Yesterday I wanted to increase the visibility of my blog on the web, so I went to Google's Webmaster Tool Kit in search of info on how one gets a blog listed on search engines. Little did I know that I was in for a titanic struggle.
I knew I was on the way to major brain cramps the minute I clicked on the "Register my site on search engines" link. Up came a page telling me that Google required verification that I was the actual owner of the site I wanted to list. I could verify my control over the site in one of two ways: by adding a "metatag" or "uploading an HTML file." Oh, Lord, I said to myself. This could get ugly. I clicked on the HTML file option because I had no clue what a "metatag" was. (Well, to be entirely candid, I have no clue what HTML is either, but at least I know the term.)
That's when it got ugly. For two hours, I cursed, sweated, grumbled and scratched my head trying to figure out how to follow the instructions, which might as well have been written in ancient Sanskrit. They provided me with a series of letters and numbers followed by .html, then instructed me to create a file out of that jumble and upload the file to my blog page. It took me 15 minutes to figure out how to create the file, and the rest of the two hours to upload it successfully.
After three or four unsuccessful tries, I decided to start over from the beginning. That's when I realized that when I had initially entered the URL of the site I wanted to list, I typed it wrong. One little typo had cost me two hours of banging-my-head-on-the-desk aggravation.
When I corrected that simple error, presto! The HTML file miraculously appeared, the little box was checked in bright red, and the word "verified" appeared as if by magic. I was now officially recognized as the owner of my blog, and could register it on every search engine known to the civilized world.
This taught me a valuable lesson. Usually the mistakes I make are big ones, like the time I cut a useless-appearing white cable coiled up behind my computer hard drive, only to learn almost immediately thereafter that it was the cable providing telephone and internet service to my house. (The repair dispatcher laughed so hard she stopped breathing.)
But in the world of computers and high-tech gizmos, it's the little mistakes that screw you up. Did you spell everything right? Did you unlock your "caps lock" key before entering your password? Is your modem on? Is your computer plugged in??
If it isn't, don't feel bad. Welcome to my world.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Power of Carrot Cupcakes
YIPPEE! I tweeted, and somebody finally tweeted back. I have become a TWEETEE! I am officially interacting on Twitter instead of tweeting into my own ear. Those who know me will not be surprised that this interchange was about food. Somebody tweeted that they had just taken some carrot cupcakes out of the oven. Since I have a troublesome weakness for carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, I of course tweeted back a request for the recipe. AND I GOT IT, along with a nice personal note that the Twitterer was about to post an updated recipe, so I might want to check back in a few days.
OK, let's talk about the psychology behind my reaction to this message, which was practically on a par with the way I felt when I "became a woman" at age 14. (I was bowling with my Aunt Ethel at the time, and I thought I needed to go to the emergency room...she said the ladies room would work just fine.) But getting a personal Tweet response made me feel like I had reached an important milestone. Who knew that we could "come of age" more than once in a lifetime?
Gail Sheehy wrote a great back some time back called "Passages." It was about the various life stages we all experience, and how difficult it can be to transition from one stage to another. Sometimes we don't even realize it when we're in the midst of a transition. Turning points usually don't carry photo IDs; often we don't recognize them until after the fact.
The greeting and carrot cupcake recipe in my Twitter inbox somehow validated my effort to transition from dinosaur to social media wiz. Was I going to dip my toe in the social networking pool and then run like hell in the opposite direction, or was I going to wade further in until I couldn't touch bottom? I wasn't entirely sure of the answer (see previous post).
But now I know. I'm going to keep swimming, not only because it's fun but because I can see already that it's a key part of my transition from 1970s-style PR person to 21st century strategic communications guru. Hey, if Cher, Madonna and Hillary Clinton can reinvent themselves, so can I, right?
OK, let's talk about the psychology behind my reaction to this message, which was practically on a par with the way I felt when I "became a woman" at age 14. (I was bowling with my Aunt Ethel at the time, and I thought I needed to go to the emergency room...she said the ladies room would work just fine.) But getting a personal Tweet response made me feel like I had reached an important milestone. Who knew that we could "come of age" more than once in a lifetime?
Gail Sheehy wrote a great back some time back called "Passages." It was about the various life stages we all experience, and how difficult it can be to transition from one stage to another. Sometimes we don't even realize it when we're in the midst of a transition. Turning points usually don't carry photo IDs; often we don't recognize them until after the fact.
