Pardon my pun, but I needed something to catch your attention.
It seems that new media has struck College Media Advisers throughout the CMA Summer Workshop, but especially after a particularly fun-filled and information-filled session at the Poynter Institute yesterday. When I returned to the room, I was much too fried to give any of the new information a try, but I have since gone to Twitter's version of the Yellow Pages, Twello, and registered. It seems that every day launches at least one new application that can be added onto Twitter.
Those naysayers of social media will be clucking their disdain right about now, saying that Twitter is just a flash in the pan. But with almost an 800% increase in members in the last year, it's a mighty flash indeed. By the way, got my figures from Ellyn Angelotti of the Poynter Institute. What an impressive young woman, who introduced the lot of us (45 new and experienced media advisers) to the new news cycle. Some people are kicking and screaming, while railing against the changing news environment. Others are embracing with some reckless abandon. I say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Thus my addition of Twello.
If you haven't been dabling in the new media and social networking, what's taking you so long? Follow me on Twitter @kaycolley, and use Twello as a great resource to find folks who might share similar interests. Creating community by finding folks who share your interests or your values is the best way to introduce yourself to social media. After all, it's hard to talk when you don't have something in common, which is why we commune with similar folks. See you on Twello soon!
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Things Are Heating Up: Convergence and Social Media Workshop
It's a hot one in Texas this time of year, but this year, it's especially hot.
Several days of 100+ temperatures and no rain were brutal, but apparently not enough, as my air conditioner decided to call it quits for a couple of days this week.
Air conditioning issues followed me to DFW airport on Saturday and afflicted my plane to Tampa.
I've interrupted my summer break to attend a workshop in St. Petersburg, Florida, this week. What better way to learn about what's the latest in journalism than by taking advantage of the great minds at the Poynter Institute and College Media Advisers.
I was finally able to cool off in the room at St. Pete after shooting this video of the beach directly behind my hotel. OK, so a little discomfort was worth it...
Stay tuned this week as I post to my blog, twitter and Facebook, the cool and cutting edge information I learn about convergence media and social media. But first, enjoy the beach!
Several days of 100+ temperatures and no rain were brutal, but apparently not enough, as my air conditioner decided to call it quits for a couple of days this week.
Air conditioning issues followed me to DFW airport on Saturday and afflicted my plane to Tampa.
I've interrupted my summer break to attend a workshop in St. Petersburg, Florida, this week. What better way to learn about what's the latest in journalism than by taking advantage of the great minds at the Poynter Institute and College Media Advisers.
I was finally able to cool off in the room at St. Pete after shooting this video of the beach directly behind my hotel. OK, so a little discomfort was worth it...
Stay tuned this week as I post to my blog, twitter and Facebook, the cool and cutting edge information I learn about convergence media and social media. But first, enjoy the beach!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
I'm Creating Community. I'm Using a Tool.
In her post to the PRSA blog ComPRehension, Corinne Weisgerberger discusses those two statements in relation to social media. Weisgerberger has been teaching a Social Media class and made the discovery that students had a hard time connecting social media with the concept of anything other than creating community.
This is an interesting observation, and one that I've noticed not just among students, but among everyone--creating artificial barriers. I use Facebook to connect to community. I use MySpace to connect to community. I use LinkedIn to connect to community, and so on and so one. But I also use these social media TOOLS. And sometimes I don't use them in the way that most public relations people would use them.
In preparing for a presentation at the end of this week, I have made a discovery: We all need to change our way of thinking.
Book after book after book that I have read focuses on this concept--the innate desire from people to connect with other people. The creation of community or rather the desire to create community is something that we all have, which is why Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al have become so popular. You're able to create a virtual community. You're able to reach out and make that connection that we all long for.
How does this affect public relations? Well we have seemed to be stuck in the mode of this tool is for that purpose, and this tool is for that purpose, not bearing in mind that tools can be multipurposed. This requires a change in thinking--a lifting of the barriers.
If you think about social media as a tool that allows you to create community, the possibilities are endless on how that may occur. If you think about social media as one or the other, a tool or a place to create community, you've placed an artificial limit on the tool and the community.
