Nancy

The New Face of Networking

Posted on November 1, 2009

Recently a financial services provider for Clockwork (the Geek Girls have day jobs at Clockwork) sent a note asking us where we network for business. I assume our contact was hoping to meet other small business owners like us and thinking that attending such events would be the best way to do that. Without thinking I started to answer, but it was tougher than I thought to come up with any kind of meaningful list of networking events that I attend regularly to connect with business contacts. I stopped trying and simply responded that the majority of significant connections I’ve made over the last few years have been made via social networking. In fact, I had tweeted only days prior that I was struggling with a particular experience with this financial services provider and, while I received several responses from competitors, I heard nothing from anyone from the brand itself. It was unfortunate, actually, because this is no small brand. In fact it’s huge. The idea that they seem to have a very minimal (if they have one at all) social marketing presence seems sort of backwards.

Later that day I did an informational interview with a freelancer looking to make new business connections for new work. While discussing her desire to find new opportunities and people in my network with whom I could connect her, I asked the question, ‘What are you doing with social?’ She responded by admitting, as so many people do, that she didn’t really see the usefulness of it — especially Twitter. I suggested that Twitter might actually be a very valuable tool in her quest for connections because, via Twitter, she’d have access to people she never would have opportunity to meet in any other setting.

Both of these conversations got me thinking about how some business and professional individuals still view social media. They see it as too much ‘social’, there’s not enough business value. The Geek Girls always say that we’re not here to sell our readers on social media. But I would suggest that those among you who still think it’s mostly fluff, might want to look start ‘listening’. Tune in to those people on Twitter that you know and respect in a professional capacity and then start to leverage their networks. See who they follow and start listening to more peripheral conversations. If you’re curious you should know that Twitter doesn’t work like Facebook because you can follow just about anyone. And if you decide to participate you have that option, as long as you are contributing in a relevant, authentic way. In essence, you can leverage your contacts’ networks to determine those among them that could be beneficial for you to know and, ultimately, introduce yourself to them and participate in conversations with them. It requires an investment of time and attention. But the opportunity is not insignificant.

When the Geek Girls are out talking to people about technology and social media I often talk about how we have opportunities to be better friends because of the connections social networks have enabled for us. I know that I am a better friend because of what these services bring to my relationships. Life is busy. Being a mom and a professional and a person with interests, social networks have allowed me to connect and reconnect with my friends on my terms. It may be late at night, I might be exhausted or in my pajamas, but I can make contact with my friends, catch up on their lives and their families and the things that are important to them, and remind them again that I care and I’m here. But these sorts of interactions are not reserved for our personal lives only. We can also make and foster new connections for business. And I would suggest that business networking is equally as difficult for some in real life for some of the same reasons. Using a tool like Twitter gives us access to people we need on our terms. We can learn from them, converse with them, make an impression on them, perhaps even influence them, all on our own time and our own terms. Perhaps even late at night in our pajamas.

I can join and participate in my professional associations, but my free time is so rare and so valuable that the events they produce really have to provide some serious value. Getting a babysitter or coordinating with the rest of my family or sacrificing family time or the time I need to actually get my work done are all difficult prospects. I am not alone. Most people I know are very selective about the traditional networking and continuing education events they attend. But when you consider the potential that social media offers, suddenly you’re confronted with the idea that there are now, for the first time ever, far fewer than six degrees separating each of us from just about anybody.

Don’t get me wrong, the Geek Girl’s also say that, whether you’re a brand trying to have a presence for social marketing, or a person trying to engage with friends, family or professional connections, we do not recommend that social networks take the place of real-time interaction. Social media is ‘in addition to’, not ‘instead of’. But wow, the potential for access and first contact is huge. Where you go from there is up to you. Don’t discount this social revolution on the web. It’s moving like this because there really is something to it. My recommendation is — start listening and see what you hear. And, if you’re the financial services provider I mention earlier in this post — call me. I’ve got a few tips for you.

Where Does Content Come From?

