My generation is making waves

It’s true- many people consider social media to be the most defining idea of my generation. Little did we know social media would change the world.

According to Mashable, OR Books is developing a book that will take readers through Egypt’s revolutionary days by presenting tweets and twitpics (photos linked on twitter) from twitter users.  Set to come out on April 20, 2011, Tweets from Tahrir is giving credibility not only to Twitter, but social media as a whole.

Older generations have embraced the social revolution, and it is making huge waves throughout our world. Why does this matter? We should constantly be working toward bringing about everyone’s humanness. This book is evidence of our world shrinking – through social media.

So, what do you think? Would you read a book of Tweets to improve your world understanding?

Nebraska Humane Society- Raising the bar

If you can look in the face of Nebraska Humane Society animal and not want to pick them up and take them home- there is something wrong with you.

Not only has NHS embodied what it means to help those in need, they have developed a stellar social media presence on twitter and on facebook. Participating in social media as allowed NHS to provide the community with photos of the animals and the animals stories. Not only is this a genius idea, but it is really helping the animals who desperately need a home.

After visiting NHS, I saw social media in a completely different light. It can really make a difference in the lives of people and in the lives of these animals. I have never wanted a dog or a cat (even though I’m allergic) so badly. NHS keeps up with their social media on a dil basis, which means they are taking this impact seriously. It’s not just something to do to fill spare time, it has an effect!

Be sure to visit their Web site and to like them on Facebook!

Silicon Prairie News- Innovative and Fresh

Hyperlocal. It is one of the hottest buzz words in journalism right now, meaning to make connections with people and focus on a specific geographical local.

Silicon Prairie News has found its niche in Omaha, and took the idea of being hyperlocal and put it into action. They focus on the positive and cool happenings in and around Omaha. Their site is set up in almost a blog type format where articles are eye catching. PLUS- not only is their site well laid out- the content is awesome. It has everything from news, to events, to opinions.

Silicon Prairie News has used social media to promote their site- extremely successfully. @SiliconPrairie has over 1,600 followers on twitter. They don’t just sit around waiting for people to find them, they actively reach out to their followers and continuously update their twitter and facebook accounts. You can no longer hope people read what you write, you must go out and participate in the conversation. Silicon Prairie News has found it’s niche in social media- have you?

All I do is sit at my computer… and talk to people

There have been many negative statements made about social media including that it is tearing apart our ability to actually interact with one another.

In Pew Internet’s Social Isolation and New Technology they show an executive summary of their findings- including that social media is bringing people closer, not creating isolation. “Internet use does not pull people away from public places. Rather, it is associated with engagement in places such as parks, cafes, and restaurants, the kinds of locales where research shows that people are likely to encounter a wider array of people and diverse points of view.”

There are many ways that Twitter and Facebook can bring others together- including setting up events for others to attend. I am in full agreement that it is really nice to receive a hand written invitation to something, but Facebook provides the “create an event” tool made specifically so others can attend events in person. Just today I saw events posted on Twitter via users- Big Omaha, an annual event held for entrepreneurs to come an share ideas, posted their opening party invitation on Twitter about an hour and a half ago.

Social Media can be used for all different types of communication. It provides an avenue towards personal interaction, and to that I say it’s beyond valuable.

Yahoo takes a stab at Google: clever, but will it work?

In yahoo’s latest ad they make an attempt at revitalising their service as not only a search engine, but a place that knows you. You can access your facebook, twitter, myspace and ebay accounts as well as finding the latest information on news, entertainment, weather etc.

Here are my thoughts: it’s clever, and I certainly love a good commercial when I see one, but the reality of it is when I think “hey, I need to find more info on that,” my reaction is to go straight to Google. I think for most people, Google is their go-to source for a search engine.

Yahoo makes an interesting argument for having all of the social media networks at your fingertips the moment you open your homepage, so I thought I would check it out. I’ve had a yahoo account since I was in high school and needed an email address, but I had no idea yahoo offered such a cool interface for all of my social media. After trying it out- I might actually make yahoo my homepage.

My final thoughts are this- Yahoo is smart to promote this tool, it is slick and really convenient. This said, they are going to have a hard time convincing people they have a better search engine than Google.

*Video found at Mashable- The Social Media Guide

Grammar Girl and the founding fathers of writing

When I’m upset, I write. When I’m happy, I write. When I’m feeling angry, sad, elated, spontaneous or creative, I write.

I am very blessed to be able to express myself through the written word. I always feel the more I do it the better I am. The part of my own writing in a constant state of needing improvement is my grammar. In the world of social media and really the world of technological communication, users type in brevity. And, in order to do that, sometimes grammar is lost. Well I am standing true to the founding fathers of writing and saying NO! I will use its and it’s correctly! I will use apostrophes! And, I will place commas in their rightful place!

That said, even though I love grammar- I still have a lot to learn. What better place to find grammar tips but through social media? There are many modern writers out there who keep up a blog (myself included!), but it’s rare to find such an excellent grammar source online…and for free!

Grammar Girl gives you quick and dirty tips for writing including how to use affect vs. effect, the its vs. it’s conundrum and much more! Check it out!

my sentence… my life

What is your sentence?