The greeting and carrot cupcake recipe in my Twitter inbox somehow validated my effort to transition from dinosaur to social media wiz. Was I going to dip my toe in the social networking pool and then run like hell in the opposite direction, or was I going to wade further in until I couldn't touch bottom? I wasn't entirely sure of the answer (see previous post).
But now I know. I'm going to keep swimming, not only because it's fun but because I can see already that it's a key part of my transition from 1970s-style PR person to 21st century strategic communications guru. Hey, if Cher, Madonna and Hillary Clinton can reinvent themselves, so can I, right?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Twitter: A One-Way Tweet??
I've been a Tweeter now for a couple of weeks and I must say, so far I'm disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up. I owe it to my clients to understand and engage in this new communications environment. But I have to say, it's tough. I feel as if I'm hollering into a cave. HALLOOOOOO!!! IS ANYBODY THERE? I post questions, nobody answers. I respond to others' comments, but get no responses in return. At the conference I attended, one of the speakers warned that it can take 2-3 months before other Twitterers start noticing and interacting with you, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It does occur to me, though, that I don't need Twitter to talk to myself--I do that anyway. In fact, I'm damn good at it.
It does seem that the majority of people Tweeting at any given moment are promoting something--a news story, their website, their training video, etc. I guess that's the point, exchanging information that can help your business. But it does seem a tad...crass. It reminds me of a time many years ago when I had lunch with a political donor I was wooing for my candidate du jour. We engaged in air kisses and small talk, then ordered lunch, at which point the donor looked me in the eye and said, "Look, let's cut to the chase. We both know why we're here." I appreciated the honesty. Is Twitter merely an on-line version of the want ads, where willing buyers and sellers make small talk on the way to closing the deal? I'm not sure yet; I guess the jury is still out. In any event, there's nothing wrong with it being a marketplace as long as our expectations fit that reality.
I am enjoying Facebook, though. I found out that half of my family is on it, and it's fun to be able to check in with them daily and comment on what's happening in their lives. I couldn't resist taking the "What are your five favorite books?" quiz. It was really cool to type in a title and see a picture of the book cover pop up. I immediately wanted to make a list of my 100 favorite books but it occurred to me that it might be overkill. It was equally difficult to limit myself to five favorite movies; I could have named at least 20. Those little graphic gizmos were big-time fun. I guess I'm easily entertained.
Final word: two visits to Las Vegas in three weeks is much plenty. Visitor traffic is down, that is clear, but there are still too many people, too much noise, and too many opportunities to spend money that shouldn't be spent. I'm glad to be home.
It does seem that the majority of people Tweeting at any given moment are promoting something--a news story, their website, their training video, etc. I guess that's the point, exchanging information that can help your business. But it does seem a tad...crass. It reminds me of a time many years ago when I had lunch with a political donor I was wooing for my candidate du jour. We engaged in air kisses and small talk, then ordered lunch, at which point the donor looked me in the eye and said, "Look, let's cut to the chase. We both know why we're here." I appreciated the honesty. Is Twitter merely an on-line version of the want ads, where willing buyers and sellers make small talk on the way to closing the deal? I'm not sure yet; I guess the jury is still out. In any event, there's nothing wrong with it being a marketplace as long as our expectations fit that reality.
I am enjoying Facebook, though. I found out that half of my family is on it, and it's fun to be able to check in with them daily and comment on what's happening in their lives. I couldn't resist taking the "What are your five favorite books?" quiz. It was really cool to type in a title and see a picture of the book cover pop up. I immediately wanted to make a list of my 100 favorite books but it occurred to me that it might be overkill. It was equally difficult to limit myself to five favorite movies; I could have named at least 20. Those little graphic gizmos were big-time fun. I guess I'm easily entertained.
Final word: two visits to Las Vegas in three weeks is much plenty. Visitor traffic is down, that is clear, but there are still too many people, too much noise, and too many opportunities to spend money that shouldn't be spent. I'm glad to be home.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Reconnecting
I had an "aha" moment last night while drinking margaritas with three old friends from high school (Duluth Denfeld, Class of 67). We talked about how long it had been since we'd seen each other, and how hard it is to find time to stay connected to people you care about. While Internet tools like Facebook and Twitter make it easier, we agreed that it takes a significant commitment of time and energy to learn how to use them effectively, especially if you are "technologically challenged." One of the gals at our table (I won't mention your name, Nan) confessed that she still can't operate the voice mail on her cell phone. None of us has yet figured out how to set the time on our VCRs. All of us feel intimidated, to one degree or another, by new technology.
