Old Media and New Media Working Together

I just love it when this happens.

We do a daily video podcast aka internet TV show called Beach Walks with Rox. Last weekend, YouTube featured us on their Travel channel page. We had over 80,000 views in less than three days. (We will eventually be rotated off this page...)

The episode was about a tree and mulch blessing (or oli in Hawaiian) the was conducted by the Lani-Kailua Branch branch of one of our clients, The Outdoor Circle. It featured awesome chanting by Haunani and ʻIlima Stern of Aloha Blessings.

And a circle it is, as I then sent out a few press releases to local media. Erika Engle, author of "The Buzz" column in the Star-Bulletin Business section, called me for an interview and wrote a really terrific article, ostensibly because of the YouTube story but she delved deeper and we got into an interesting (IMO) discussion about how businesses, especially Hawaiian tourism businesses, can use these new media and social networking online tools.

After I gave her a boat load of examples, she asked, "Why doesn't every business upload their stuff to YouTube?" Great question, dontcha think?

What I don't get is why the online version of the article does not have links to our business website and the the Beach Walks site being discussed. It's easy to do, but traditional print media seem to be "link averse" as if they will lose a site visitor. More importantly, they provide an even better resource by including the link (which creates more customer loyalty) and they always code it easily enough to open in a new window - keeping the main media site alive and well on the viewer's computer.

Oh, and I sure wish I could have left a comment on Erika's page to thank her and add to the conversation. I wonder, does it get lonesome writing without response?? Leave your comment here for Erika and I will send her the link to this page.

But in any case, the article was written well, accurate, and managed to mentioned the many people involved. Mahalo Erika! And mahalo to Mary Steiner, CEO (and blogger) for The Outdoor Circle who emailed this morning after having read the article. Hmm, I wonder if she has a Google Alert that notifies her whenever "outdoor circle" gets mentioned online??

Surfing Tip: Right-click (or control-click) on all of the links in this article if you want them to open in a new window. It's a web surfing power tip that comes in handy frequently.

SmallBiz America Relaunched

We love it when clients come to us thirsty for making the web work for them. David Wolf clearly has an appetite that puts him way out in front! A successful entrepreneur across industries as diverse as music and bagels, he came to us to help him develop a new business strategy. The result is SmallbizAmerica.com.

Phase One includes a full blog software-based site with separate RSS feeds for David's podcast, The Smallbiz Brain as well as for his text blog. He manages all of his content from a web-based admin. (Duh, need I say that? All of the sites we have built since 2000 have had this feature.) Throughout the course of development we all did a lot of research on numerous platforms, recording tools, and hosting options enabling David to really zero in on just what he wanted to do and how he could do that most efficiently. (Click on the thumbnail graphic to follow through on the numbered items.)

1. Blog software provides so many benefits! Newest articles are always on top, featured on the home page. Visitors can leave comments and be part of the discussion. Articles can be filed in multiple categories. Search engines love blogs.
2. David can select Featured Articles from his content to be highlighted on the home page, with a simple checkbox feature in his admin. They show up regardless of the date originally posted. He can strategize whom to put there, based on various business factors.
3. We have an embedded audio player for first time visitors to get a quick intro via audio while they are perusing the many possibilities on the home page.
4. The Tool Bar gives quick links to david's "evergreen content" (the about us stuff that doesn' change often) as well as the site wide search engine, and the user tools for getting on the email list or subscribing to David's site content. The tool bar is on every page of the site.
5. There is a graphic link to David's Live365 internet radio station providing a 24/7 stream of audio content, some of which is also broadcast on select AM radio stations across the US.
6. David can add new Categories and external links (Blogroll) easily from the site admin. Linking to others is good netiquette and helps your visitors find even more useful information.

Phase Two will be launching shortly, as he brings on additional experts ("RSP's") who will have their own radio show podcast channel and mini-site within Smallbiz America. Plus many more features that will make his site the place to hang out for tips on running a successful small business. Please check it out and leave David a comment that you were there!

