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Managing Online Forums - A New Book By Patrick O'Keefe

leelefever — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:39:26 -0400

Patrick and I go way back in web terms, but met for the first time this year at SXSW. We've always connected around managing online communities - something we were both doing back in 2000 or so. That was when Patrick was teenager. Since that time he's grown his iFroggy Network of community sites and gone through just about everything you can imagine in terms of managing discussion boards.

Patrick recently put these experiences into a new book called Managing Online Forums - "everything you need to know to create and run successful community discussion boards."

I think the timing for this book is great. With so much emphasis on Social Media, a lot of people are jumping into the fray and discovering that managing people in a community setting isn't easy. I think Patrick's done a great job of getting to the real, practical issues and questions that arise and how to deal with them responsibly. You can find out more at ManagingOnlineForums.com.

Congrats on getting the book out Patrick! Nice work!

Managing Online Forums - A New Book By Patrick O'Keefe

leelefever — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:39:26 -0400

Patrick recently put these experiences into a new book called Managing Online Forums - "everything you need to know to create and run successful community discussion boards."

Congrats on getting the book out Patrick! Nice work!

Managing Online Forums - A New Book By Patrick O'Keefe

leelefever — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:39:26 -0400

Patrick recently put these experiences into a new book called Managing Online Forums - "everything you need to know to create and run successful community discussion boards."

Congrats on getting the book out Patrick! Nice work!

Learn New Media from the Ninjas

leelefever — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:48:07 -0500

Kent Nichols is the co-creator or Ninja Master of Ask-a-Ninja, which I'm quite sure you know about. I recently discovered his Twitter feed and blog and since, I've learned a lot from his perspectives on disrupting Hollywood, the business of new media, and the web video industry.

His no-nonsense and opinionated style really makes it clear where he stands, and I often agree. Plus, he's full of smart advice for content producers. Recommended.

On a side note, the story of my connection with the Ninjas is rather strange. The other co-creator of Ask-A-Ninja is Douglas Sarine (on Twitter too). Douglas lived on my hall our freshman year of college at Appalachian State University - that was 1991. We were good friends, but lost touch after we graduated. As Ask-A-Ninja became popular, I saw Doug's name and couldn't believe it. Since then we've reconnected and hung out a few times. Hopefully we'll see those guys again soon. Keep up the great bloggin' Kent!

New Social Media eBook - And a Funny Blogger Outreach Video

leelefever — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:46:58 -0500

Wouldn't it be nice if every author actually lived in the world that they wrote about? It's one thing to be an observer, but yet another to be a resident. That's why it's my pleasure to point you to a new ebook by Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo of Capulet Communications.

It's called "Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing Playbook". You can learn more (and purchase it) at SocialMediaReady.com. This video provides a quick overview too.

I've known Darren and Julie for years and there are few people whose words I would trust more regarding social media marketing. Why? Because it is their world. Through their work, their blogs, their goofy satire sites and sites like DearRockers, they've been there every day for years.

As part of the roll out, they created a Common Craft inspired video called "Blogger Outreach 101" with Sachi and I in starring roles - as horses (I think!). You'll just have to watch it and laugh...Darren reminds us that he think it's "just awful." We are flattered nonetheless.

[Disclosure] I provided a quote and some very small input as a part of the ebook's development.

New Social Media eBook - And a Funny Blogger Outreach Video

leelefever — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:46:58 -0500

It's called "Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing Playbook". You can learn more (and purchase it) at SocialMediaReady.com. This video provides a quick overview too.

[Disclosure] I provided a quote and some very small input as a part of the ebook's development.

New Social Media eBook - And a Funny Blogger Outreach Video

leelefever — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:46:58 -0500

It's called "Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing Playbook". You can learn more (and purchase it) at SocialMediaReady.com. This video provides a quick overview too.

[Disclosure] I provided a quote and some very small input as a part of the ebook's development.

New Social Media eBook - And a Funny Blogger Outreach Video

leelefever — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:46:58 -0500

It's called "Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing Playbook". You can learn more (and purchase it) at SocialMediaReady.com. This video provides a quick overview too.

[Disclosure] I provided a quote and some very small input as a part of the ebook's development.

Twittering for 1 Year - A Retrospective

leelefever — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:49:47 -0500

My most recent Tweet (a short update to the Twitter service) was this:

Today's my twitterversary! 1 year of meaningless drivel flowing from my keyboard and phone. I still count it as time well-spent. about 4 hours ago from TwitBin

It's true. I've been using Twitter for one year as of today and I've been thinking about it. What does Twitter mean to me? Why have I adopted it?

First - a bit of explanation. Twitter provides a way for you (and your
friends) to share short updates about your daily life. It's free and you can use a mobile phone or the Internet to post these updates and follow the updates of people you choose.

So, my thoughts...

