultimately aren't that powerful...

I think the people who are most powerful are the people who WRITE the top news and content stories, CODE the apps / blog themes / tools , and the people with the advanced information consumption and processing skills (and social connections) to FIND news and break it to the right people (like TechCrunch newsroom gurus or the top Digg mavens),

all that takes a lotta skillz + creativity + brain power.... More than just being available.. although being available never hurts.

p.s. I'm not trying to diss your contribution to the social media best practices tag game, I just get irritated with some very visible and "available" people who seem to have virtually nothing to say / add / share to the social media universe other then their own noise, smiley faces and grumbles.

Re: Social Media Narcissism

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:23:08 -0000

Hi Shey... thanks for touching on this topic... my advice is to try and be extroverted and think of others. Today I wrote a very similar piece on social media "rockstars" vs. "narcissists" :

http://socialmediarockstar.com/social-media-roc...

Re: A Lesson to Deadbeat Clients: Why you should never, never rip off an SEO

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:56:06 -0000

Glad to hear you decided against 'exposing' people online. I'm not saying that tactic is never justified, but it's pretty heavy territory to be walking. As yea digitally sow, so shall ye reap - or something like that. I've seen some online reputation "counter-revenge" cases that would absolutely shock you.

My suggestion: try to bill in advance and don't begin work until payment is received - and then make darn sure you deliver high-quality work on time (or else you could be the victim of someone wanting to post their frustrations about you online - justified or not).

Doing collections is too stressful, in addition to intensive demands of internet marketing.

Good luck and thanks for reaching out!

Re: The 2008 Social Network Analysis Report - Geographic - Demographic and Traffic Data Revealed

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:20:48 -0000

This is really great data, I've been looking for stuff like this for quite and while! Cheers!

Re: My thoughts on Apple iTunes 8’s Genius Feature

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:12:25 -0000

Apple has totally turned into an evil, corporate BIG BROTHER that is greedy as sin and makes M$ look tame and amateur. They have completely and forever lost my trust forever with iTunes. They jumped the shark when they dropped computer from the "Apple Computer" name.

Re: narcissism & social media

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:25:06 -0000

Great points on how narcissists think the entire universe revolves around themselves. I have many thoughts on this issue... you can click my name link for a blog post I did on the topic.

Re: Startup Weekend 2.0

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:30:40 -0000

Awesomeness! Sounds fun and flexible.

Re: Recapping Startup Weekend Boulder 2

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:22:51 -0000

Startup Weekend was awesome - several times better than I expected. I got a tremendous buzz from it, and it was totally inspiring to see how well our team (hitsurance) worked together!

Re: Recapping Startup Weekend Boulder 2

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:26:56 -0000

Anthony,

I can't speak for other groups, but our 6-person team was the perfect size. Every once and a while someone would wander in to see if they could help and the answer was a resounding "No!" - we didn't mean to be callous, but we found the size to be just exactly perfect.

Re: Pitching Guy Kawasaki in an Elevator

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:31:54 -0000

Muwahahah... Love the translation!

Re: Passionate is Overused

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:51:11 -0000

I dare say I am very passionate about some of the professional marketing work that I do.. in an almost identical way to which I am passionate about electronic music, mountain biking, and traveling to exotic destinations!

If you can't get excited about creating a brand / ad campaign for a major beverage brand, you're in the wrong business. I can, but I know not for everyone.

Sure there are people who over use the term. Sure there is a lot of fake professional passion.

But I am burning with the real thing. Sometimes it gets me the job. Sometimes it costs me the job.

Re: The Anti Writer

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:26:56 -0000

Write on! ("Right on, man")

Re: Ten Tables of Four Please - A Modest Proposal

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:44:37 -0000

I totally agree with this direction... big tables are a mess... but I think people will still be clamoring to sit at the "hot" table for 4 rather than the one with the boring old nobodies... but at least the conversation will be focused and you can make actual connections.

Re: Adbusters Hipster

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:56:10 -0000

I, too, see hipsterdom is the commercialized, mainstream antithesis of the true underground / counterculture vibe.

Re: Adventures in Ultralight Packing

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:27:55 -0000

Great kit! I am currently packing ULTRALIGHT for a trip to Portland with Nau clothes and a laptop bag...

I've tried the Bose QC headphones and I have found them to be on the bulky side. If you want (far, imho) superior sound quality and noise isolation at a tiny fraction of the weight and bulk, I recommend:

1.) Shure SE-530 Triple Driver earphones. Holy grail of sound, good isolation.
2.) Etymotic ER-4p earphones w/ triple flange tips. Very flat, "critical," honest sound - holy grail of noise isolation. Lacking richness in the bass dept.

Once you hear the SE-530's.. it really hurts to try anything else. You're hooked for life.

Both only weight ~ an ounce and are small like a pack of gum.

Re: Adventures in Ultralight Packing

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:29:54 -0000

Does all this fit comfortably in the Patagonia Lightwire pack?

Re: 2009 Goals, a Review of 2008

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:06:17 -0000

I want to go "bigger" in 2009... more buzz, more popular content, more followers and RSS subscribers, more conferences and professional trips... and a couple of really nice backpack adventures. I want to get full-on into viral marketing and social media work.. and not just be stuck in my upstairs-closet-office all the time....

I also want to fall in love and get married! Tired of doing it all on my own...

Re: R.I.P. Ma.gnolia

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:44:22 -0000

:(

Magnolia was a great site and one of the best-designed UI's in the business. Great site, very polished user experience - cool users ...

I'll miss everything about it!

Re: Twitter Shenanigans

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:35:09 -0000

I have played my Twitter account kind of passively, or "organically" and I think I've lost out because of it.

I think there is some pretty serious auto-follow type gaming.... people spending time to build up lots of followers... and now I am kind of kicking myself not being a little more pro-active or aggressive... because Twitter is where I think a lot of the mainstream viral marketing is gonna be going down for a long time!

Re: Speak Their Language: Pitching Bloggers

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:14:37 -0000

I find that leaving a comment on their blog a few times before initiating contact is helpful. Also, avoid templates and canned messages like the plague. People have an extra-ordinary sense about whether a message came from warm human fingers or a cold Copy-and-paste with modifications.

Re: SEOs vs. Social Media Gurus

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:32:46 -0000

SEO requires real analytical thinking and technical proficiency. I struggle with the intermediate and advanced concepts on large sites.

Social media is more right-brain thinking and emotional / social intelligence... lightning fast reflexes, linguistic skills, social savvy.

A lot of people who knock SEO don't have the skills to even take a stab at it, or stay on top of it...
Same with the people who bash social media.

Re: Contact Information: Why Upper Management Can’t Hide Anymore

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:32:27 -0000

I always cast a very dim view on a company with no personal information or contact details for the management

Re: He asked me to go on a bike ride…

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:57:36 -0000

Congrats, Tara!

This is so awesome - you have so much good stuff going for you.