Posted on October 27, 2009

I am a horrible client. I am one of those people who finds myself prefacing many conversations with ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ Recently, when discussing the content needs for a client’s website, we were addressing the elephant in the room — the logical reason for a blog for their business, the potential for real contribution to an industry dialogue, and their feeling of overwhelm when confronted by the responsibility of creating that much content. They aren’t alone. I hear this every day, from clients in every industry who want to take advantage of the fluidity of the web, and the new channels for communicating a message. But the idea of committing to regular blog entries, or having to think of interesting ideas that often, just leaves them stymied. And believe me, I get it. I get overwhelmed with the responsibility of my work, my life and then, on top of all of that, this blog. Life is overwhelming. Being interesting is just not easy. So I thought I’d share with you what I share with clients — just a few inspirational pointers to help get you started down the path to creating compelling (relatively speaking) content.

This thing that is happening on the web right now with Social Media has everybody talking because there is a lot to talk about. All of the connections and conversations and industries and ideas are exciting to watch and to learn from and to participate in. You can start by listening in on your industry or those conversations that touch on topics around which you feel passionately and find room for your own voice. I try to encourage clients to participate in the dialogue because, quite simply — that is content. Respond to conversations that are already happening. Bring them back to your blog and take a position. Whatever it is – whether you agree or disagree–your contribution adds richness to the discussion. I think people often believe they need to comment on a blog post or article and that must be the end of their interaction with the material. Really, there’s nothing wrong with taking it home and expanding on your comment, your opinion, your reaction to the piece and encouraging others to do the same. Participating in conversations that are already happening will also expand your network, or potentially establish your voice as that of an industry expert.

I have one client who is, for all intents and purposes, a teacher or business coach. This particular person interacts with large audiences of people in classroom settings every single day. And she’s exceedingly passionate about the work that she does because, in her mind, and based on quantified data, she’s changing these businesses for the better. But the very thought of blogging adds yet another thing to her mile-long list and that is one thing too many. Here’s the deal – oftentimes you ARE your content. You’re creating content every day in your engagement with your clients and customers. Find ways to capture and share easily digested pieces of that on your blog. In her case a Flip Camera is an easy, affordable way to not only capture clips of the work she’s doing, but also to tap into her audience for their reactions and response to what they learned. One session with a live audience could potentially fuel many blog posts with rich and engaging content. Taking some video every time means she’ll build a really resource-rich library that could prove a real asset to her blog and her company.

There are even simpler ways to address the content dilemma. Talk to the people around you, the people you work with, perhaps, and brainstorm topics that you think need to be tackled. Talk to your audience — what are their expectations? Ask them for feedback, questions, contributions. Invite other industry leaders to guest post on your blog. Distribute responsibility for content topics across your organization. Don’t try to manage the overwhelm alone. Talking to people plants the seeds of content. That is the first step.

Let me be clear — this post is not at all a guide around content strategy. There are additional considerations that I’ve not touched here. But I am suggesting that you needn’t be overwhelmed to the point of silence by your need for content. It just requires a shift in thinking about what constitutes good content and where we get our inspiration. At the end of the day, if you love what you do and you are willing to talk about it and share your passion and just plain participate — you’ve got yourself some content.

Podcast #3: Social Media for Job Searching

Posted on October 19, 2009

In our third podcast we talk about some ways to think about social media for job searching. It’s more exciting than it sounds! (Not really, but just go with it.)

Listen Online

Click the cute little button below to stream the audio in your browser window.

Overview

Think about three things:

1. Using social media (blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) as ways to generate content about yourself that exposes your smart, savvy brain to potential employers (or people that could help you find potential employers).

2. Using social media to build and expand your network. Find and reach people in your industry that you previously would have had no access to. (Like, on Twitter: follow hashtags for events that are attended by the people you are trying to reach. I mentioned #mimasummit as an example.)

3. Do your homework! You now have NO EXCUSE for showing up to an interview not knowing about the company and the work they do. Set yourself apart from a field of applicants by knowing, and caring, about the organization you’re interviewing with.