It started me thinking about how other generations must have been equally intimidated by the new technologies of their day. Imagine seeing fire for the first time and trying to figure out how to harness it for productive use without turning yourself into a crispy critter in the process. Do you suppose some people said "It's just a fad" the first time they saw a wheel?? (Visualize it: "Me Grog. This round thing stupid.")
The 20th century arguably saw more technological changes and advances than any century preceding it in history. From the automobile to the airplane to the computer, our lives have changed so dramatically from that of our great-grandparents that they would barely recognize the world we live in today.
There's an interesting sociological implication to all of this. In ancient times (I'm talking cave days), humans began to understand that they needed the support and help of each other to survive. We learned to share our caves so that there would be more people to take care of the kids and whack the woolly mammoth for supper. It's no fun eating woolly mammoth alone.
Then, as technology enabled us to become more independent as individuals and families (free-standing houses, plows, etc.), we began to rely more on ourselves and less on the people around us. The extended families of yesterday have become almost extinct, as working people follow their careers from city to city and state to state, leaving loved ones behind. Grandparents aren't in the next room, they're across the country or in a senior high rise. Most of us barely know the names of our neighbors. (I know the people on either side of my house, but that's it.) Some sociologists theorize that losing our sense of community is partly to blame for the increase in crime, and especially in gang violence. They tell us that kids who belong to gangs do so because it gives them a sense of belonging.
Then come the computer and the internet and Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and LinkedIn et al, and all of a sudden we are re-learning the art of connection. This isn't an accident; it's a reflection of our growing need as human beings to reconnect with other people.
Those of us who look for profound significance in every utterance we read on-line, especially on sites like Facebook and Twitter, are probably barking up the wrong tree. People belong to these on-line communities not because they have something profound to say, but because they want to share the everyday aspects of their lives with other people.
When someone like Natasha Richardson dies so suddenly, doing something as mundane as learning to ski, we realize that the little things we do every day--the things we Twitter about or discuss on Facebook--are the things that make our lives rich and beautiful and worth living. We mourn that someone has lost all that.
I looked at MSNBC's website story about Richardson's death. Dozens of comments from readers follow the story. Oh sure, there are a few knuckleheads saying stupid things like, "Who cares, she's just a celebrity." But the vast majority of people are sharing their sympathy, their condolences, expressing their sense of loss that a beautiful, talented person--a wife, a mother, a daughter--has died so tragically. They feel sad, and they want to share those feelings with others.
Remember the play "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder? My favorite scene is the one where the dead Emily speaks from the grave, saying goodbye to life. Here's what she says:
"Good-bye to clocks ticking… and Mama's sunflower. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths… and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you!"
That's what Facebook and Twitter are about--sharing the simple, awful, sad, beautiful wonderfulness of our daily lives.
It started me thinking about how other generations must have been equally intimidated by the new technologies of their day. Imagine seeing fire for the first time and trying to figure out how to harness it for productive use without turning yourself into a crispy critter in the process. Do you suppose some people said "It's just a fad" the first time they saw a wheel?? (Visualize it: "Me Grog. This round thing stupid.")
The 20th century arguably saw more technological changes and advances than any century preceding it in history. From the automobile to the airplane to the computer, our lives have changed so dramatically from that of our great-grandparents that they would barely recognize the world we live in today.
There's an interesting sociological implication to all of this. In ancient times (I'm talking cave days), humans began to understand that they needed the support and help of each other to survive. We learned to share our caves so that there would be more people to take care of the kids and whack the woolly mammoth for supper. It's no fun eating woolly mammoth alone.
Then, as technology enabled us to become more independent as individuals and families (free-standing houses, plows, etc.), we began to rely more on ourselves and less on the people around us. The extended families of yesterday have become almost extinct, as working people follow their careers from city to city and state to state, leaving loved ones behind. Grandparents aren't in the next room, they're across the country or in a senior high rise. Most of us barely know the names of our neighbors. (I know the people on either side of my house, but that's it.) Some sociologists theorize that losing our sense of community is partly to blame for the increase in crime, and especially in gang violence. They tell us that kids who belong to gangs do so because it gives them a sense of belonging.
Then come the computer and the internet and Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and LinkedIn et al, and all of a sudden we are re-learning the art of connection. This isn't an accident; it's a reflection of our growing need as human beings to reconnect with other people.
