Posts from — March 2008

Israel, over at FatManUnleashed has started a new social media site dedicated to all things health related. Evidently, Health Ranker has been live for about a month and has been welcomed with open arms……….

“Having been health blogging for about 9 months now, I noticed that were was a huge void in the health news sector. Despite the multitude of social media news and voting sites available, there was not one dedicated to the health niche. I have become increasingly frustrated with the current “big dogs” in social media news sites, so I set upon making my own.”

Israel has certainly tapped into a market that the social sites seem to have been neglecting and from the looks of it, Health Ranker is on its way to becoming one of the more popular of the voting/networking sites in the health news arena.

Several weeks ago, someone Twittered about Scott Monty’s post on Guy Kawasaki’s new site, Alltop, and being a big fan of Scott’s, I clicked on the link. After perusing the site, I found myself scratching my head and uttering the proverbial, “why didn’t I think of that”, as I humbly submitted Social Media Mom for consideration.

In a nutshell, Alltop is a one stop shop for the best content on the web, categorized by topic…….

“You can think of an Alltop site as a “dashboard,” “table of contents,” or even a “digital magazine rack” of the Internet. To be clear, Alltop sites are starting points — they are not destinations per se. The bottom line is that we are trying to enhance your online reading by both displaying stories from the sites that you’re already visiting and helping you discover sites that you didn’t know existed. In this way, our goal is the ‘cessation of Internet stagnation.’”

The feeds are updated every ten minutes and if your site does not support RSS they can’t support your stories. I know this to be true because when Guy listed Social Media Mom in the social media category I was in the process of switching over to Wordpress and I had to make some changes to my RSS feed in order for the switch to take effect on Alltop.

Alltop is fantastic idea and as far as I know, there is nothing else like it, as of yet. Surely others will try to compete but Alltop has set the standard and since the next phase of the web seems to be leaning towards discovery and not as much about search, I would have to agree with Buzz Bruggeman when he says,

“Alltop for the web is a bit like the World Wide Telescope for the sky. A whole new way of looking at ideas that may have been there before, but you never knew they existed, or perhaps never had them quite in focus.”

Social Media Mom did not make the list, the BigList that is. So in my attempt to make the next big list, I thought I would explain what the BigList is and how to get on it……….

“a collection of over 400 blogs maintained by the staff at TopRank Online Marketing. This edited list includes blogs that cover a range of internet marketing topics ranging from SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay per click) to blog marketing, marketing with social media and online public relations.”

To get on the list you must post at least once a week on topics that pertain to search marketing. Other things to consider would be your blog’s design, usability, writing style and quality of the content.

Here are some of my favorites that made this week’s list:

aimClear Search Marketing Blog

Esteban Panzera

Ignite Social Media

Learning SEO Basics

Pandemic Blog

SEO Smarty

Social Desire

Congrats to all who made the BigList and to those who didn’t, well it gives us something to strive for.

Several months ago, I was contemplating putting together a list for this blog because we all know that every serious blogger’s got to make at least one resource list, right? As a result, I got in contact with fellow work at home mom and social media expert, Shana Albert, to discuss an idea I had. I was blown away! Not only because Shana was extremely helpful, but because she sacrificed her valuable work time, to essentially, encourage a total stranger (me) in my quest to develop the “perfect list“.

Since then, it has been a privilege to get to know Shana through various interviews in and around the blogosphere as well as through her own blog, Social Desire. I have found her to be not only honest, smart, and humorous in her posts, but above all gracious in the social networks she participates in.

So without further ado, here is a candid e-mail interview with Social Media Expert and Mom: Shana Albert………….

1. You are undeniably one of the most prominent women of the social media revolution. Tell us a little about yourself and what got you interested in social media in the first place?

Well, I don’t know about that, but thank you for such an amazing introduction.

I’m a Mom and an Internet Entrepreneur. I’m fortunate enough to be able to work out of my home, so I’m home to take care of and bring up my children. However, since I have been out of the full-time “real world” Work Force I’ve been working more hours than ever.

2. Many folks are trying to get into social media, and some just don’t get it. There is often a misunderstanding of “using a community for traffic” vs. “being a valuable member of the community”. Can you give us an idea of how you explain social media to the “newbie”?

Social Media is and should always be about Community. That is what Social Media is all about. Plain and Simple. If you aren’t a valuable member of the Community you won’t last very long there. If the community senses that you are gaming it they will let you know it one way or the other…. Just like you would know in a “Real World” Community if you weren’t welcome. If in a Real World Community you were “Gaming” it the community would make you aware that they don’t appreciate it. You better believe that if a “Virtual World” Community felt you were gaming it…. They would let you know.

I wrote a post a few months back about using analogies to explain Social Media to people. I’ve learned that using analogies is a great way to explain things that are normally difficult to explain. I usually compare social media to something they already understand. For example, I compared Social Media to High School, Shaun at Grin & Grumble explains Social Media by talking about swimmers in a pool (Social Media being the Pool and Bloggers being the different types of swimmers in the Pool of Social Media), there is even an amazing analogy comparing a symphony orchestra with social media. So, you see, using analogies is an amazing way to explain Social Media to a newbie. Just find a topic that interests them and compare Social Media to that.