Why the new Facebook “Endorse” Model Works for Me

Today Facebook announced that it will allow companies to create profiles inside the social networking web site. Individual users can then endorse or be "fan" of said company. Just like Facebook, independent media producers can serve as a very valuable filter for their audiences when it comes to products and services. In more crass terms, stop being ashamed of having corporate sponsorship, and duh, don't take on any sponsors whom you do not trust or support yourself. Business ethics 101. People like Chris Brogan are happy to call you out when you use the tools effectively.

What we are really enabling now is a whole new self-sustaining system whereby people who make stuff (P-producers/plafroms) attract people who like that stuff (A-audience) and can be supported by companies who want to tell us about their stuff (S-sponsors/advertisers). I presented this Player's Triangle concept at the Podcast & New Media Expo this past September and I think it is an incredibly efficient way of connecting people and building businesses.

The independent producer - be it Facebook or Meredith Medland of Living Green Podcast - gets the party started. The platform/show both have natural filtering mechanisms built in. They are built of networks of people who have organized themselves based on shared interests not irrelevant data like geography or age.

Audiences are very tired of being sold to every waking moment, and I have written before how advertising is broken. Nonetheless, they still want to connect, to be entertained, to be informed. The platforms and the independent producers are doing that, while traditional media struggles to find a place in this new world. The internet has also trained people to want things for free. I think this is partly because that was how early internet companies competed against each other and because it is relatively cheap to built an internet business. Not so easy to sustain one though.

And that is where commercial sponsors come into play. They have the budget and the desire to reach new customers. They have been trained to think a 2M audience is better than a 20K one, but that was before targeted audiences. The Long Tail as Chris Anderson elucidated, is about this revolution where meaningful and profitable transactions are taking place directly, without the radio or TV station required.

How long will it take until we never have to get an un-targeted or mass-mailed advertisement again? Well, a few generations probably, but this is a start. Who wants to be the first company to stop using mass marketing tactics and instead commit to only targeted message delivery?

I think of it as an organic circle of commerce. We find each other by shared interests and not by accident in the thousands of messages blast at us daily. I can hear the quiet coming already. And I love how this supports people like us who are creating a first-class internet tv programs that our viewers want to be free.

How to Create a Website Using iWeb

This past weekend I created a 4-page web site for my Mom (83) to feature an art show she had recently. It was a fairly simple process, but then again, I am a web developer by trade! More than once I've discovered that things are easy...if you know what you are doing. If you don't? Well then, all bets are off.

Part way through the process I discovered a 25-page iWeb instruction manual (PDF) from Apple inside my Application Support folder. (Computer > Users > roxanne (my user) > Library > Application Support > iWeb. I've uploaded here for your convenience.)

It's very helpful, but being a trainer myself and having seen people resist tech support's most common recommendation, RTFM I decided to add a little to the planning process.

1. There are many themes you can choose from for your web site.
   • The theme is the overall look and feel of the site - the background graphics, the colors, the fonts, and so forth.
   • As you click on a theme, to the right you will see the different templates that come bundled with that theme.
2. Templates define the layout of each individual page.
   • The templates come with columns and added bits of content to show you the layout.
   • The templates come with "dummy" text. All you have to do is retype in the boxes with your content.
   • You can move the boxes around and you can add more or less content than the dummy text. And you can use the templates for different types of content, but it's easiest to just start with the basics.
   • Try to think of your content as generic stuff: it is mostly text? Use the "About Me" template. Is it mostly pictures or graphics? Use the Photo template. Do you want to add a podcast or audio file? Then use the Podcast template.
3. iWeb will automatically create the site navigation for you as you add new pages, by clicking the plus sign at the bottom of the left column.
   • Then choose the template you want to use for your new page.
   • You can change the name of your pages (e.g. from "About Me" to "Mission Statement").
   • You can also change the order of them, just by dragging them up or down in the left hand list.
4. Some of the templates actually have secondary templates included.
   • For example, if you add a "blog" it will automatically create the main page of your blog, an individual post, and an archives page, which lists all of your previous posts.
   • Likewise, if you create a "gallery" it will create the main page for all of your thumbnails and it will create the individual detail page for each photo as well as the slideshow option. The basic gallery page shows 3 images. All you have to do is create an album in your iPhoto, select all, then drag them right on top of the "dummy" images and voila! You have a gallery page.
5. You can work on your site (and SAVE OFTEN) without publishing it.
   • So take your time and get it the way you want.
   • You can also edit it again and again once it has been published.
6. Build your basic site first, then begin exploring how to add more functionality.
   • Your can let visitors leave comments on any page.
   • You can add an "email me" button anywhere on any page.