Those of us who look for profound significance in every utterance we read on-line, especially on sites like Facebook and Twitter, are probably barking up the wrong tree. People belong to these on-line communities not because they have something profound to say, but because they want to share the everyday aspects of their lives with other people.
When someone like Natasha Richardson dies so suddenly, doing something as mundane as learning to ski, we realize that the little things we do every day--the things we Twitter about or discuss on Facebook--are the things that make our lives rich and beautiful and worth living. We mourn that someone has lost all that.
I looked at MSNBC's website story about Richardson's death. Dozens of comments from readers follow the story. Oh sure, there are a few knuckleheads saying stupid things like, "Who cares, she's just a celebrity." But the vast majority of people are sharing their sympathy, their condolences, expressing their sense of loss that a beautiful, talented person--a wife, a mother, a daughter--has died so tragically. They feel sad, and they want to share those feelings with others.
Remember the play "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder? My favorite scene is the one where the dead Emily speaks from the grave, saying goodbye to life. Here's what she says:
"Good-bye to clocks ticking… and Mama's sunflower. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths… and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you!"
That's what Facebook and Twitter are about--sharing the simple, awful, sad, beautiful wonderfulness of our daily lives.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Is Twitter for Twits??
Several people have asked me why I decided to sign up for Twitter. It's a good question--the first time I visited the Twitter website, I thought, "What possible good is this? Who cares what I'm doing right now? And why would I care what anybody else is doing right now?" That was my not-so-inner hermit speaking.
But at the Las Vegas conference, I heard a terrific presentation about the value of Twitter as a business development and PR tool, and it really opened my eyes. When I got back from Vegas, I went to the website, signed onto Twitter, and began tweeting. I've also downloaded the application to my Blackberry so I can tweet when away from my computer. As I watch the communications between people on Twitter, I'm amazed at the information that gets shared--websites to check out for great PR and marketing tips, people exchanging info on great conferences and webinars, posts about job openings and help wanted, and so on.
The Twitter site is designed to allow you to "follow" people who are in your field--so if you have an interest in civil rights, mysteries, restaurants, PR and marketing or whatever, you can enter that topic and get a list of Twitterers in that field. So you can interact with people in the fields that are of particular interest to you. I've also found that when you decide to "follow" certain people (that means you get their communications), they usually reciprocate and "follow" you, so your Twitter network grows very quickly.
One of the best things about Twitter is that you are allowed a maximum of 140 characters to convey your message. This forces a person to be concise and prevents "ranting." For those who use Twitter for business purposes, this can mean something as simple as "I just posted a new blog, please check it out and let me know your thoughts," or "I just visited a great website, take a look at it at www.greatwebsite.com," or "Wow, did you see the new commercial for Guzzle Light Beer? It was hilarious!" It is conversational marketing--when you think about it, quite a revolutionary concept, and very different from the traditional approach utilizing costly ads and TV spots.
Anyway, the jury is still out on whether I find Twitter to be of value over the long haul. I have a hunch that it is what you make of it, and if it doesn't do much for me, it may be that I'm just not making the best use of it. But you never know unless you try, right??
But at the Las Vegas conference, I heard a terrific presentation about the value of Twitter as a business development and PR tool, and it really opened my eyes. When I got back from Vegas, I went to the website, signed onto Twitter, and began tweeting. I've also downloaded the application to my Blackberry so I can tweet when away from my computer. As I watch the communications between people on Twitter, I'm amazed at the information that gets shared--websites to check out for great PR and marketing tips, people exchanging info on great conferences and webinars, posts about job openings and help wanted, and so on.
The Twitter site is designed to allow you to "follow" people who are in your field--so if you have an interest in civil rights, mysteries, restaurants, PR and marketing or whatever, you can enter that topic and get a list of Twitterers in that field. So you can interact with people in the fields that are of particular interest to you. I've also found that when you decide to "follow" certain people (that means you get their communications), they usually reciprocate and "follow" you, so your Twitter network grows very quickly.
One of the best things about Twitter is that you are allowed a maximum of 140 characters to convey your message. This forces a person to be concise and prevents "ranting." For those who use Twitter for business purposes, this can mean something as simple as "I just posted a new blog, please check it out and let me know your thoughts," or "I just visited a great website, take a look at it at www.greatwebsite.com," or "Wow, did you see the new commercial for Guzzle Light Beer? It was hilarious!" It is conversational marketing--when you think about it, quite a revolutionary concept, and very different from the traditional approach utilizing costly ads and TV spots.