3. Tell us about the blogs you write for and the sites you maintain?

I own a Social Media Blog called Social Desire. This is where I write about Social Media and Web 2.0. Ever since I started participating in Social Media activities I have fallen head over heals in love with it. Social Desire is where I write about my desire for Social Media and Web 2.0.

I am also one of the authors on Collective-Thoughts. Collective-Thoughts is a group blog made up of some of the most amazing social media minds out there and I’m honored to write along side of them. I also own a bunch of other websites and blogs. I don’t just stick to one topic. My websites are made up of many different niches. I have many interests, and designing / writing for different websites keeps me from getting bored. I am lucky enough to be able to do a little work here and there on many topics that interest me. Although, I would like to work on my static websites more often…. I just don’t have as much time as I would like.

Much of my time is taken up by running my e-Commerce site. I designed my own Preschool Curriculum that I sell. So, this particular business takes up much of my workday.

4. What are your favorite social media sites and which have been the most effective in sending traffic subscribers and comments to your blogs?

My favorite Social Networking sites right now are StumbleUpon, Sphinn, Twitter and Facebook. They are each very different from each other, but very special to me in their own way. My workday is extremely busy and the time I have available for social networking in a given day is limited. I stick to these four because I feel that they give me exactly what I need in the least amount of time. I just don’t have any more time than I already give to social network.

StumbleUpon is very good for sending traffic your way. Plus, I have discovered so many websites stumbling around that I just probably wouldn’t have come across with out it.

Sphinn is the Social Networking Community where my heart is. I’ve met a lot of people that I feel will be my friends and colleagues for life. And, if your site is about SEO, Marketing or Social Media this is the Social Networking site for you.

Twitter and Facebook are a ton of fun and great for networking through quick messages and fun games. This is a different method of social networking than the other two, but equally effective in a much different way. Communication is a great way to keep your name on the minds of the people within the Community.

5. I have seen you Twitter about your kids and having them home from school for a sick day, snow day, etc. how do you arrange your day based on their schedules and priorities?

Hahaha… I don’t arrange. My life is in constant chaos.

My children always come first. So, their needs and activities also come before mine. I plan my days, but they don’t always follow this plan. Their needs get pushed in between my list of projects all the time. It is how my life is…. How it has always been. I’m not sure if I even know how to work any other way. I think I’m more structured in chaos…. Is that even possible?

6. About 12 yrs ago I was a mystery shopper when my oldest child was just a little guy. You have written many posts about how to be a mystery shopper, pet sitter and more. What are your memories of your earliest jobs?

Ooooh, what a fun question!!

Most of my memories of jobs early on (teen years) were more about being social…. Ironic, huh? I took a job if it paid at least minimum wage, sounded half-way decent, but most importantly… I would be working with people I enjoy to be around. My memories of jobs back then are filled with a lot of fun and laughter. Some of my earliest jobs were babysitter, Hostess, keypuncher, salesperson in a toy department, and a bank teller. The bank teller job I interviewed the day after I graduated from High school. That was my first Professional Job after High School and before College. I didn’t go to College until I was 21, so I had many years of working professionally first.

7. What do you consider to be your best personal strength in social media?

I would have to say honesty, integrity, morals & values.

Looking back at how far I’ve come in Social Media in the past 6 months has led me to believe that my success is because I’m being the real me…. The only me I know how to be. I treat people with respect. I treat people the way I want to be treated myself. I follow the same principles that I was taught as a young girl and I follow the same principles out in the real world. There is no reason why I would act any other way in my Social Networking communities.

8. What is your advice to moms, like yourself, wanting to get started with a career online, maybe with an e-commerce store, or hoping to make money from a blog?

Be ready to work hard because it is not going to be easy. But, it can be done. A mom can do quite well running a business out of her home. But, she must understand that simply creating a website or blog is not going to bring in customers or work. Plus, there are a lot of sites out there promising Moms the world. Moms have to be very careful not to fall for false promises. She needs to trust her instincts. If a website is promising her a fortune and something doesn’t feel right…. It probably isn’t.

9. What do you want your children to know about social media and what steps are you taking to make sure they are protected online with networking sites like Facebook and MySpace?

Your children and Social Media needs to be taken seriously and with a lot of precautions. I am very careful when it comes to my children spending time online. Obviously, my 4 and 6 year old are too young to be spending anytime at all online without me. And, certainly they wouldn’t be a Community Member at any of these Social Networking sites like MySpace or Facebook. However, I have a son that will be turning 12 later this month. He is at the age that not only should I be concerned, but I need to keep being involved in his time he spends online.

His time online is limited. He is not a member of MySpace or Facebook. He is just way too young. There are children’s communities that he is a member of, but again I limit the time he spends there. And, every night I check to see where the children went during their travels online. I have software installed on the family computer to keep the children safe if I do walk away. And, I involve myself in most if not all of their internet travels. And, I think that is soooo… important.

I hope you all have enjoyed getting to know Shana as much as I have. She is an asset to the community and I am honored to call her “friend”. Thank you so much Shana!