Re: it’s not meant to be

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:10:34 -0000

Is getting into Marathon running hard on the knees? My knees are generally fine but I did years of skateboarding, so they can't handle a lot of heavy pounding or abuse.

Re: The Science of ReTweets

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:29:30 -0000

Great research on the hottest frontier of viral marketing by Dan! If you like his research, you might enjoy this interview with Dan Zarrella on viral marketing that was just published today.

Re: Imagery that Doesn’t Work

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:17:48 -0000

That was a great post about cliched images... to darn true!

Re: Is it just me, or is the Top 50 Tweeples to watch just stupid?

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:13:02 -0000

Twitter does not excite me that much or strike me as anything particularly elite or revolutionary. I have been tweeting (doing short status updates on the web with my community of digital friends) since I was a teenager (IRC) - so I think it's just another social network, a fairly basic and unreliable one, at that. It's the hot, mainstream trend of the moment.

The big ego + narcissism aspect of the social media / startup world is kind of annoying to me.

Yes, I have an ego. Yes, I have to promote myself to survive on a month-to-month basis. Yes, I get excited about my own ideas and have strong opinions.

But I hope to never carry myself with an arrogant air that irritates people or fall so in love with my own reflection that people consider me spoiled or oblivious to what is going on around me. The temptation to get a big head is always there - but I am going to try and keep an even keel.

Re: Different rules: what makes it tweet spam?

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:07:18 -0000

Great, insightful post. Well worth the 3 minutes to read.

Re: The Six Directions of Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:04:48 -0000

My sense of social media direction and dreams:

I currently spend too much time "in" my home office working "on" my computer and I would like to move "up" to the point where I can go "out" and travel more, go to conferences, meet clients in different locations... sheerly because I am a social being who loves to travel and meet people for real. So up, up and away for me!

Re: When Was The Last Time...

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:15:23 -0000

Social media has taught me a lot about how to do offline networking and vice versa. I learned a lot about how to network and build buzz from being a DJ and promoting underground electronic music parties - handing out flyers, branding, connecting with influencers, social proof, viral buzz, consistence, making promises and delivering on them, politics and more!

Re: Does Twitter Monitor Its Brand? Fake-Twitter.com Suggests No

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:03:52 -0000

I saw "Fake Twitter" and thought it was a URL trademark infringement case waiting to happen. I wouldn't spread or retweet anything on there, either, personally. After getting several fake e-mails from "Facebook" and "Bank of America" wanting my password.. it just leaves a bad taste.

Re: The Birth of the Internet - The Untold Story

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:16:56 -0000

You totally had me there with the Russian tangent.

If you asked many PR / social media people to show you their front page coverage - many would come up dry.

Some don't have much to show, but even the very best consultants run into the problem where the "big" client won't implement what their advice and it doesn't work out right - and they can't turn it into a perfect case study. This happens very frequently.

But people with real experience will be able to show you proof (or at least lots of convincing evidence).

Re: Mixing It Up Media-Style

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:10:43 -0000

I don't know if I should be saying this considering my line of business, but I think that social media is over-hyped. Yes, it's awesome for some people, some products, some organizations... but "old" media is significantly more influential in many places in the world and in many matters.

Re: We're Your People Too

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:15:58 -0000

I definitely enjoy the paradigm shift that new communications tools are causing in how products + services are created and offered. It's scary for some personality types.. but for my type, it's a lot less scary than watching the clock and filling out TPS reports. It's challenging but overall really fun to be in the midst of something new... collectively figuring it out and creating the new business culture.

p.s. Cluetrain is a great book. Over 10 years and it still sounds fresh and groundbreaking.

Re: Interview with Matthew Inman (Oatmeal)

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:29:35 -0000

@granolajoe,

Yeah, Matt has done a lot and sometimes it makes me feel like I need to catch up or do more. ;)

@Dave Dugdale,

Glad you liked it....Stay tuned for more good interviews, coming out next week!

My take would be to try and find something you laugh out loud at, test it out on a few friends and diverse folks and see if THEY laugh too.THEN go for it! Also, don't overestimate the morals and tastes of social media users who are bored at work ;) . .they go for some pretty cheeky stuff.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:59:18 -0000

@Muhammad,

I haven't paid much attention to Valleywag for a long time... I am usually reluctant to "bash" people myself and while some might construe this as a negative post, I have caught wind of so much brash social media narcissism and b.s. recently I just had to "let it out."

@Brent,

Thanks! I agree there is a ton of fluff, but I think it's because we are still in the easy, early days of social media where any kind of noise can create some buzz. I think as the amount of online publishers increases and things get more and more competitive, the standards will go higher and people will "filter" more. And it will get harder for marketers to promote content, also, unless it's really hot.

Re: Welcome to Social Media Rockstar!

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:04:29 -0000

Dale,

I appreciate your comments and thanks for dropping by! I never called myself a "rockstar", though. ;)

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:14:48 -0000

@James,

Thanks, but hard work does not equal rockstar status. Successful projects and community contributions that inspire a large following do.. at least in my book. I think high-profile contributors like Jeremiah Oywang and Brian Solis fit the bill much better ;)

@Pamir,

That kind of behavior drives me nuts. I call the mass following the "McDonald's effect". They serve cheap greasy food that makes you feel queasy - but because it has branded itself as a popular American restaurant since 1955, it enjoys a cult following - even though many restaurants are tastier, healthier and more buzz worthy.

It is the first time many people have listened to most of us.. and it's admittedly quite exciting... but some people get too easily excited about very little, imho.

@Paisley,
I've been seeing the #motrinmom tag all morning.. gonna have to see what it is for myself now.. thanks!

@David,
It looks like you're working hard to create social media tools and build community... so that's pretty cool in my book!

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:09:23 -0000

@Brian,

Glad you liked it. Stay tuned for more ;)

@Lucretia Pruitt,

We are all stories that are being written, works in progress.

I've got some creative and helpful tendencies, and a strong ego, too.

With this blog I am just trying to look for best practices... talk to and search for some of the most respected and successful people on the internet (the true "rock stars")... emulate their good points... learn from their mistakes... and avoid known pitfalls.

@Tony,

Glad you liked it. I am willing to tolerate all kinds of quirks and noise if a person has something to say.. something to share.. some kind of substance... but, like you, I have noticed that social media is giving temporary fame to some people who not only have little to share, but also display really bad manners.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:00:15 -0000

@Tara,

Very true!

I see the true rockstars as extroverted and community-minded. They're more prone thinking "What do they want? How can I help fill this need?" instead of "Here's what I want:"

I like Twitter but I don't DEEPLY LOVE it. For me it's both a cool tool and a dangerous distraction.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:11:51 -0000

@Bobby,

Thanks so much for stopping by.... rock on (however you like to rock)!

@John Andrews,

My perspective on women? I love and respect them very much.