This is an interesting observation, and one that I've noticed not just among students, but among everyone--creating artificial barriers. I use Facebook to connect to community. I use MySpace to connect to community. I use LinkedIn to connect to community, and so on and so one. But I also use these social media TOOLS. And sometimes I don't use them in the way that most public relations people would use them.
In preparing for a presentation at the end of this week, I have made a discovery: We all need to change our way of thinking.
Book after book after book that I have read focuses on this concept--the innate desire from people to connect with other people. The creation of community or rather the desire to create community is something that we all have, which is why Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al have become so popular. You're able to create a virtual community. You're able to reach out and make that connection that we all long for.
How does this affect public relations? Well we have seemed to be stuck in the mode of this tool is for that purpose, and this tool is for that purpose, not bearing in mind that tools can be multipurposed. This requires a change in thinking--a lifting of the barriers.
If you think about social media as a tool that allows you to create community, the possibilities are endless on how that may occur. If you think about social media as one or the other, a tool or a place to create community, you've placed an artificial limit on the tool and the community.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Using social media to build community
This week, I'm doing a presentation about the use of wikis in public relations. My topic, in particular, is using wikis for media relations and marketing. While that's a wonderful idea, wikis help build community. A Business Week article really drives this point home. The examples that they provide really give you an indication of how great wikis are at creating and sustaining community, especially when you consider Hollywood has gotten into the act by creating wikis for some of its most popular shows.
The reason that wikis are so good at creating community and blogs are not as good at it is that wikis lack controls. The average person, for the most part, can post, edit, delete and create whatever he or she pleases. This is the essence of letting go of the message, something that many communicators have a problem doing.
Hopefully, I can convince some PR-types that letting go is a good thing, because to effectively create community in an online forum, you have to allow others to create and become a part of the creation. Something that even Business Week would recommend.
The reason that wikis are so good at creating community and blogs are not as good at it is that wikis lack controls. The average person, for the most part, can post, edit, delete and create whatever he or she pleases. This is the essence of letting go of the message, something that many communicators have a problem doing.
Hopefully, I can convince some PR-types that letting go is a good thing, because to effectively create community in an online forum, you have to allow others to create and become a part of the creation. Something that even Business Week would recommend.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
It's the community stupid!
Today, I've stumbled upon, and not using the social media tool of the same name, two articles about social media. One from Business Week http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2009/tc20090218_335887.htm that talks about the myths of social media.
Everyone seems to think that social media will cure their marketing or public relations ills. "Just join Twitter." "Get a page on Facebook, no MySpace, no both." "Start a blog." "Don't forget to put it on YouTube."
All of the advice in the world won't help according to another article from Bill Sledzik on his blog ToughSledding. http://toughsledding.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/are-social-media-changing-the-dna-of-public-relations-not-one-bit/
His contrarian view is that social media will not change the face of public relations because public relations isn't about the tools--it's about the relationships. In other words: It's the community stupid!
As communicators we often forget that what we are trying to do is create community through our communications. This is even more important in social media settings, known as groups or COMMUNITYs. Getting people involved is one thing, but keeping them involved is something totally different, and it isn't as easy as it looks!
So finally, I feel better! Whew. I was beginning to think that I had to implement all of these new social media tools in a campaign and make them work. Bill Sledzik reminded me that it's about the community, which means I can use whatever tools work for me to achieve that goal. Even if those tools are social media.
Everyone seems to think that social media will cure their marketing or public relations ills. "Just join Twitter." "Get a page on Facebook, no MySpace, no both." "Start a blog." "Don't forget to put it on YouTube."
All of the advice in the world won't help according to another article from Bill Sledzik on his blog ToughSledding. http://toughsledding.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/are-social-media-changing-the-dna-of-public-relations-not-one-bit/
His contrarian view is that social media will not change the face of public relations because public relations isn't about the tools--it's about the relationships. In other words: It's the community stupid!
As communicators we often forget that what we are trying to do is create community through our communications. This is even more important in social media settings, known as groups or COMMUNITYs. Getting people involved is one thing, but keeping them involved is something totally different, and it isn't as easy as it looks!
So finally, I feel better! Whew. I was beginning to think that I had to implement all of these new social media tools in a campaign and make them work. Bill Sledzik reminded me that it's about the community, which means I can use whatever tools work for me to achieve that goal. Even if those tools are social media.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)