Technology-Enabled Parenting

Posted on September 23, 2009

The other day I was surfing the radio and I landed on a discussion on talk radio about parents who text when they are with their children — in the park, at home, wherever. The debate centered around one mother having witnessed another mother sitting on a bench texting on her phone instead of interacting with her child on the playground. The eyewitness mom had a real problem with the texting mom — she really felt like the texting mom was neglecting her little one. The radio host was inviting people to call in and give their opinions. Texting while parenting: good or bad? I couldn’t call; I had reached my destination. But my first thought was this: parents need to stop judging each other. Just. Stop.

We should know better! Being a parent is hard. Every parent is different, and every parent needs to determine a way of parenting that works for them and for their children. It’s not really for the rest of us to say what that should look like. If children are fed and cared for and if there is love — the rest is really up to each family to decide. (Yes, there are exceptions to every rule and no, I’m not going to discuss them here.) As a Geek Girl, and a parent, I am so deeply appreciative of how technology has enabled me to be a more present, available mother that I want to talk about it here.

I was raised in a home where both my parents worked. I grew up in a relatively small town in Michigan where most moms (or at least the mothers of my friends) either did not work, or did not have jobs that kept them very far away from their families. Not so in our house. My mom is a physician, and when I was a kid she was at the height of her career. I know that my mother’s career shaped my view of the world and, more specifically, my sense of what the world had to offer me. I never doubted my potential. But when I look back on my childhood, I don’t remember my mother ever coming to a playground with me. When she talks about me as an infant, she says she changed maybe a handful of diapers. My father and other caregivers did the bulk of the diaper changing. My goal, as a parent, was to be more present for my little guy. Technology: my laptop, my mobile device and wi-fi, has allowed me to do exactly that.

My work is such that, if I don’t have client meetings scheduled, I can do it from just about anywhere. Deadlines are my only real time constraints. Certainly, the world expects me to be available and in my office during general business hours, but there’s a lot of flexibility there. Thanks to technology, I am not tethered to my place of business, or a desk, or a desktop computer, or even hours in the day. My mobile device allows me the freedom to be physically present for my son, while also being easily accessible to my staff. Am I ever entirely focused on my phone while I am with my son? I really hope not. But sometimes I have to strike an unpleasant balance. Sometimes I do have to answer a call or a text or spend more time dealing with an issue than I would prefer. But that’s the deal: I get to go to the playground, or take off early to go play, or stay home and take care of him when he’s sick. And our family has worked out a schedule that means limited daycare time for him in any given week. We’re comfortable with daycare, too, because of the social interaction with other kids. I feel good about the balance we’ve been fortunate enough to strike. But here’s the deal: I can only speak for what works for ME and MY family. I have no business judging anyone else’s choices. It’s also probably not healthy for me to compare myself to other mothers. There are always mothers better than me, more available, making cupcakes, or scrapbooks or knitting hats. I can only do the best that I can do.

My 3-year-old has opinions. It isn’t unusual for him to slam my laptop shut if I am working on a Saturday and he’s had enough. I get frustrated, sure. But I also listen to him. I walk away when he needs me to. I guess it’s just like anything — balance is critical. It makes no sense for me to go to the park and entirely ignore my child. There are times when I owe my son and my family my complete attention. Mornings, mealtimes, bedtime: those are sort of sacred around here. (Again, there are exceptions to every rule, and no, I’m still not discussing them here.) There are also times when I owe my business or my clients my complete attention. The rest of the time my life looks like something in between. Because, it’s about that balance.

So, if you see me in the park with my kid, cell phone in hand, texting madly just know this: I’m doing my best. I’m conscious of my choices. And technology has allowed me to be present for him. I am paying attention to my life. And other moms (especially the judgmental ones) should just pay attention to theirs.

Get A Life – Be A Facebook Fan

Posted on August 16, 2009

Recently a Facebook friend of mine noted in his status message that JCPenney’s fan page had over 43,000 fans. He received several comments on the post, one of which suggested that this number was proof that people on Facebook ‘have no life’. That comment got me thinking about why, in fact, it was important for JCPenney to establish this fan page (which, by the way, currently boasts more than 487,000 fans) and why those people that identify as fans actually do have lives — relatively thoughtful lives, in fact. It should be acknowledged that I am *not* a documented Facebook fan of JCPenney’s. I have no real attachment to the retail chain or the brand and I don’t do any work for them. But it is worth examining what value JCPenney could see from a Facebook fan page, and why Facebook members would want to make their brand interest and loyalty official.