Why did I put a picture of the "Rockstar Energy Drink" models? Because I wanted to illustrate "glamorous" "rockstar" and "image conscious" - and that was one of the better pics I could find on Flickr Creative Commons. ;)

Why did I put a picture of Kevin Rose? Because he founded a successful social news site, and as he is speaking, he is blowing people's mind (see facial expressions) and people are recording his words with cellphones....

Why a picture of Julia Allison and her friends? Because I don't know a more perfect example of social media narcissists who talk a lot and say relatively little.

Glad you enjoyed the post, look forward to your comments in the future!

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:41:53 -0000

@BugFrog,

I'll admit I've spent a limited amount of time reading mommyblogs, but I have looked at a handful or two... on lists of the top ones.

I guess I expected more out of the mommyblog "phenomena"; I assumed they would have lots of solid articles parenting and good mothering. Sort of like the Lifehacker of being a mom.

But quite a few of them I have seen are just personal rants about "what happened today" and "I hate this" mixed with a generous blast of ads and oblique product promotions.

Is this bad? No. Narcissistic and self-focused? Somewhat. Can other mothers who have very similar experiences relate to them and find value and inspiration? Almost certainly.

If you have any examples of less personal, less commercial, more "rockstar" mommyblogs that are focused on providing tips and help to their readers, I would be glad to check them out and reconsider my position.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:26:52 -0000

@Geekmommy,

Hey, I live on Twitter, too, I'm just in denial of it ;)

I guess the sentiment that sparked this post is that I have interacted with some "big ego" social media types - both online and off- who struck me as extremely petty, insecure and generally NOT NICE people. Like Hollywood wannabees up to their earlobes in name droppings ;) Acting in ways that would never fly in a school, company or non-profit.

I admit I have felt excluded or outright snubbed by some grand-poobah on Twitter who thinks they are "God's gift to the internet"... or "the very definition of social media expert" - and when I start to examine them more carefully (what are they all about? what is their contribution to the community?) Then I find out it's an awkward con game they feel obligated to maintain... using "high-school lunch table" psychology and politics.

That's the type of person this article is about. I'm sure you've met one or two.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:47:09 -0000

@Robin,

Your social media page is AWESOME! Intentionally left blank.

I think it's hard to survive unless you toot your own horn to a certain degree. If I hadn't asked some friends to check out this blog post no one would ever read it - being a brand new blog.

Here's my Darwinian social media theory: the less you have to contribute.. the louder you must toot your own horn or act hostile to scare off would-be competitors... or else you face almost certain extinction or irrelevancy. That's why some people can seem so nauseatingly obnoxious or badly behaved.

@bugFrog,

I totally get it. Frames of reference. One man's trash being another woman's treasure. Projecting your misunderstandings out onto others, etc.

But if I don't have some opinions or take stances on stuff.. how can I generate any interest in a brand new little social media blog? ;) I'm not trying to slag people for traffic, I'm trying to define what are the best practices. And I promise it won't be all my opinions... it will feature lots of people's opinions, experiences, interviews and takes on things.

Stay tuned!

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:05:02 -0000

@Shey,

I totally agree. A rockstar busts out hit after hit. It's a lot of pressure, but some people have the chops.

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:36:14 -0000

@Andrew Hyde,

Cheers, man. Thanks for all your support & stay tuned!

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:55:18 -0000

Alisa,

I said "most mommybloggers" were narcissistic (self-focused & craving for admiration).

I have checked out some lists of supposedly the "best" mommyblogs, and I was disappointed at the quality. I assumed the best mommyblogs would feature "Dr. Benjamin Spock" type articles, or hot tips, like the "Lifehacker" of mothering... really solid articles and insights about parenting.

Mostly I just saw a lot of personal, self-oriented rants "How my day went.." or "I hate xxx / So pissed off" - and also lots of catty stuff. I also noticed a brash commercial emphasis: advertising and promotional stuff - both upfront and sneaky.

Am I totally hallucinating for noticing this?

Do I have anything against mothers? Not in a million years.

Am I jealous of mommybloggers? Nope. I just think most of them have a very different concept of "blogging" than I do. I tend to think of blogging in terms of ("What will people want to want to read about? How can I help them out?") and a lot of mommybloggers seem to think ("People want to read all about ME! And my son / daughter. And how my day went.")

Are mommmybloggers sweet and helpful to each other? I'm glad to hear they are!

Re: "Motrin Moms" - I think this incident is way overblown. I thought the ad was definitely a dud... but I also noticed the vicious, hyper-sensitive defensive reaction. It seems like a lot of mom bloggers are insecure about their presence online and in modern society.

Thanks for your comments,

Brett

p.s. If you know any examples of non-self-focused, high-quality blogs on mothering/parenting... stuff that you don't have to be part of an inside clique to appreciate... something even a soon-to-be-dad could appreciate... I would be glad to check them out! I am open to updating my opinion on "mommyblogs."

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:22:38 -0000

@DaveSynder,

I got the impression you were a nice guy, write about search marketing and you actually do work. The narcissists have a bad attitude + think they are God's gift to the internet. They (think they) are the prize, not what they do or contribute.

@Ben McKay,

Thanks, man! ;) Glad you dugg.

It's okay to say "I" in my book... just not 101% of the time. "You", "we" and "they" and "us" are also great personal pronouns.

Re: Interview with Marty Weintraub (aimClear)

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:30:43 -0000

Thanks so much, Marty! I thought you offered up some outstanding, worthwhile 'food for thought' on the ethics of social media marketing.

Now I'm on the lookout for any articulate, savvy community managers named 'Bruce'... ;)

Re: Interview with Marty Weintraub (aimClear)

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:30:59 -0000

@Brian,

Cheers man. Marty is like a "secret weapon" .. one of the most underrated social media marketers. He was also great fun to talk with!

Stay tuned for more ;)

Re: Interview with Marty Weintraub (aimClear)

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:10:02 -0000

@Dave,

Thanks. More interviews + articles are coming!

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:38:32 -0000

Amy,

Thanks for your response. It does help me understand mommyblogs better.

I never said mommyblogs were bad... but many tend to be so personal and self-focused... more like journals than "blogs"... that it would be hard to understand unless you personally knew the author and/or were a mother who has had an extremely similar experience.

If I were to write a blog about the argument I had with my brother on Saturday, or how awesome my new station wagon is, how burned out I get from being a single freelancer who spends 15 hours a day online, or how enraged I got the 12th $#%$#% time Google Keyword External Tool broke for me in a single evening... or how freaking hard it is to build links for this client... or how I like my hair shorter than longer because it starts to look thin if it gets too long...

In hopes of camaraderie... well, I guess I would be afriad I would totally alienate my readers.

I also think it would be really boring for other people to read. Maybe I would get some self-satisfaction / therapy from writing it.. and some support from my personal friends... but I think it would be totally lost on most of humanity.

There's nothing in the world wrong with keeping an online journal - about mothering - about fishing - about being gay at a big corporation in Manhattan - about anything.