In a short video clip promoting “Drive,” by Daniel Pink, Pink urges the audience to select what their sentence- or in other words: one sentence to describe you and what you want to be remembered by. I’ve had to really think about this because I am currently in the throws of preparing for graduation- meaning I have no idea what I’m doing with my life or where I’m going to go next.

My sentence:

She helped as many people as she could using her talents and staying true to herself and to others.

I think the second part of Pink’s message goes right along with this. He encourages the audience to ask this question,”Was I a better person today than yesterday?” I think this fits perfectly with the sentence I wrote for myself. Striving to be a better person doesn’t always mean you have to be a super hero, but it does mean you put an effort forth every day to put someone ahead of yourself.

Check out these charities using social media to make the world a better place- just like I one day hope to!

Charity: Water

Social Media for Social Change (SM4SC)

working in the world of social media

I hate my job. I hate my boss. I hate working…

OK, I would be an idiot if I actually wrote this on a social media site and I was speaking of the job where I work. Whether those using social media tools want to believe it or not, everything you put out there is public. For the average employee it is important to protect yourself professionally on your personal social media sites. According to Forbes’ “A Corporate Guide for Social Media,” social media in the workplace should be embraced and not banned. That said, once you’ve allowed employees to support the idea of social media it is important to give them a set of guidelines. The following was my favorite tip:

“Everything you say can (and likely will) be used in the court of public opinion–forever. So assume you’re “on the record.” Never say anything you wouldn’t say to someone’s face and in the presence of others. Never use profanity or demeaning language.”

Another tip they gave to bosses was to allow social media during work. Maybe I should repeat that-  Allow social media in the work place. Forbes made an excellent observation that I know is true for myself- “If your employees are using Facebook at work, they are also likely checking work e-mail after dinner or at odd hours of the day. Don’t ask them to give up the former if you expect them to continue the latter.”

Never count on people ignoring what you say online- not only will people find it, but people will hold you accountable for it. Be smart, use your common sense and before you post ANYTHING give it a second look.

I Heart Shoes… and Social Media Videos

As mentioned in my last blog post, I love shoes. Heels, flats, sneakers, boots- You name it I love them. Unfortunately, many shoe companies, who make the shoes I love, use overseas vendors to make their shoes- most of whom are paid a fraction of what they would be paid in the United States. In addition to this, many companies use chemicals and materials that are harmful to our environment and the shoe-makers. So what does this have to do with social media? In my quest to find eco-friendly shoes, I found Simple Shoes.

Not only are Simple shoes fabulous, but they are eco friendly! Many of their shoes are made with used car tires, bike tires, hemp and other natural materials. What really sets them apart though is the video they created about their company. Having a video, which explains the details of a company, is an easy and unique way to promote business. This is one of the better ‘Our Story’ videos I’ve seen. Videos should be creative and entertaining— anything other than that people will not watch. Simple shoes’ video is a bit long, but I think it works. What do you think?

Also… I’m going to buy this pair!!

Make it work

As Tim Gunn says in project runway, “Make it work.” With the evolution of social media and social networking, companies are having to make social media work for their genre, products and capabilities. Listed below are three companies who are making social media work!

The power of a picture:

Picture blogs are some of the most fascinating blogs out there. They tell stories visually. Imagine opening a site and seeing incredible pictures and then reading why that photo matters. FujiFilm has done just that with their website- “Every Picture Matters.” On the right hand side of the page you will see outstanding photographs taken with FujiFilm cameras. Click on the picture and in in the left corner a button is there that says, “Why this picture matters.” You can read right there from the individuals who submitted the photographs.

FujiFilm has done an excellent job of showing how their camera can be used to capture everything from family moments to vacations to nature. They are proving how their camera is versatile and functional for the average joe on the street.

Need a cup of Joe?:

Starbucks created one of the most interactive blogs for a coffee conglomerate. Its title is “My Starbucks Idea,” and it is a one-stop shop for customers to submit their ideas, discuss others’ ideas and vote on proposed ideas.

A coffee lover myself, I was psyched to see this page. It shows the big corporation world actually caring about their customers. I know it’s $4 for my drink at Starbucks (grande, nonfat, mocha latte), but seeing their willingness to take on customers ideas almost makes me feel like I’m not giving my money to the man. The ideas are split up into categories: Product Ideas, Experience Ideas and Involvement Ideas and customers can like or dislike ideas if they have a login. Why is this genius? They can reach out to those customers via the email they provide when signing up, giving them an opportunity to promote give-aways, deals and their business in general. They also have an Ideas in Action tab, specifying the ideas they are integrating into their business.

Zappos + Twitter = Love

Zappos is one of the leading shoes companies in the world. They are known for selling brand named shoes, typically at a reasonable price via their online website.

Zappos has taken the challenge of social media head on with having all of their employees participate in the companies twitter. They have a Web site dedicated to all tweets about their company and highlight the tweets their employees write. It’s a great way to develop the company’s interaction with their customers and also puts a face on a large company. It is of utmost importance to participate in the conversation instead of just putting information out there. Having employees tweet will promote their business and make their company more business friendly.