Its funny how people that are *on* Facebook could actually call out other members of Facebook for having ‘no life.’ We all have our own reasons for being there, and when we joined the network, I doubt we expected that one of those reasons would be to declare our loyalty or interest in one, or many, brands. But the fact of the matter is – brands are recognizing the importance of ‘going where the people are’. And if current stats are correct – the population of Facebook makes it the 4th largest country on the globe. You can’t deny the sheer penetration of Facebook as a brand and a service. The opportunity to get in front of millions of users in short order surpasses that of any other medium.

Let’s face it, the past couple of years have been rough on people all over the world. The global economy has taken a dramatic nosedive and people don’t know which end is up or when they can expect things to turn around. Consumers need more than their base desires to influence purchases. They need a *reason* to buy. And they need a reason to choose one retailer over another. Only 14% of people actually believe advertising (according to Marketing To The Social Web by Larry Weber). The rest of the population needs something else. They need to trust products and brands. They need endorsements from real people, trusted friends and colleagues. They need relationships with brands. We don’t spend money as easily as we did a few years ago. We need reasons to part with our hard earned cash. Connecting with a brand on Facebook gives us the opportunity to have these kinds of relationships.

Connecting with brands in the social space is a two-way street. As a consumer, I enjoy that sense of exclusivity. I am part of this test audience to run ads by, or to extend special, Facebook-only offers to. Perhaps I am informed of sales and limited product roll-outs early. Or maybe I just see next season’s back-to-school line before the general public. I have an opportunity to plan ahead for shopping, perhaps set aside cash instead of tapping into credit. Whatever the case, because I have this relationship with a brand, in this case, JCPenney, I am a more active consumer, versus passive — someone waiting until I need something and then heading to the closest retailer to get it, or the retailer that dominates the market in which I reside. Because my experience with that brand is likely to be integrated into my experience with Facebook, I can participate in brand conversations, even passively, several times a day. JCPenney has nearly a half million fans currently. That leaves the potential for engagement with hundreds of thousands of consumers at least once every single day.And when you consider that a fan page is free — the investment is really around resources. The conversations themselves are already happening. Facebook is just another channel for consumer conversations. The primary difference being these conversations have the potential to be two way. And, and this really critical, consumers can contribute to the public conversation. The brand is on the hook to be exactly who they say they are. Because if they aren’t truly authentic, consumers will call them out in this very public space.

The brand benefits too. They have a captive audience. They can monitor conversations they start. There’s viral potential around the content they put out. They are actively invited into the social experience of their constituency. They have opportunities to change audience perceptions around the brand. For instance – in the case of JCPenney, the conversation that ensued as a result of this Facebook commentary on the fan page was around private label blue jeans brands. Like Sears had Toughskins. It was news to me, but apparently JC Penney had a private label brand of their own. The comment centered around this group of friends and their history of experiences with the brand. But the brand has evolved. Those private label brands are no longer synonymous with low quality and JCPenney having a presence on Facebook gives them an opportunity to revise audience impressions of the brand and correlating products. This isn’t your mother’s JCPenney. This retail chain is all grown up. They are in tune with consumer expectations around trends, quality and price. And through their presence on Facebook they have opportunity to tell that story day after day.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of addressing the value to the consumer and the value to the brand. Once the conversation starts it is perpetuated by all of the players. But we aren’t so far away from brands any more that they aren’t listening to us, and we aren’t influencing how they evolve. One could actually argue that those people that signed on as Facebook fans of JCPenney early in this game really did have lives. In fact, they probably lead relatively thoughtful lives and hopefully are using these social connections to extend that thoughtfulness to their buying behavior.

Have An Idea? Leave An Idea. Need An Idea? Get An Idea.

Posted on July 23, 2009

Here at the Geek Girls Guide we’re constantly talking about ways in which people can empower and enrich their lives by embracing even the simplest technology. Our mission is to start a movement of people unafraid of tech — we want to make adventurers of even the most tentative of adopters.