But this particular blog is focused on discovering social media "rockstar" people... who I (partially) define as the more extroverted, selfless, community-oriented online participants.

Re: The Evolutionary Role of Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:19:14 -0000

@James,

Yeah, there is a huge difference between having friends online and enjoying content... and being able to take social media marketing to a professional level.

What you once enjoyed can become stressful and grueling when it becomes "the daily grind." Even if your heart IS in it.

Re: The Evolutionary Role of Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:50:50 -0000

@Cara Good,
I agree! But I think social media makes these skills more necessary.. and it gives us more chance to practice them with people from all over the world.

@Kirk Axelson,
I have been very "hooked" on social media for a long time. I used forums and IRC an ridiculous amount during my teenager years.. and I got totally sucked into the whole social networking site thing when it first came out. but just like a drug addict somehow finds the cash and is able to survive... I've manage to get by. These days by turning my obsession into a profession.

Good luck with your business passions!

@Andrea Hill,
Two things got me going on my "class-divide" idea:

1.) In a down economy, jobs only seem to travel far by word of mouth and connections. The digitally unconnected "look in the newspaper, send in a resume" kind of people are going to have MUCH tougher time finding good opportunities. (Didn't you get your job through social media?)

2.) I have a friend who is an incredible musician, but is social media illiterate. It feels like hardly anyone (whom he doesn't know) will ever hear his tunes. Bands that are better at promoting their music on Myspace and posting music blogs will have the potential for an international audience.,.. his will only go to his limited circle of local friends.

Yes - social media = personalization! One-size-fits all broadcasts and products aren't gonna fly so well in the sea of infinite choices!

@Leighton Cooke,
Things have only just begun! Social media can be used to solve crises.. or maybe it could be used to create them... They claimed that the Mumbai attackers used Google Earth... Now I'm picturing terrorists on Twitter - not a happy thought :(

Re: The Evolutionary Role of Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:55:33 -0000

@Kimberlee,

Some people might call be classist, but here where I live in Boulder, Colorado... I definitely sense a separation between the well-connected social media elite to the old-fashioned and unconnected.

And yes, I agree with you that the digital divide will be a great opportunity for social media consultants and marketers!

Re: Hollywood, Drugs & MLM: the Shadow Side of Startup Culture

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:23:56 -0000

@Nick C,

I agree that you get the hanger-oners in a lot of scenes, but I think that funded startups attract an inordinately high concentration. As I said, much more than with SEO, graphic designer, programmer circles... because of the promise of free / easy money.

p.s. Social Media Rockstar is all about examining and exploring fame and success on the internet (and the trappings of it)... that's why it exists ;)

Re: Hollywood, Drugs & MLM: the Shadow Side of Startup Culture

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:36:12 -0000

@Casey Quinlan,

Thanks so much for your comments!

I have a background in sociology so I am always fascinated by how tribes of people interact, structure themselves, etc.

That's a part of social media and startup culture that's really cool and futuristic... giving people amazing new opportunities and connections... and there's a part of it that seems conducive to inflate or magnify our worst, most flawed human attributes.

Trying to figure out how to embrace the former and minimize the latter. I see my own reflection in this blog post.. getting half baked ideas.. being drawn to style over substance... yearning for an easy retirement without a lifetime of grueling work... and thinking my opinions are better than someone else's.

Social media is a very humbling learning process for me every single day.

Re: Hollywood, Drugs & MLM: the Shadow Side of Startup Culture

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:53:57 -0000

@Bobby,

Guitar Hero rules! That was a hugely innovative digital technology experience.... Home Entertainment Technology Rockstars ;) , for sure! I am personally waiting for them to come out with the DJ version of the game... mixing beats in crowded clubs... I heard such a game was in the works.

Re: Hollywood, Drugs & MLM: the Shadow Side of Startup Culture

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:46:51 -0000

Nick Stamoulis,

I totally agree.

As I noticed at the startup weekend, listening to the 'big ego' table:

The less skills someone has, the louder they feel the need to 'toot' their own horn.

Re: Hollywood, Drugs & MLM: the Shadow Side of Startup Culture

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:19:45 -0000

@Ingrid,

I agree that there are poseurs in every crowd... but there's something about the promise of quick fame and easy money (funding, acquisition) that adds a dreamy, elitist, status-conscious twist to Startup Land...

It's just a very different world that what I experienced in my hippie days or when I lived in rural Oregon - a culture shock I'm adjusting to and trying to make sense of.

I definitely have some of these tendencies myself, or else I couldn't observe it in others - I want overnight fame and success too.. but part of me is pissed I (apparently am gonna) have to work really, really hard for it.

I've also noticed that programmers (like you) make less noise than the marketers and "business types" (like me).

Re: Wayne Sutton - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:10:17 -0000

@Nick,

I totally agree. And I can understand how overwhelming it can be for business people to figure social media out. I do social media stuff 24/7 and I still scratch my head to figure it out how it best applies in some situations ;)

A lot of companies are dragging their feet, a lot of companies aren't the best candidate for social media ROI.. .but there are SO MANY companies that could benefit (and profit) handsomely with a little bit of experimentation and exploration.

Allocating a small fraction of their traditional advertising budget in social media consulting (with someone like Wayne) would be a great investment, imho.

Re: Wayne Sutton - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:24:06 -0000

@Wayne,

It was great to finally speak with you in voice... I know you're a very ambitious guy with true social media passion - big things are on the way for you ;)

Re: Wayne Sutton - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:21:20 -0000

@Jakrose,

I love the party in social media, too. Finally "we" get the power to be heard (if we are interesting enough) and the chance to take on the big boys and the establishment.

Re: Why Social News Can’t Thrive Without A Social Hierarchy

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:24:09 -0000

@Zsolt Balla,
Exactly!

Thank you for starting it so accurately and eloquently.

Re: How to Become A Digg Power User (With A 75% Popular Ratio)

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:47:29 -0000

@Nick Stamoulis,

I think it's a fine balance... like running a casino. Gotta let the coins trickle out (allow people to have ego gratification and have popular stories) but don't let them mess the place up or bleed ya dry.

Dave Dugdale,
Follow this guy's instructions and you are sure to get at least a %7.5 popular ratio in no time ;)

Re: Why Social News Can’t Thrive Without A Social Hierarchy

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:24:32 -0000

@Xurxo,

Amen! There is no meaningful way to "equalize" social news and still have it be social, addictive and compelling...

People can hate all they want to, but presence, participation and politics cannot be taken out of human social interactions.. online or off!

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:26:19 -0000

@Melissa Hourigan,

That's cool that you're focused on others. I definitely get obsessed with that too... but after I work hard on something... (like a story for Digg, or a long blog post) I tend to get wrapped up in it... watching it.. rooting for it... hoping it'll do well. Hoping someone'll notice and it will start to generate buzz...

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:29:43 -0000

@Jeff M Howard,

I usually spend over 30 hours a week on social media / social netoworking.