I was invited by a blogging friend of mine to join Ximmy. Having never heard of it I thought I just better check it out and I found some very interesting things.

For starters, Ximmy is similar to sites like Digg, Mixx, etc. in that users submit content, video and photos that can be voted on and made popular. The unique thing about Ximmy, however is the fact that you can actually get paid for the submissions you make, comments you make, and posts that go “hot”……..

“We are the first company to reward you for your contributions to our community through points that you can redeem for cash. Just register for an account. (It’s free!) You will earn points for submitting stories and posting comments. When your story is published to the home page, you will receive 15 points. Once you hit a points bracket, you can redeem the points for cash at any time. Payments are made via PayPal.”

It breaks down like this:

Points Earn:
1 point - Story Submitted
1 point - Comment
15 points - Popular (homepage)
Points Rewards
1,000 $10
1,800 $20
3,200 $40
6,000 $80
12,000 $160
20,000 $300

Seems like a lot of work to me just to get a couple of bucks. This also brings up that same old question of “quality content”. Are people submitting stuff just to get paid or is it quality submissions? I understand the idea and I think they are trying to find a way for users to actually benefit financially from a social news site but honestly, this really opens the door to all of those that quickly learn how to abuse the system.

photo via Why Not Studios

A recent article at Reuters.com says, “an inability to leave home without a cell phone, to relax without constantly checking email or to stop using the Internet” are worry signs that someone could have an addiction to technology.

Evidently, an addiction to technology can be just as harmful as any other addiction in that it can ruin family relationships and work relationships. Now, I have four kids, so the fact that I never leave home without my cell phone is indeed not because I am addicted to technology but because I want to be accessible in case a teacher or school nurse were to call me about one of my kids.

But what about the fact that while out to dinner with my family, I was reading Twitter updates, and when we had company over the other night, I would periodically check my e-mail, does that make me addicted to technology or just passionate about social media?

What if social media is your career? Aren’t we constantly depending on news sites, microblogging, and RSS feeds to inform us of breaking news? If I would rather Stumble than watch football on tv with the rest of the family does that make me a StumbleUpon addict?

Brian Reeder calls it OSS, Over Social Syndrome, and says there is no way to combat it as he is a sufferer himself……….

• Neglecting your friends, family, work, social life?
• Find yourself obsessing over how many diggs a post has, if it’s “hot”, what reviews people left, how many thumbs it has?
• Constantly checking to see if it “made front page”, or is “recently popular”?
• Find yourself talking about social media to anyone that will (or won’t) listen?
• Scorn the “lessers” of the social world who don’t have as many friends/as good of stats as you?

You probably suffer from OSS, or “Over Social Syndrome“. You are obsessed- nay- addicted to social media and the constant scream of its potential and competition.”

So, what do we do? Well the first step is, of course, admitting you have a problem, that you are powerless over social media and that your life has become unmanageable. Then, well, get over yourself, tell your family to leave you alone while you watch your last blog post race to the top of the Digg charts.

There’s a great discussion going on over at Dosh Dosh about whether or not one should display their Feedburner feed count on their blogs. Evidently, Maki is questioning the purpose behind it……

“Is it just for bragging rights? Or does displaying your feed count encourage more readers to subscribe to your feed while revealing the popularity of your blog?”

According to Maki, a thousand subscribers is a good indication of a blogs influence and therefore he is waiting to hit that goal before displaying his readership.

This got me thinking about the fact that I don’t even really use my RSS reader anymore to find out what is being said in the blogosphere. In fact, I go to Twitter when I sit down at my computer to get the latest and greatest news in the blogosphere every morning. So what if bloggers were to display their Twitter followings instead of subscribers? It certainly does seem to be evolving into a measurable analytic for a blogs popularity to say the least.

For example, Mark Dykeman is doing an interesting Twitter experiment that I believe will prove my point. Mark is increasing the amount of people he follows on Twitter to see if they come and read his blog. Mark’s experiment is based on Kevin’s experiment on the BuzzNetworker blog……….

“Last weekend in a fit of boredom and procrastination I decided to follow around 1000 Twitter members on my twitter account just to see what would happen.

Statistically the results can be measured as:

1) I gained over 300 new followers on Twitter, basically gave me a 33% success rate. In all my time of playing around on social networking sites that is the highest rate of acceptance I have seen.

2) I received over 400 page views to my blog within a week of adding these Twitter members.

3) There was a small bump in RSS subscribers to my site, but I can’t say with any certainty that it was from twitter followers.”

Twitter is the epitome of blogging and networking not only because it gives you quality information in 140 characters or less but it’s more personal than an RSS reader. It also gives people a chance to be the first to Stumble new posts and promote fresh topics in a way that RSS can’t due to time and space perimeters.

So, what am I saying? What if, instead of displaying how many Feeburner subscribers we have, we displayed how many Twitter followers we have. Would that make you stop and consider becoming a follower and regular reader? Would having a thousand followers increase your influence in the blogosphere like page rank and subscriptions do? Maybe not in every niche but certainly in social media and I believe it is leaning in this direction. What do you think?