Recently we facilitated a rather controversial conversation on this blog. People from all over contributed opinions, criticism, feedback and ideas to that discussion and it got us thinking — how can we continue the best of that dialogue? We decided to create a space on our website for ideas and conversation around them. It seems simple, but in this crazy digital age information moves at the speed of light and ideas happen and are lost in a blink. Some people have brilliant ideas and no interest in realizing them. Other folks are constantly looking for ideas to bring to fruition. And, in some cases, ideas are just seeds that, when planted, can grow into something much bigger than originally thought.

We decided (with the help of Geek Girls Men’s Auxiliary member and uber engineer Matt Gray) to create a little idea incubator here on Geek Girls Guide and open it up to you, our readers and community, to contribute to it. If you add an idea you’ll see that other people can vote on it, or discuss it in the comments. Share your ideas around making the interactive and technology industries places where men and women collaborate, communicate and create together. Or maybe you have a product idea, or ideas for non-profits that might help them further their mission. Maybe you have an idea for a new non-profit that fosters healthy attitudes about technology or funds technology education in urban areas. Whatever it is, your innovation, brain power and feedback is valuable to this process. We want to find the best ideas and the people in the industry willing to help make them happen. Together, we can create change. Join us. Join the conversation. Join the movement.

The One In Which I Rant About The Misuse Of Social Media By Companies And Executives

Posted on July 21, 2009

Recently the Geek Girls talked to a group of emerging women leaders about the merits of social media in promoting both personal and professional brands. It was a great session and afterwards we found ourselves immersed in lengthy discussion about trying to separate the personal from the professional (in short — get over it). In attendance at the event was a group of interns from a very large financial services firm. One of them approached me with a question that she asked in a very hushed tone. “Can I remove a picture of myself, from Facebook, if it is someone else’s picture?” She looked slightly nervous as she waited for me to answer. And when I answered in the negative she looked crestfallen. “You can remove the tag that identifies you,” I replied. “But you are stuck with the picture unless you contact the person who put it there and ask them to take it down. Anyone with any amount of sensitivity has got to respect that kind of request.” She seemed satisfied with my answer and I moved on to another question. But a few moments later I turned to her and asked “Is it an embarrassing college party kind of picture?” She nodded, “Yes.”

A few days later the twittersphere enjoyed a minor buzz around the news that a Montana town’s hiring procedures now included requiring job candidates to hand over their log-in information for their Facebook accounts so that their potential employer could see who they really were. I, like everyone else with any sense, was appalled by the nerve of these people. We all wondered if this was legal. The press didn’t serve them very well and shortly thereafter they backed away from this policy.

When we’re out talking about social media the most common questions we field include those around deleting questionable or personally damaging content, specifically pictures, from Facebook. Oftentimes the questions come from young people. However, more often than you think, established professionals harbor similar concerns. The web and social networks make being “social” a whole new ballgame. Of course, my first words of advice are around the terms of use and terms of service for Facebook. We say this all the time, we’ve mentioned it on the blog, but its worth noting as often as possible: when you put things on the web, whether you like it or not, they don’t really entirely belong to you any more. When you share assets like pictures on a social network you’ve essentially given away the rights or ownership of those images. That is something you need to accept and you should operate in accordance with that awareness. Additionally, if you are someone who enjoys recording social events and interactions through words and pictures remember to be sensitive to your subjects, and, if the subject is you, be smart about what you allow to be photographed.

illustration by Rett Martin (@rett)

As Meghan and I walked away from that event that breezy Wednesday evening, I couldn’t help but express my empathy for the young woman who’d expressed concern around the picture her friend had posted of her. But beyond that, I have real concern for human resource professionals and leadership inside of organizations that would condone invading someone’s privacy in a way where they are intending to seek out these sorts of incriminating images. I take issue with leaders who conveniently lack any recall around their own questionable choices or reckless behavior. Because, let’s face it, we’ve all been there. And I think that is my biggest issue. Social media gives us access to a wealth of personal and professional information the likes of which we have never seen before. Whole educational profiles, resumes, work histories, testimonials, personal addresses, family pictures, life histories, and, yes, transgressions, are all documented and available on the web. For the most part, its a very cool thing. We can record and validate experiences and share them with our communities in a way that enriches our connections. But we can also abuse it. And I think the worst abuse happens when we believe we have a right to scour through that kind of information to establish a profile of questionable behavior. After all, context is key. The context in which certain situations occur color the lense that records them.