When added to 35+ hours of writing content and doing client SEO and social media work... it makes for a LONG workweek.

How long do you spend on social media?

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:59:09 -0000

@Zak Nicola,

Thanks for your comments!

Yeah, it's so easy to get "owned" by social media and watch it eat your day.

p.s. Love your Goggles! It snowed about 8 inches of powder this AM in Boulder and I have been at the local public park sled hill.. doing jumps on my snowboard!

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:36:53 -0000

@Ahmed,

I've been noticing that you are doing great at social media .... you are really involved in the conversation, eager to find and share stuff and help people out... You recognize that it's about sharing.

I see social media as an 'investment' of time rather than a waste - IF.. and it's a big IF.... you are productive and smart about it and want to get into a position where social media skills and contacts are helpful.

It takes a LOT of discipline and restrain to be able to "play smart" with social media...

Just try and take an 'active' role and more forward.. rather than stopping and staring or getting consumed by stuff that isn't helping you more forward.

keep up the great work!

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:44:10 -0000

@Natalia,

Twitter is definitely can be like a candy store... sometime it can see more like a digital crack house ( :P )

I think the best strategey is to use the same discipline you'd use when minding your diet at a holiday party or at a greasy all-u-can eat buffet.

The trick is to sample a litle tine bit of everything, be conscious of time and quantity... and never lose track of the reason why you're there (to be with friends, have a nourishing mean - rather than stuff up).

Surf those information waves with conscious awareness - check in on the clock or your "to-do" list...

Re: Social Media Productivity: “Submit It & Forget It”

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:40:10 -0000

@John Stringer,

Yup... look back and learn from your mistakes! Don't just look back for no reason.

Every time I hit the publish button on this blog, I get excited and wonder if anyone is going to read the post or see it. I just throw it out there - and some how or another - if it's a worth a response... people will find it.

Re: 9 Essential Elements of High-Quality Web Content

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:40:07 -0000

@Frank Carr,

#1 - I would give the blog post a separate article juicy header title (for social media) and a keyword optimized HTML title tag (for SEO) - plugins like AllinOne SEO For Wordpress allow this.

#7 - I'm not saying interstitital ads are ineffective, but social media users- in particular- hate them. You have to weight the benefit vs. drawbacks and consider the target audience of your site.... A senior citizen's stock site.. sure... something you're trying to push with the StumbleUpon crowd... NEVER!

#9 - I don't think posting your picture online is ESSENTIAL... it just makes the content a little more human and tangible. The name of whomever wrote is is pretty important, though.. in my opinion.

Thanks for your feedback!

Re: 9 Essential Elements of High-Quality Web Content

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:15:59 -0000

@Alex Juel,

Pagination makes my momma (and Googlebot) cry! Do it right... give people the information they want in one serving!

@The Wizard,

Glad you enjoyed it... thanks for stopping by!

@Tanner Christensen,
Having a blog or a website is like having a retail shop or restaurant, in some ways. The details are VERY IMPORTANT and if something looks a wee bit off.. or it fails to subconsciously soothe all people's senses... people will walk out and refuse to patronize your establishment.

Re: 9 Essential Elements of High-Quality Web Content

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:06:22 -0000

@Scott,

What people vote on and share is a reflection of themselves and their taste.

You have good taste ;)

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:27:45 -0000

I just want to personally thank Reg for reaching out and helping me when I was just getting started in social media. He called me up and shared a lot of very valuable "insider" advice freely, and he never took on that elitist attitude that I have occasionally encountered when reaching out to other established users and figures in the technology scene!

He's a super nice guy.. and I'm curious to see where his social media adventures will evolve into!

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:26:09 -0000

@Zak,

Glad you dugg it! Going big and being humble is rare indeed. I've watched some people get too big, too fast and go sour.

@Michael D,

I started this blog because I was always curious about the people behind social media icons... Who are they? What do they do? What are they really like? Just like I was always curious about the people who painted beautiful graffitti pieces in the local parks, the ones that were real works of art... it always had a sense of mystery to me. I wanted to know "who are the minds behind those twinkling icons."

@L2 Lumpy,

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:32:56 -0000

@Chris1234 & @Craigery

Word!

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:07:36 -0000

@Wayne Smallman,

It's really hard to do, I imagine... as when you start to grow even a moderate number of followers... you start to get immersed in the noise and all the signals being bounced around.

Responding to everyone takes a lot of selflessness, diligence and patience.

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:23:52 -0000

@Tarla Cummings,

I really appreciate you stopping by!

If you enjoyed this one, we have lots of interviews with other top social media marketing professionals: Marty Weintraub, Matt Inman, Wayne Sutton, Ross Borden and more!

Subscribe and stay tuned for more! More good stuff is on the way... I promise!

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:25:37 -0000

@Nick Stamoulis,

It's good to hear Mixx is doing well. I was on there when it first started up but couldn't find much action on there. I'll most def give it another try!

Re: Reg Saddler (Zaibatsu) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:14:09 -0000

@Dumbwhore,

Great Twitter tips! Timing to catch the a-listers when they might have time to respond... nice!

Enjoy your smoke!

Re: The Social Marketing Hall of Shame

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:07:35 -0000

@Todd Mintz,

May the paper the resume is printed on tremble before it lands on your desk... keep up the great HR psychology work!

@isaSuperstar,
It's not easy to find stuff simply awful enough to safely roast. If you find anything awe-ful, please send it in to me!

@Stuart,
Thanks for the props... I think our Twittering DUI defender got kicked off :(

Re: Social Media “Rockstars” vs. “Narcissists”

BrettFromTibet — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:22:40 -0000

@Danny Brown,

Why the need for taxonomies and descriptions? Well... cause I'm a blogger and I need something to write about. ;P

I'm not trying to be judgmental.. just noticing that people become famous for different reasons... and since this is my most shard / commented post... it looks like others have feelings or observations about it, too.

Re: Dan Zarrella - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:33:02 -0000

@Harry & @Steve,

Glad you liked! I think Dan is one of the smartest people in social media... into really meaty, substantial stuffs - looking forward to what he comes up with next.

Re: Dan Zarrella - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:13:39 -0000

@susan & @dre,

Thanks for your comments! Stay tuned for more!

Re: Dan Zarrella - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:35:46 -0000

@Stephen schmidt,

Tell me about it! Information overload abounds on the web. I feel like I can barely get by on some days.

Re: Social Media: The End of “Bad News”

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:41:02 -0000

@Nick Stamoulis,

Some people would argue that it's important to "stay informed" no matter what - and that you need to hear bad stuff...

But after ditching my TV and switching to the internet as my only news source - I'm surprised at how much of the drama is completely irrelevant. And how much better my mood is when I'm selective about what kind of information I consume.

I can't think of any better recipe for bad dreams than the 11 o'clock news on the local network affiliate channel!

