[Just a reminder: These are blogs that I enjoyed reading, for whatever reason. Perhaps they were valuable for me, merely entertaining, thought provoking, were about something I’m interested in (i.e. social media) or potentially something I thought my tribe would enjoy. As always, I would love feedback. Did you catch these posts during September? Did any of these resonate with you? What are some of your most recent favorite reads? Even better, what’s your favorite thing you wrote this year? Share it with me in the comments section.]
December
The Paradise of Please – David Armano (Logic + Emotion)
Doing what David does best, he provides a simple visual that says it all. He says, “Try to please everybody, and you’ll please nobody.” He also discusses trying to please yourself versus pleasing your customers. I know I’m guilty of trying too hard to please everyone (and it’s something I’m working to change soon), what about you?
Bullet Points – Tom Peters
When a new client asked for 5 bullet points to sum up Tom’s upcoming presentation, Tom went above and beyond and offered 27 practical ideas that will transform every organization. Two of my favorites? “Great Execution beats great strategy—99% of the time,” and “No mistakes, no progress!”
‘Hustling’ To Get What You Want – Skellie (Skelliewag.org)
Playing off of Gary Vaynerchuk’s insistence that to succeed you have to hustle, Skellie points out that, “Success with blogging, social media and online entrepreneurship is all about ‘hustle’, in other words, hard work, persistence and most importantly, sacrifice.” Decide for yourself. Could you sacrifice an extra hour of television every day for 50 unique hits a month?
40 Ways to Deliver Killer Blog Content – Chris Brogan
Chris knows these posts are going to be a huge success before he sits down to write them, and they certainly are. With 40 points you can start applying immediately, Chris takes you through the basics, the bigger picture, taking it to the next level, and the encore.
Gen Y in the Workplace Explained – Teresa Wu (Guest post on chrisbrogan.com)
I’m actually growing tired of reading a lot of the same old content about Gen Y, but I thought this post by Teresa really hit the nail on the head in illustrating why Gen Y plays the game differently in the workplace. I can honestly say that I agree with all 6 of her points.
Exclusive Interview with International Celebrity Businessman Don Tapscott – Dan Schawbel (Personal Branding Blog)
Don, the author of Wikinomics and Grown Up Digital offers a lot of insight into ways that both young people and technology are transforming the world. I especially liked his 3 guidelines for educators to tap the Net Gen potential. I definitely wish more marketing departments around the country would take note of those guidelines.
21 of the Best WordPress Plug-ins for New Blogs – Andy Beal (Marketing Pilgrim)
Pretty straight-forward. Instead of keeping all the plug-ins he uses on Marketing Pilgrim, and the advantage it likely provides over new and intermediate blogs, Andy decides to share what he uses as an early Christmas present. I’ve been meaning to go back and add some of these that would be beneficial and applicable to RSM.
Social Media’s Ferrari has Flat Tires – David Armano (Logic + Emotion)
Since David says it so perfectly I’ll just share, “If you’re scratching your head wondering why your socal media initiatives aren’t the bright and shiney object you were sold—it’s time to realize that there is a truth here that goes beyond social media all together. The fact is that it’s hard work to produce something of value. It’s really tough to do something that gets people talking (in a good way), and no amount of strategy can produce trust. Trust comes with time, interactions and has to be proven.” And what I love is that he’s emphasizing the importance of passion and his spewing out all over the page. Brilliant.
Passion vs. Productive – David Armano (Logic + Emotion)
In this post David inspects the differences in passionate employees and productive employees and whether or not organizations are prepared to manage passionate employees (even though they say they want to.) Most organizations need both types. What if you can align passionate employees with their job description?
Tell us Your Most Outrageously Creative Money-Saving or Business Growth Tip – Anita Campbell (Small Business Trends)
This is a fun post that is definitely relevant to our current economic conditions. This is a time when businesses (and people) have to start getting more creative. Anita Campbell asks a panel of prominent business people, authors and business bloggers a simple question to gather ideas for how to be creative in your business. What follows are some really innovative and tangible business efforts from great minds like John Jantsch, Jonathan Fields, and Dan Schawbel.