Was this helpful? Let me know and I will do more iWeb tutorials. I am thinking about doing a screen cast movie to accompany this post as well.

iWPhone WordPress Plug-in for iPhone & iPod Touch Users

Looking for a mobile interface for your WordPress blog and admin? Shane recently installed a new plug-in on this site, that allows me to see a lean and clean version of our web site when using my iPhone. You can get the plugin from ContentRobot and it works on both the public site and the admin area. And once the plugin is installed, your iPhone will automatically use the mobile version of the site.

On the admin page, you'll see a little checkbox. Changing this setting is location-specific, so you can leave it checked for use on the iPhone but it can stay unchecked when logging in from the web browser on your main computer.

It makes it really easy and much faster to blog from the iPhone or iPod Touch. You have simple choices once you log in: Write, Manage, Comments, Plugins, Users, and Latest Activity. I would have been happy with Write, Manage, and Comments!

The interface is very clean on the admin. Here are a few screenshots of the "Write" interface. It's great for starting a post when I am on the road or out and want to capture an idea or two as I can save without publishing, just like in fully caffeinated WordPress.

Clicking on each of the buttons in the lower part of the screen gives you WordPress functionality with iPhone appearance. Each Category, for example, has an on-off slider just like you find elsewhere on the iPhone.

Limitations
It currently only shows blog posts and not pages, but that is on the agenda for future upgrades.

Cost
The plug-in is free, however there is a PayPal donate button and we made a $5 donation. I am happy to support the open-source developers who are creating things that make my life easier!

Use Google to Find Local Movie Listings

I used to be a fan of Fandango but Shane just told me about using Google to check listings.

It is so fast and easy. Go to google.com/movies and enter your zip code. Next up is a theatre and movie listing, starting with the venue closest to you, and moving out.

Displays show times, ratings, and a link to IMDB to each movie. This is the movie database that lists the actors, story line, etc - great for film fans. There is also a link to the trailer, a map to the theatre (Google Maps of course) and all this is displayed in lean google fashion.

Click on the small graphic to see it full size.

How Not to Have Your Company Do Social Networking

I read this post on Gawker quoting a memo from the boss at Gawker:

Along with Scott's push to update the staff directory, we're asking for a new form of contact information for you, too. We want you to create a Facebook page.
(This request is actually a non-negotiable demand for everyone at Gawker Media, so do read on. This should take you about three minutes to complete.)

This web site had made fun of the publisher Little, Brown earlier for the "decision to make all his Hachette imprint's editors post online profiles on Publishers Marketplace."

I wouldn't think it would have to be said, but listen up peeps! Wanting your employees to blog and network and create online profiles may be an admirable goal, but requiring them to do so is completely counter to the point, or as my colleagues would say, "totally lame." It is a sure sign you do not get it.

This space lives by independent thought and action, not by top-down requirements by extroverted bosses. I appreciate the urge - I consider myself an extroverted boss. But this forced friending will not get you dates at the social networking parties. You turn people off, you invite flaming, and IMO, you're wasting time too.