Re: Glen Allsopp (ViperChill) - Interview

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:05:26 -0000

@Brad,

I would really, really love to visit South Africa someday. I am utterly fascinated by SA, Swaziland, Namibia, and Madagascar... plus the
small islands like Rodriguez, Tristan da Cunha, Syechelles, etc.

That whole geographical location seems to beautiful, remote and rugged compared to the USA.

Any places you recommend visiting?

Re: Social Media: The End of “Bad News”

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:04:31 -0000

@AmyV,

I know that crime stuff sells and a lot of people secretly thrive on it... and I'm not blaming TV or newpaper people for it.... it works(ed) well for the medium..

but that paradigm doesn't translate well into social news. People seem to have a stronger predilection and more patience for novelty and innovations - "what's happening" rather than "what happened"

I think social news just as addictive - if not more - yet has a more balanced character.

You know you secretly thrive on it ;)

Re: Voyeurism: Social Media’s Delicious, Guilty Pleasure

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:36:27 -0000

<@Marc Planke

It felt it was a little strong and general, too, so I changed it 'manipulating' to 'appealing.' Thanks for the suggestion!

I'm convinced that some people pump up their ego and intentionally create drama as a way of attracting attention and followers. Even A-listers. I could name names, but I don't want to take the bait and encourage drama

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:20:13 -0000

Dave,

We're all guilty. Hell, I just self-promoted this article on Twitter. :p I hope it was in moderation and my karma card is good enough that all my friends don't drop me.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:21:56 -0000

If it ain't interesting, I ain't listening. Too much noise out there for anything but the most compelling signals to stay relevant.

p.s. I had cereal and soy milk for breakfast ;P

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:36:49 -0000

Shawn Collins,

I feel your sentiment. I used to be more particular about social media connections and only connected with people I was interested in - but recently I've decided to "go bigger" and connect with more people. Using the right tools and filters, I'm finding that it actually enhances rather than detracts from the experience.. but it definitely takes more time.

I totally respect your style but some people think it's rude or not social to make friends with everyone - and they might drop you. #6 is a heads up, rather than a "Thou shalt"

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:44:46 -0000

Alica,

I agree with you but some people will think you're snubbing them if you don't follow back and they'll drop you. Stick to you guns, but be prepared to lose a few folks who probably aren't your "real friends" anyway.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:11:12 -0000

The Time Squeeze is ruthless. Soon even a 32 hour day + 8 day week won't be enough.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:13:11 -0000

Yo WTF,

This article is NOT about how to be popular or how to cultivate personality in social media. (That's a great idea for other posts.)

It's about the most common reasons why people drop friends online. Nothing more.

Thanks for reading!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:16:50 -0000

Rick,

People most defintiely use it for different reasons... but I still contend that:

Even if you have just an intimate handful of friends and followers, doing one or more of the above 11 actions -- in excess -- is likely to irk them!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:33:20 -0000

#9 - Overload is the WORST. I'll drop you if you go on and on and take up my whole screen. #11 - direct attack is also pretty sketchy. I tend to hold it against the attacker as having a hostile character in some cases.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:47:03 -0000

Jason, Thanks makes plenty of sense.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:13:02 -0000

Hartek,

Thanks for reading! I am sure you'll find the right balance and create an online presence that works for you. It's a personal decision and you create your own digital reality!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:28:40 -0000

Deb,

It's very kind of you to let people know why you're blocking them or unfollowing them - but you're one in a million. I've found that most people are in a tremendous hurry - or else they might even feel guilty - and so they'll drop you without saying a word.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:30:56 -0000

Avalyn Lundgren,

#13 - Pictures of private parts or weapons of mass destruction in your avatar.

Check!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:43:51 -0000

Katie,

Thanks for stopping by! Do you blog? Where?

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:23:48 -0000

Whump,

I definitely understand. I can handle people's political viewpoints too (as long as they are not cruel or extreme) - but a lot of people can't and they'll just ditch you if you get religious or political and they don't know you well.

I don't think you're missing the point of the post, totally.... but I'm not saying "Never, ever discuss religion or politics."

I'm saying "if you want to discuss politics, be prepared that some people might unfollow you with no warning"

And some of them will. For sure.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:33:25 -0000

Alapoet,

It would be boring, indeed! I kinda don't like this whole new paradigm of "striving for popularity and politeness" and people using their real names all of a sudden... the thrills, spills, chills and flaring egoes make it a kind of interesting place.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:35:12 -0000

Faryal Humayun,

That is a GREAT addition. I'm going to update the post and throw it under #6 - Lack of Reciprocity. If you follow people and don't talk back to them ever - that's lack of reciprocity!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:39:05 -0000

Chris,

Yesterday @msaleem quoted Leo Laporte:

"You know, @leolaporte is right, talking about your followers is like talking about how much money you have. Stop boasting."

I totally agree!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:40:28 -0000

Eric Miltich,

It's kind of eerie how much this is common sense / real life! Not some kind of social media / digital voodoo.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:41:13 -0000

SleepyAVON,

Thanks for reading. I spent half my weekend on it - glad u enjoyed!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:44:50 -0000

Steve,

No doubt that some people break all these rules and do well - some people are quite obnoxious and get bizilions of followers - but they also lose a fair share of followers in the process, guaranteed.

You might like my post on "Voyuerism: Social Media' s Delicious, Guilty Pleasure" - which explains how social media can reward some "reality TV" behavior and personalities.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:46:22 -0000

It was a little dirty on my eyes. It just looked kind of harsh / raw. I figured i'd give you the chance to avert your eyes it if you wanted to, read it if you were interested!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:51:46 -0000

Ceejayoz,

I hear you. I really do. I started off using the internet when it was underground / illegal for anyone but government researchers to use.. and it was a very different culture that I kind of miss, a lot. No one used their real name, very intelligent and blunt discussions, no holding back.

I totally and heartily encourage you to talk about what you want to! And I admire your courage for not caring about the numbers!

When I use social media for fun, I go all out. When I do it for business (like this blog, my Twitter account) I have to use a kind of business etiquette that still reflects who I am. Hopefully it's still interesting and not sterile.

You, my friend, should screw the numbers game and let it all hang out!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:55:15 -0000

Rampantheart,

1. No one like a contrarian loudmouth.

2. Being a blogger is a hard job. I am sure struggling to write content and get people to read it - until
I reach the point where people will regularly recommend on my behalf and I don't have to self-promote. For now, I grit my teeth and ask friends to check it out.

3. Yup... one of the downsides when people start to follow thousands is the inability to participate in the conversation :( Like it or not though... social media is gonna get bigger and bigger, and that includes the numbers!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:03:02 -0000

CCGAL,

It's not important to retain every single follower in your network. I totally agree that you should be able to express yourself and have a following who fits.

This post wasn't a list of "Thou Shalt Nots" - it was designed to give you a list of questions to ask yourself beore broadcasting content to make sure it was relavant and interesting to a majority of people - not all of them.