It’s more than that though. Some of the greatest lessons of my life and career have come from my mistakes or missteps. I have news for you, people: I went to college. I stood around a keg. I drank too much beer, or maybe I wore pants on my head. I don’t remember. But the important thing is — I matured beyond that. I had those experiences, and I moved on. I grew up. And I can honestly say I am probably a more well rounded person because I allowed myself to partake in the ridiculous or, even (gasp) the forbidden. It hasn’t happened yet where a compromising picture of me has shown up on Facebook (unless you count the one where I look like I’m in drag in a dinner theatre show which is scary for sure). But it might. When it does I will likely ask the person posting it to remove it. Or maybe I won’t, just to prove a point. But to act like college is all academics, or that victories in life are the only moments along the path worth recording, is nuts. In the long run, we might be forcing people to be even more deceptive about who they are. Because we all know resumes aren’t always non-fiction. We’ve all been there. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all reframed a professional story so it doesn’t reflect poorly on us. We’ve all been in the wrong place at the wrong time. To deny any of that would be dishonest. Hopefully we’ve all learned from those experiences and they contributed to the professionals we are today. Hopefully we’ve gained some perspective and we can demonstrate some compassion and, by extension, respect the social privacy of job candidates or colleagues or acquaintances.

Social media is here to enrich our lives. Not make us fearful about living them. Let’s not abuse our positions by insisting on access to information we have no right to in the first place. What you condone now, in terms of policy, could always come back to bite you in the end. Put that in your pipe and smoke it (just be sure no one is standing nearby with a camera when you do).

Keeping Your Kids Safe Online, Part II

Posted on May 12, 2009

This is just a brief follow-up post to my previous essay about Keeping Your Kids Safe Online. I’ve had several people send emails asking for links to additional online resources that they can consult for ongoing support in this area. I dug around a little and I found the following websites that might be of interest. If you know of others that I haven’t included, please feel free to add them to the list via the comments on this post.

The first site was actually suggested by a reader and it’s a site sponsored by and managed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children – NetSmartz.org.
The National Crime Prevention Center has info about online safety on it’s McGruff.org website.
The Girl Scouts has a website where girls can talk to each other and girls and parents can get info about online safety. LMK = Let Me Know.

Here’s a list of links to software and web-based tools parents can use to monitor their children’s behavior:

Monitor your child on the web and on their cell phone with websafety.com.
The McGruff site offers a free chat and web filter (McGruff Safeguard) – it monitors intstant messaging, social networks and website visits, just to name a few.
Internetsafety.com has both a home and mobile version of its monitoring software. You can keep a close eye on your kid’s internet usage and interactions on the web and the mobile web — which is a growing concern among parents.
My Mobile WatchDog is another product that allows you to watch your kid’s cellphone activity.

Just to be clear, the Geek Girl’s Guide does not endorse or claim any in-depth knowledge of any of these products. This is just a starting point, a simple resource list for parents to begin to explore the plethora of options available to them for limiting and monitoring their kids online behaviors. I am not a big fan of limiting, unless it becomes necessary. I am a fan of monitoring to inform an active, ongoing dialogue between you and your children.

Stay tuned to the blog for the cell phone safety post I am currently working on. We’ll explore the different types of phones and the different types of monitoring devices available to parents for cell phones.

At the end of the day its communication, involvement and awareness that will keep your kids safe online. Those things don’t come from a software package. They come from you.