Anyway, the jury is still out on whether I find Twitter to be of value over the long haul. I have a hunch that it is what you make of it, and if it doesn't do much for me, it may be that I'm just not making the best use of it. But you never know unless you try, right??
Monday, March 16, 2009
It's Magic!
Wow, this is like magic! I just sent out the e-mail announcing my new blog a few minutes ago and I already have comments and followers. It reminds me of a story my brother told me about when he and his family got a new washing machine after being without one for months. They loaded that baby up with dirty clothes, added the soap, pushed the button...and then stood there watching the clothes go up and down and around in the agitator. "Jeez, it works. Cool." Thanks, everybody, for checking me out! And guys, thanks for letting me know that those white patent leather go-go boots are probably worth more than I thought. Interestingly, none of my female friends thought them worthy of mention, but several of my male friends confessed to having a lingering affection for just that kind of footwear..too funny. Maybe I should put them up for sale on e-Bay as my next exercise in the art and science of social media!
The Launch of the Blogomarsh
No, you are not hallucinating. You are actually reading MY blog--the blog of Marsha Kelly. Yes, I know, I was the last living Luddite. I clung to my IBM Selectric like a drowning man to Pamela Anderson until 1988, when my good friend and ex-boss, then Minnesota Lt. Gov. Marlene Johnson, pried my desperate fingers from the typewriter and locked me in the basement of her Capitol office until I learned how to produce speeches and news releases on a PC. I resisted cell phones until 1995. I resisted e-mail until 1996. Even as recently as this year, when others tried to "friend" me on Facebook or LinkedIn, I politely declined, citing privacy concerns. Who wanted to be bothered with all those e-mails from strangers? Duh.
Then I started thinking about my clients. The folks who pay me to help them put their best foot (feet??) forward, not just in the traditional mainstream media but, increasingly, on the internet. Every day, it became clearer that my clients were being affected, both positively and negatively, by online communications--blogs, social networks, podcasts, YouTube, etc. I started feeling about as outdated as my white patent leather go-go boots.
So when I received an e-mail from PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) about a March 11-12 conference on social media for communicators, I jumped at the opportunity. And boy, am I glad I did.
I understand so much better now the kind of benefits a strong social media program can offer my clients. This conference, which was co-sponsored by PRSA and Ragan Communications, was a goldmine of information on how to use these new technologies to support their strategic communications objectives. In every session, as I listened, my mind was racing at warp speed (well, warp speed for ME anyway), identifying ways to apply these principles to my clients' business as well as my own. I guess you could say I drank the Kool-Aid.
Now I'm trying to learn something every day about all these amazing new vehicles for communication. I've become a Twitterer (Tweeter? Tweetee? Twit??) I've set up this blog, separate from my business website so that I can cover a broad range of topics. And I'm on my way to Facebook even as we speak.
So welcome to the Blogomarsh...and stay tuned. Hopefully, reading about my evolution from dinosaur to social media wiz will inspire you to get in touch...and I guess that's the bottom line.
Then I started thinking about my clients. The folks who pay me to help them put their best foot (feet??) forward, not just in the traditional mainstream media but, increasingly, on the internet. Every day, it became clearer that my clients were being affected, both positively and negatively, by online communications--blogs, social networks, podcasts, YouTube, etc. I started feeling about as outdated as my white patent leather go-go boots.
So when I received an e-mail from PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) about a March 11-12 conference on social media for communicators, I jumped at the opportunity. And boy, am I glad I did.
I understand so much better now the kind of benefits a strong social media program can offer my clients. This conference, which was co-sponsored by PRSA and Ragan Communications, was a goldmine of information on how to use these new technologies to support their strategic communications objectives. In every session, as I listened, my mind was racing at warp speed (well, warp speed for ME anyway), identifying ways to apply these principles to my clients' business as well as my own. I guess you could say I drank the Kool-Aid.
Now I'm trying to learn something every day about all these amazing new vehicles for communication. I've become a Twitterer (Tweeter? Tweetee? Twit??) I've set up this blog, separate from my business website so that I can cover a broad range of topics. And I'm on my way to Facebook even as we speak.
So welcome to the Blogomarsh...and stay tuned. Hopefully, reading about my evolution from dinosaur to social media wiz will inspire you to get in touch...and I guess that's the bottom line.
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