If I had to boil this post down into two points, I'd say:

1.) Don't share a lot of negative / trivial / vain stuff
2. ) Pay attention to other people, listen to them, coverse with them

I agree that people should unfollow and select whom the wish to hear from and get a perfectly dialed account with the perfect audience for their broadcast.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:04:17 -0000

Fred Gondzar,

I'll bet you've seen all of them, huh?

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:08:22 -0000

Dr. Jeanine,

Only YOU can prevent rampant online narcissism! (*by clicking the unfollow button! ")

;)

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:51:37 -0000

Me,

Lots!

Just don't be negative, self-centered, pushy or religious - at least all in the same update ;)

Respond back to people and you'll do fine!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:04:30 -0000

@MisterNoodle,

I just think of Twitter like a big, noisy dinner table conversation. It's okay to talk but if you talk too much, it might block other people's conversations from trickling though.

It's okay to Tweet a lot - nothing wrong with it - but if people unfollow you - you'll know why.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:47:46 -0000

You can get away with all kinds of stuff if you're personable / charismatic or famous. Different rules seem to apply to celbs than "normal people" like you and me.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:18:42 -0000

@kara_Ella,

thanks for being part of the conversation!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:20:04 -0000

Gabriella,

All of these were real updates taken from my Tweetdeck. In some cases, the names or the avatars were changed to protect privacy but the updates were for realz.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:14:26 -0000

BeadinByTheSea,

No doubt, banality is one of the first objections people when adopting social media. You, rightfully, don't want to be exposed to unfiltered, user-generated content... any more than you'd want to watch hours of someone's un-edited home movie footage!

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:17:21 -0000

RitualJ,

Glad you enjoyed! Always helps to remember and ask ourself if we're crossing the line.

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:01:56 -0000

Lisa Logan,

I'm guilty of all these plus about a dozen that were too fringe and irritating to make the list. ;)

Re: 11 Ways to Lose Friends and Followers Online

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:09:28 -0000

Notlistening,

I'm guessing I hit on some kind of nerve or something.

Be yourself. Say what you want to. Let it out. But if people unfollow you, at least you'll understand why.

Re: How To Follow More People Without Losing Your Friends

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:00:55 -0000

Benjamin,

For sure! Filtering is one of the essential skills of living in the digital information age.

Re: Social Media Marketing Baptism by Fire

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:38:15 -0000

Good post over there!

Re: Advanced Keyword Research for SEO

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:45:44 -0000

I am really impressed by Google's improved Adwords KW tool. It gives up the monthly search data and has very clean keywords - I'm spend 3 hours on Keyword Discovery and then one hour on Google and I got much cleaner results.

I estimate relevancy and advertiser competition (available from AdWords). Then, run them all through an intitle: inanchor: "competition finder" tool, and then run the most promising ones through SEOmoz's KW Difficulty tool - and put the results in a spreadsheet.

This gives a quick but fairly accurate look at how difficult each term will be to rank for and allows me to select terms for the appropriate pages on the site - based on how strong the domain is currently. Then, of course, as the domain strength improves, I "optimize" and go after more difficult, higher traffic terms that weren't initially attainable.

Re: Sheer SEO: An SEO Software Review

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:38:09 -0000

Looks pretty cool for reporting to clients, checking it out now!

Re: Scaling Yourself

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:24:20 -0000

Chris,

I have just started working from home and I am realizing that I would need 56 hours in a day to do HALF of what I'd like to. Thanks for these great insights and tips.

Re: You Can Do Your Job Without Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:59:22 -0000

Because I am addicted to information. Lots of it.

Re: People in the Real World

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:07:22 -0000

Great article.

Dugg for the subheader "Internet Fame is Lame Outside Our Sphere"!

Re: Marketing Consideration for Social Media Types

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:40:24 -0000

Hi everybody! I admit i hang out here.

The whole Twitter world seems kind of introverted and self-serving... these are some great tips to break out of the shell!

Re: 8 Marketing Bloggers to Watch in 2009

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:52:24 -0000

I just started a new social marketing blog called Social Media Rockstar.

Re: 8 Marketing Bloggers to Watch in 2009

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:53:51 -0000

I just started a new social media blog called Social MEdia Rockstar featuring insights into the culture and sociology of social media, and interviews with thought leaders. I'm going full force with it for 2009... check it out!

Re: Build Blog Posts Like Building Blocks

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:35:50 -0000

While I've never considered the metaphor before, I think I *do* use a block approach to blogging and it saves a lot of time and effort that'd be lost to chaos without some essential elements and structure pieces.

Re: The Righteous Web

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:03:59 -0000

You also have to consider the damage that adding sponsored links your website's trust and ranking reputation in Google and other search engines. If you don't clearly disclose the sponsorship in a machine-readable format and/or "nofollow" the links - your blog can run into trouble.

Re: Celebrities Who ‘Get’ Twitter, Celebrities Who Don’t

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:19:39 -0000

Sheamus,

I resonate with this article. I think a lot of celebs come across very unapproachable. They just don't know how to use the technology well.

Re: Another Social Media Success (not Zappos)

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:27:19 -0000

I think the demand for reputation building services are still in the infancy. As you experienced in dealing with the major cosmetics firm, some people have their head in the sand about social media and most people don't want to face it until it's too late and they have a bad reputation, etc.

Re: Five Star Reviews for Radically Transparent

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:56:28 -0000

I give it 5 stars, too. Here's my review:

http://www.copybrighter.com/blog/book-review-ra...

Re: Eee PC Laptop Prize Giveaway - Week 3

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:11:11 -0000

Andy,

It's really a great book!

I'm already entered, I hope, since you already uploaded my photo?

p.s. follow me on Twitter: "BrettFromTibet"

Re: Eee PC Laptop Prize Giveaway - Week 3

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:20:04 -0000

So if no one else signs up for this contest... I win? Woo Hoo!

Re: Advice for Managing Negative Reviews of Hotels or Small Businesses

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:04:57 -0000

Such simple, great advice..! Advice that can make all the difference in the world for your online review reputation!

Re: Social Media Marketing Beginner’s Guide

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:15:36 -0000

Jon,

Nice to meet you at SMX Social Media (during lunch on the second day) when were talking to the domainer and his son.

Re: 200+ Internet Marketing Gurus on Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:05:04 -0000

http://twitter.com/BrettFromTibet

Re: Youtube crumbles with Warioland Shake It Advert

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:26:28 -0000

Great example of video marketing done well! Might check out this game if the reviews are consistently good.

Re: 12 Tips To Improve Your Digg Profile & Stats

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:42:18 -0000

This is a really solid, well-written overview of how to improve your situation on Digg. It's a tough site to figure out at first and there's official guide, but this makes for a great unofficial one.

Re: Open For Business - A Personal Note

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:01:18 -0000

Awesome.. you definitely know your way around Digg and Twitter and I've subscribed and I very much look forward to catching what you have to say.

Re: How I Joined Digg & Became A Power User

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:10:29 -0000

Reg is an awesome guy and he helped me get started in social media, too.

