Browsing Month September, 2008

We hear all this, chatter(get it chatter..newmediachatter? Anyway…) about the power of social media.  Why newspapers, TV and radio should be scared. Why they need to keep up with the times. How people are getting their information from other places. Oh and how they are interacting directly with the companies, the brands and of course the people.

So check this out.

About a year ago NBC did a profile on me regarding my work in virtual worlds. (Yes, virtual worlds are part of the whole social media world and just not for kids.)  In all of NBC’s wisdom they sent correspondent Peter Alexander to meet with me and do the interview. Well, it seems that Peter and I hit off (or I just stalk him) and still chat till this day. Our relationship grew and we decided to take the next logical step. We became Facebook friends. (I asked him.)

In September 2008, NBC sent Peter to the Arctic for a 10 day cruise. Well, when it was all said and done it was 23 days. Yes he was stuck on a boat in the Arctic for 23 days! You can read about this great adventure here. But this lovely trip is not the point of my blog, nor am I bragging I know Peter, (lord knows that’s not worth bragging about.)

It seems one can be stuck in the Arctic for 23 days and not be able to get off the ship, but you still can have internet.

Amazing.

Anyway, Peter would go on to Facebook and update us on his status and what he was doing. Like the great food, the damaged Ipod, the Search and Rescue that caused them to miss  1 of 5 chances to get off the ship. He would share little pieces of information and post comments back. At one point a Free Peter Alexander Group was even created. Yet as I watched the Today Show on NBC they never once mentioned Peter’s situation.  Until around day 19.

On Day 19 Meredith and Matt teased they would be sharing where Peter has been for past 2 1/2 weeks. Then it hit me… I know exactly where he has been. What he has been doing. How frustrated he is. Heck, I have talked to him this week via walls posts. Have you Matt?

When they brought Peter on air, he told about why he was there, when he left, how he got stuck thanks to weather, the search and rescue and more. I knew all this already I thought. This is old news. Heck, I knew more then Matt and Meredith. This is well.. old news.

So my point? Well, Social Media heck, Facebook has allowed me to know where Peter was, what he was doing, how he felt, share the experience and talk to him better, faster and more vested then TV ever will.

Oh, Matt… Meredith, Peter got home on day 23.  I know his situation was not truly news worthy, but I have become vested in it and you have not updated the viewers. Lastley, NBC missed a great way to engage their views, oh the things they could of done via social media while Peter was stuck….

Today I read a great post  by Sean Bohan on one of my favorite topics the “Social Media Expert”.  Sean asked the question, “Do Experts Matter”? (As we get to know each better, one thing you will learn about me is I don’t like the term “Social Media Expert”).  This field of Social & New Media is changing everyday and every moment. There are people right now creating web sites, tools and widgets that will change the field. These things will make you go “Wow, why did I not think about that?”  What is hot at 10:00 am may have crashed at 12:00 and been replaced by something else. All one can do is try to keep up by being part of the community.

How does one keep up with all this information?  Do you really need a “Social Media Expert” to help you understand this new space? People hire social media consultants to teach them how to use soical networking tools and establish their brands online. Do you need to this? Maybe, not everyone is cut out to be a consultant.  But you can learn a lot on your own. You can do this really easy, simple and fast.

Here are the simple steps, I will put it in list form, people like lists.

-Setup a Facebook and Linkedin account

- Join Twitter

-Join the conversation by commenting, asking questions and giving back.

Bonus step:

-Dare to be on FriendFeed ( I know its scary but you can do it.)

Thats it. Heck you too can be a Social Media Consultant if you want to. (note: I did not use the term expert.)

Wonder if I just posted my way out of a job?<-->

The first time is always the hardest. I have been going back and forth about what this post should be about. Should I just dive right into talking about New Media or  Social Media? Heck isn’t it all under the same umbrella? Maybe I should start with who I am and what my background is? Nah, that’s all on the About Dave page.  Oh I know I can roll out a huge big post about something cutting edge and exciting in the space! No, its a slow week everyone is heading to Blogworld 2008 anyway. I could list what this blog is about, what I want to accomplish. Hey that’s not bad. Maybe I should do it in list form. People do like lists.

So in no particular order, I give you the goals, hopes, and dreams I want for New Media Chatter:

-For all of us to learn more about this space called New Media. ( I plan on learning from you too!)

-To pass on the tools needed for people to learn how to brand themselves in this new age of social media

-I want to start discussions and conversations about New Media, make us all think.

- To point you to people, websites and events where you can learn more and network with.

-A place where you can come to get the latest trends in the industry.

I hope this is not to deep or mushy for the first post. Heck, I hope I didn’t scare you off, I want you to subscribe to this blog!

So look at that, the first post is over. Great.. now we can get down to business and starting talking about New Media.