If You Could Meet One Person – Seth Godin
In this post Seth talks about who could help you build your business. Many people reach out to people that don’t have the time to the initiative to help them. Here’s what Seth says, “In fact, the person who can help you the most is almost always someone who doesn’t appear that powerful on the surface. Remember, it’s not just that they can help you. It’s that they want to help you. Famous people qualify in neither category.”
Fear Kills Businesses, Dead – Brian Solis (TechCrunch)
I think the reason I like this post so much is that it discusses something relevant to our current economic times without being grim and bleak. He first discusses ‘opportunity vs. emotion’ and ‘development vs. revenue generation.’ This provides the perfect segue into 12 targeted and affordable suggestions for building your business in a recession. He also explains why it is important to grow intelligently during this time, and borrows some material from one of my favorite speeches.
Principles for a New Media Literacy – Dan Gillmor (Center for Citizen Media)
This is a reprint of an essay of the same title, recently published as part of the Media Re:public project at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. This is a very long post but if you’re deeply embedded in this space it’s well worth it to read every word. Some of the meat of the post includes ‘Principles of Media Consumption,’ and ‘Principles of Media Creation.” The author explains with why this all matters and leaves you with this question (and it’s an important one): “Are we ready to take the risk of being activist media users, for the right reasons? A lot rides on the answer.”
Data: What are the Benefits of Social Media Marketing? – Adam Ostrow (Mashable)
This post provides a quick snap shot into why your organization or clients should be using social media marketing. It’s a piece you could take to show a boss. Some of the key points are that customer engagement takes the top spot, with 85.4% of respondents citing it as a benefit of using social media marketing, and that most executives still don’t see the medium as having a direct impact on sales.
Top 10 Reputation Tracking Tools Worth Paying For – Dan Schawbel (Mashable)
Precisely what the title of the post says, Dan suggests that it is critical to keep tabs on your brand and then includes what he feels are the top tools do to that. He discusses many of the same brands that have been turning up lately including Radian6 and Andy Beal’s Trackur, but also takes a look at a few I wasn’t familiar with like Sentiment Metrics.
The Canvas Strategy – Ryan Holiday
This is a great and very intelligent post from Ryan. The jist of it, at least for me, was “The canvas strategy involves actively finding outlets for other people – in fact, actually making them better rather than simply looking so.” He also provides three keys to utilizing this strategy and explores why most people’s egos prevent them from appreciating it.
Forget Careers. Blogging Changes Lives – Nisha Chittal
Nisha won the Brazen, “Why I blog,” contest with this eloquently written piece explaining her transition from a lurker to a blogger. I loved this, “The difference between me pre-blog and me post-blog is simple: I went from an invisible, hiding lurker to a real person, and an outlier. Seems simple, but that transformation is empowering in a way you’d never expect.” Take a few minutes and read this 1.) because it is a great story and 2.) because it is beautifully written.
November
Sixteen Great Twitter Moments – David Spark (Mashable)
Here is a great example of Twitter serving as the connective tissue that made some really great moments and opportunities possible.
Reinventing Crisis Communications for the Social Web – Brian Solis (PR 2.0)
This is a somewhat lengthy post, but Brian really delivers the goods. He literally provides a dynamic process to integrate crisis communication into the existing corporate communications and marketing workflow. There’s tons of applicable advice and insights packed into this post. It’s a must read if you’re in PR.
37 Ideas to Grow Your Job Search Network Right Now – Jacob Share (Job Mob)
If you haven’t figured out by now I really like actionable posts that you can immediately start implementing after reading and determining value. During the current economic recession, whether you’re currently job searching or not, you need to start (or continue) building your network right now. Use Jacob’s ideas as a starting point.