The Rules of Engagement (or Why I Said Oprah Doesn’t Get Twitter)

Posted on May 4, 2009

A couple of weeks ago Ashton Kutcher gave me a virtual smack on the nose. Don’t worry. I don’t plan on making this my claim to fame. I had tweeted moments before that he and Oprah didn’t seem to get that Twitter is about ‘tweeting AND listening’ and this was his response. I’ll say here what I said to my buddy Ashton in my reply – I want to be wrong. But I don’t think I am. See, engagement is a two way street. Social media isn’t taking off the way it is because we can more easily push information to the masses, that’s just part of it. It’s become a social phenomenon because of the interactive element – we put information, opinions and content into the universe and people respond to it. We have whole conversations, sometimes in 140 characters or less. But we have them. And sometimes we have them with people we might never have known or connected with had it not been for this digital network. I’ve always said that the web is the great equalizer – it gives us access to people and ideas that 20 years ago would have been impossible to touch. What’s more, because of the web, we can influence those ideas. Social media has taken that a step further by adding immediacy to the equation. I can tweet a question, a news link, an opinion, a conversation starter, and I get an immediate, and sometimes very diverse set of responses. It’s conversation in real time.

Before I got too far down the road in this discussion I wanted to make sure that my perspective on Twitter was accurate. What was the point? I mean — I see what the value is, and how it has evolved, and how the audience has responded to it. But I wanted to understand the thinking that was the impetus for Twitter. I happened upon this February article from the Los Angeles Times that discusses that very thing – why Twitter came to be. The article is sort of fascinating. But the piece that I found really intriguing was this:

The whole bird thing: bird chirps sound meaningless to us, but meaning is applied by other birds. The same is true of Twitter: a lot of messages can be seen as completely useless and meaningless, but it’s entirely dependent on the recipient. So we just fell in love with the word. It was like, “Oh, this is it.” We can use it as a verb, as a noun, it fits with so many other words. If you get too many messages you’re “twitterpated” — the name was just perfect.

“Meaning is applied by OTHER birds.” My issue with Oprah, and even Ashton, is that this social universe isn’t just about collecting followers. It’s about conversing with them. It’s tweeting and listening. It’s hearing them. Real engagement happens between people, not from them. So, while Ashton’s 1 million plus followers, and Oprah’s nearly 900,000 followers are impressive (to someone, I’m sure), they aren’t really the point. When I responded to Ashton’s reply to me I also said that I worry that this kind of communication will just be an extension of the celebrity bubble. I can expand on that here, because it’s my blog and I get more than 140 characters. Those beautiful people in Hollywood that entertain us on the big and small screens are called celebrities because we celebrate them. They are created and supported like any brand and, after a while, they are so insulated from the realities of everyman that they buy into their own celebrity. I mean, come on, how can they not? It’s the only world they know. And we’re as guilty of it as them – -we’re the ones who elevate them and give them this kind of power and hang on their every word. So Oprah really demonstrated a kind of entitlement that must come with celebrity when she signed up for Twitter, tweeted other celebrities right out of the gate, followed only 11 people (to the 900,000 following her), and now tweets every few days about random stuff (when she remembers to tweet). She’s not really responding to anyone. She’s not hearing people respond to her. Essentially what’s happening here is Twitter is another channel for Oprah to broadcast her wisdom.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m no different than any other woman in this country. I love Oprah. I would vote for her if she ran for president. But I still don’t think she gets the *social* part of social media. And that’s fine too. She doesn’t have to. She’s OPRAH, for god’s sake. But what an amazing missed opportunity. For her and for us. Am I naive enough to think Oprah should respond to every nutjob who tweets in her direction? No. Am I stupid enough to think Oprah needs to bump up the people she follows to 900,000? No. But I do wish she’d take an interest in people that aren’t Larry King or Ashton or Demi. Because that’s the beauty of what’s happening here. It’s not our perfect figures or faces, our wallets or our celebrity that matter here (in the social media space). It’s our ideas. It’s our participation. It’s what we add to the experience. It’s how we listen to and respect and interact with others. We’re just birds. Oprah is just a lone tweeter. Tweeting at a wall. A lone bird isn’t music. It needs other birds to create a sound that stops you dead. That cacaphony. That symphony that gets you looking up and smiling and realizing what happens when birds are truly engaged. Oprah needs other birds.