Twitter has become part of my online life. Whenever my browser is open, the left side of it displays the updates from my friends via TwitBin. I follow the updates of about 100 people, most of which I know. About 300 people follow my updates and I've posted close to 500 updates in a year.

The beauty of Twitter is how lightweight it is. It makes blogging feel heavy and cumbersome. Because you are limited to 140 characters, you can only say so much in an update. This takes away the anxiety and time it takes to blog. You can go from a thought to sharing it in seconds.

Speaking of blogging, Twitter has impacted my blog reading. I abandoned my RSS reader for a couple of months without too much thought. I think Twitter became my surrogate RSS reader - it gave me the connections and discoveries that I found with blog reading - without the fuss. I've recently cranked up Google Reader again.

Twitter has impacted my relationships. 140 characters at a time, I've gotten to know my online (and real-world) friends much better. Daily life is the only real life and Twitter shines a spotlight on it.

Twitter is new, but the concept is forever. Twitter opened up a layer of information that never really existed before online. It's a type of information that has meaning in the context of friends as it asks: what are you doing right now? Whether it's Twitter or some other service, this layer will persist from now on.

Twitter's growth and adoption is related to it's low barrier to entry. I have a number of friends who may have never started a blog, but jumped right in to Twitter. Why? Because there isn't much a learning curve. Everyone knows what they are doing right now and Twitter makes it easy to share.

Twitter isn't for everyone. There is a lot of noise and crap. But, if you can find people you know and have a way to integrate the updates into your life, you may be addicted.

Twitter enables a new kind of news that's nearly real-time and uniquely on-the-ground. I was fascinated watching Nate Ritter use Twitter to track the events around the San Diego fires. Mainstream media can't do what Nate was doing.

So, I'm a fan and I plan to use Twitter as long as my friends do.

We adopted Twitter at the very end of a year-long trip and some of my favorite Twitter memories are from sharing updates as we approached home after a year away.

The very first update (that also highlights my persistent typos and misspellings):

Just about to watch Momento in an apartment in Barcelona.11:32 AM November 21, 2006 from web

After Spain we arrived in the US and drove across the US to Seattle...

Feelin the love from the family in North Carolina. 05:53 AM November 29, 2006 from txt

Turning right onto "Preacher Smith Rd. " in Rome Georgia... 08:35 AM December 02, 2006

Has officially entered wile e. coyote country. Beep beep. Flagstaf 162 miles. 10:39 AM December 05, 2006

Just passed Talent, Oregon. The local cops drive cars that say "Talent Police" according to Sachi's eyewitness acount. 11:06 AM December 11, 2006 from txt

Seeing the Seattle skyline for the first time in a year. We cannot sit still. Smiles and deep breathes all around. I wonder what awaits us now. 06:19 PM December 11, 2006

We are arriving on our street serenaded by Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit. Welcome to Seattle. 06:36 PM December 11, 2006 from txt

2007 - you are my bitch. 11:56 PM December 31, 2006 from txt

Perhaps you'd like to follow me on Twitter?

Twittering for 1 Year - A Retrospective

leelefever — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:49:47 -0500

My most recent Tweet (a short update to the Twitter service) was this:

Today's my twitterversary! 1 year of meaningless drivel flowing from my keyboard and phone. I still count it as time well-spent. about 4 hours ago from TwitBin

It's true. I've been using Twitter for one year as of today and I've been thinking about it. What does Twitter mean to me? Why have I adopted it?

So, my thoughts...

Twitter isn't for everyone. There is a lot of noise and crap. But, if you can find people you know and have a way to integrate the updates into your life, you may be addicted.

We adopted Twitter at the very end of a year-long trip and some of my favorite Twitter memories are from sharing updates as we approached home after a year away.

The very first update (that also highlights my persistent typos and misspellings):

Just about to watch Momento in an apartment in Barcelona.11:32 AM November 21, 2006 from web

After Spain we arrived in the US and drove across the US to Seattle...

Feelin the love from the family in North Carolina. 05:53 AM November 29, 2006 from txt

Turning right onto "Preacher Smith Rd. " in Rome Georgia... 08:35 AM December 02, 2006

Has officially entered wile e. coyote country. Beep beep. Flagstaf 162 miles. 10:39 AM December 05, 2006

Just passed Talent, Oregon. The local cops drive cars that say "Talent Police" according to Sachi's eyewitness acount. 11:06 AM December 11, 2006 from txt

Seeing the Seattle skyline for the first time in a year. We cannot sit still. Smiles and deep breathes all around. I wonder what awaits us now. 06:19 PM December 11, 2006

We are arriving on our street serenaded by Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit. Welcome to Seattle. 06:36 PM December 11, 2006 from txt

2007 - you are my bitch. 11:56 PM December 31, 2006 from txt

Perhaps you'd like to follow me on Twitter?