25 Ways to Fail and Come Out on Top – Valeria Maltoni (Conversation Agent)
A lot of Valeria’s stuff really resonated with me this month. I am a big believer of failing (albeit failing fast) and learning from those failures to keep progressing a moving forward. This post effectively illustrates 25 different ways to do just that.
10 WordPress Plug-ins for New Blogs – Darren Rowse (Problogger)
This post provides a quick glimpse as some solid plug-ins if you are starting a new blog or just looking for a starting point to add some plug-ins. Unlike some of these other posts I debated about adding to the list because it’s not this though provoking (wish I would’ve thought of that) post, but I went back and included it because I definitely think it could potentially benefit many of my readers just getting started in the blogosphere.
Target Audience or Key Relationships – Why it’s Okay to Miss the Bullseye – Mike Sansone (ConverStations)
Mike discusses how it is important to know your target audience, but if you hit outside that audience, those additional conversational relationships can be beneficial by increasing your visibility, potential for collaboration and more. It’s a short, thoughtful read.
Is Social Media Becoming the New MBA? – Rohit Bhargava (Influential Marketing)
One of the questions I am most often asked is, “Was it worth it to get your Masters degree?” (Yes) I thought Rohit’s take on whether or not an MBA is becoming an optional asset and the possibility of hybrid options (such as social media) offering many of the core benefits and skills people expect to receive from an MBA was both thoughtful and discussion worthy.
The Marketer’s Attitude – Seth Godin
This is potentially my favorite post of the entire month. It’s what I aspire to be as a marketer. I’d like to think that I am very good at many of these (charisma, intellectually restless), but there are others I definitely need to work on (being comfortable with ambiguity). What about you?
10 Killer Resources for Social Media Entrepreneurs – Brian Clark (Copyblogger)
Here’s another post I went back and forth on including, but again decided at least half of these resources would definitely be stuff that you guys might be interested in. Whether you’re deep into social media or just getting started, there’s a resource for you in Brian’s post.
Save Your Career: Start a Blog – Joseph Jaffe (Jaffe Juice)
I featured this piece in a recent post, but I wanted to share it again here. I can’t emphasize enough how many opportunities my blog has brought my way. Blogging is the way to stay relevant during these tumultuous times. Joseph gives you 10 reasons to start the blog and then 5 ways to take the plunge.
Why Start a Blog and 25 Ways to Make it Work – Valeria Maltoni (Conversation Agent)
I told you Valeria was on fire this month! Like Joseph’s blog, I have recently featured this post, but I’m going to continue banging the drum for blogging. Valeria gives valuable insight into both to you and your readers as to why you should start a blog, and then offers 25 tips to making it work for your business.
Answering the Ultimate Question: How do I Convince my Boss of the ROI of New Marketing – David Meerman Scott (Web Ink Now)
There’s a lot of people out there asking me the question of, “How do I convince my boss we need to be involved in social media? How do we measure the ROI of new marketing?” David offers a great video that answers this question both cynically and pratically. If you’re one of the people that has been asking this question, start here in building the foundation for your explanation to your boss.
Change Blindness – Faris (Talent Imitates, Genius Steals)
David Damore was kind enough to share this with me. This is a fun video that showcases change blindness, and shows how we process visual data. This is more fun than relevant, but I promise it’s more interesting than the chain letter your grandma e-mailed you this morning.
Everything is Risky – David Armano (Logic + Emotion)
David writes, “The internet is slightly different. And it’s evolving. It’s unpredictable, messy, organic, empowering, addictive and pervasive. It’s good and bad—highly interactive, responsive, connective and alive. In fact, it’s a lot like life. And like life, with it everything is risky. That’s a good summary of his post, but there’s a bigger takeaway. Please go read it.