Re: 12 Tips To Improve Your Digg Profile & Stats

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:19:55 -0000

Honestly, how long do you have to put in every day to keep your game on there, these days?

When I was more active, 38 - 45 diggs would get you to the home page and you could easily get FP stories if you spent an hour a day on it. I used to just Digg on my lunch break and do okay.

Re: Diggs April Fools Joke Is Sort of Funny

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:24:34 -0000

I thought it was fairly good, too.

Re: Why I Unfollowed 45,000 People On Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:05:06 -0000

My thoughts: lopping off all your followers in one sweep is one of the lamest trends in social media. The ultimate in passive-aggression twittering. It's your business... you can justify it however you want to... but the end result is a lot of people feel like you've suddenly changed your policy and kicked people to the curb for the benefit of your ego / convenience.

Best of luck!

Re: Why I Unfollowed 45,000 People On Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:04:29 -0000

Seth,

You did something bold, blogged about it, and publicly opened up a discussion.

I'm not insulting you or calling you names, and I didn't say "screw you" - that's not what I feel.... I sincerely said "best of luck" - so I find your reaction to be a bit extreme.

I still believe your behavior is "aggressive" because it appears as if you've spent a good portion of the past several months adding friends and pimping up your numbers on Twitter (unless you are some kind of offline entertainment or television celebrity I've never heard of). I think that by actively & "aggressively" befriending hundreds or thousands of people a day - establishing a mutual relationship and then suddenly unfriending 99.99% them...

Some might see it using people and then dropping them... actually a whole city full of people... or call it 'Twitter spamming.'

And it does leave a sour taste in some people's mouth.

Good luck! :)

Re: Why I Unfollowed 45,000 People On Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:36:02 -0000

I don't aggressively follow hundreds or even thousands of people a day, like you have been doing (you added over 25,000 friends in the past 9 weeks)... using them for a follow back and then using scripts to expediate dropping them like hotcakes.

I added you as a friend because I thought there was some kind of connection, and took some time to check you out and read your Tweets. You followed me back - leading me to think there was some kind of desire to connect on your part. Then I wake up see you dropped me... and I wonder "Hmm.. why? Did I do something wrong?" and I see you have a blog post bragging about how you spammed and used 45k people to build up a following and then ditched EVERYONE at your earliest convenience....

If this isn't the textbook definition of TWITTER SPAM... shady behavior that wastes peoples times and weakens the community... by increasing the noise signal, hogging system resources and lessening trust... I don't know what is.

You try and rationalize it and it works for some of your noob followers and close personal friends... but not for my crowd. We understand that there are people on the other end of the line - people with feelings. You can't drop 45,000 people and expect no one to notice or have any cheefeelings about it. Or for some people to question your motives and sincerity.

I'm not saying this will be the end of the world for you - i'm sure you'll carry on and most people won't notice - but your public bragging about it and your hostile response to my comments = the end of respect for 'Seth Simonds' in my world.

-Brett

p.s. As for your insult about my blog name, I have never claimed to be a "Social Media Rockstar" any more than you claim to be a "Primal Stride." It's not a personal blog. I own dozens of other domains that contain keywords I'm interested in.

Re: Why I Unfollowed 45,000 People On Twitter

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:12:24 -0000

There's nothing to figure out... your true colors and motives have come through.

I've got to hand it to you as a marketer (don't read hostility here... I am in genuine awe of your PR prowess) ... you did an amazing job of using / spamming 40,000 people and then making it seem like a virtuous "self-discovery" step. Good job.

I don't need to waste my time play games with people. You're blocked and I will never be back.

Re: 10 Easy ways to fix common WordPress headaches

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:55:57 -0000

Thanks for these solid WP tips. Bookmarked!

Re: 12 Stages of Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:37:28 -0000

This is a very accurate assessment of the phases many people go through. I've been using social media (started on BB' and prodigy in junior high school) and I guess I have long been in acceptance. I dropped out for a while when I first went to college and became a hippie... tired of being wrapped up in the computer rather than "life" - but I'm back in a big way!

Re: 10 Easy ways to fix common WordPress headaches

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:55:57 -0000

Thanks for these solid WP tips. Bookmarked!

Re: Fifteen Years of Online Social Interactions

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:32:52 -0000

I'm personally delighted by the transformation, although I find it fatiguing to keep up with the sheer speed of the acceleration. There aren't enough hours in the day.

Re: The Ultimate Social Media Etiquette Handbook

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:53:52 -0000

This is a great article..! So great I was planning on writing it myself, but I thank you for doing it so well and saving me the trouble. ;)

I try to be nice online but sometimes we all feel squeezed to "get stuff done" under pressure... The key is finding the delicate balance between self-promotion, supporting your friends and getting actual work done. Easier said than done!

Re: Why People Forward Chain Letters

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:04:22 -0000

Cool, well-researched article. I have always realized that the chain letters are the original "viral content" on the Web, but you did a great job exploring why they move.

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Decoding Digg Speak

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:47:16 -0000

This is an excellent post. It cleared up a few things I have seen on Digg, but which flew right over my head.

Re: Using Video Annotations to Raise Awareness and Website Traffic

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:22:57 -0000

I think video is being criminally under-leveraged in the SEO sphere...I had no idea about this feature, so I appreciate this solid tip.

Re: Design and Appearance: Affecting the Results in Social Media

BrettFromTibet — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:05:09 -0000

Nice post! One of the things I work frequently on with clients is to help them format their content to make it get the respect it will need from social media users.

Re: Rebecca Kelley Joins the 10e20 Team

BrettFromTibet — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:58:59 -0000

Cool! Congrats!

Re: BIGLIST SEO Blog Reviews 030909

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:41:34 -0000

Lee,

The Daily SEO Tip with Ann and Loren looks great, they are some of the best and most practical SEO writers out there these days. MarketingSherpa is a classic blog with unique marketing info and research that I have learned a ton from over the years.

Also, thanks for including my blog to the list!

Re: SXSW Interactive: Search Meets Social Media in Pictures

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:46:35 -0000

Looks like a ton of fun and good connections to be had. I'll definitely go next year!

Re: Poll: Integrating SEO & Social Media Marketing

BrettFromTibet — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:00:22 -0000

A very sensible synthesis of the "debate" about SEO vs. SMM... They both are quite interconnected, and they're both too big and detailed for one person to be an "expert" at all aspects of either one - let alone both.

Re: What Snapshot of SEO Drives Your Web Business?

BrettFromTibet — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:23:23 -0000

You are right in this post, SEO is one of the most easily "out of dated" fields and the number of client side agencies offering suggestions that are either outdated or even downright harmful are staggering. I have been called in to fix penalties that were created from 5 or 6 year-old snapshots.

Re: Influencing The Social Web: Agility Is A Factor

BrettFromTibet — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:52:05 -0000

Great post! Agility is so very, very important. Kung fu-level agility is a necessity to surf the social web and get results.