The You Show – Seth Godin
I love this post because I really admire the people who put on their show. I can be wildly passionate, very outspoken, sometimes on the fringe of obnoxious I suspect. That’s who I am. On a competitive sports field, I’m don’t have the stoicism of Derek Jeter. I am yelling and fist pumping, and talking a little noise. The thing is in any business situation (particularly with superiors) I’m stoic, soft spoken, and tactful to the point of not necessarily conveying my true thoughts and feelings. Is this good or bad? I’m not sure, but I know that I love the Jeff Widman’s out there that put on their show.
Open Letter to CEOs: Don’t Cut SM Staff – Shel Israel (Global Neighbourhoods)
Being passionate about social media and the ways in impacts businesses makes this a must read for me and anyone that feels the same way. Here’s my favorite excerpt, “This is the time to think about the most efficient way to be closest to you customers, to what’s left of your company ecosystem. You need to be among the first to detect the nuances of your market and adjust. You need to think about the most efficient way to keep in the conversation. ”
The Top 5 Ways to Brand Yourself Inside Your Company – Dan Schawbel (Personal Branding Blog)
I think that when a lot of people think about personal branding they think about me, me, me. The reason I included this particular post from Dan this month is that 3 of his 5 reasons emphasize how personal branding can really benefit others including your team, your company and your boss. Certainly they all help your own personal brand as well, but remember that the best brands thrive on helping the team succeed and that the first person you need to make successful is your manager.
Involve, Create, Discuss, Promote, Measure – Valeria Maltoni (Conversation Agent)
Here Valeria has taken a framework from Gary Hayes and Laura Papworth and expanded on specific aspects showing how someone would progress throughs social media marketing. Who do you think are doing these things well?
October
10 Prolific Bloggers Share Tips on Generating Conversation Blogs – Darren Rowse (ProBlogger)
The title is pretty self-explanatory, but if you’re like me and you’re looking for ways to have a more active comments section then why not get tips from guys like Leo Babauta, Liz Strauss, Jason Falls and other great conversational bloggers.
13 Tips on How to Have Great Conversations on Your Blog – Darren Rowse (Problogger)
Great conversation adds depth to your posts and builds community and reader loyalty. Chances are if you’re blogging you want both of these things, and Darren provides 13 tips that take you deeper into growing conversations (not just getting comments).
Tyler Durden’s 8 Rules of Innovation – Brian Clark (Lateral Action)
You don’t have to have seen Fight Club for this to be a valuable post, but if you have you’ll realize that this is brilliant stuff from Brian Clark. Apparently, Tyler Durden says a lot of things that apply directly to innovative action.
Is Effort a Myth – Seth Godin
Despite what popular media might lead you to believe effort isn’t a myth. Seth explains that effort is directly related to success, and the paradox of effort. At the end of the post, which will most certainly make you think, he provides a few keys to succeeding via effort.
People in the Real World – Chris Brogan
This is a friendly reminder that those of us in the social media space are way ahead of the game, and that the average person has no idea what we are talking about. Chris articulates why we should be the bridge that helps other communities ‘get’ social media. I agree, and as I’m currently experiencing, it’s a lot tougher than you would think.
25 Ways to Build Your Community – Chris Brogan
As your probably realize by now, Chris is phenomenal at providing tangible tips that we as bloggers can go out and put into practice. Many of these are pretty basic and great for a newbie, but there are a couple of hidden gems that even a grizzled blogging veteran might not have thought about.
Twitter is the Ultimate Tease… Does Your Content Tease? – Mitch Joel
One of the things I struggle with is creating good headlines. It’s why I read copywriter’s blogs. In this post, Mitch explains how to create good titles that are bold, provocative, relevant and tease. We’re all busy and looking for quick fixes, that’s why Chris’ post above is so valuable, and with that title you know exactly what you’re getting.
Nine Little Known Traits of Successful Bloggers – Sonia Simone (Copyblogger)
This is a very interesting post that looks into some of traits of successful bloggers that might surprise you. What follows is how being angry, negative or stupid (in the right ways of course) can create breakthrough success on your blog.
Adapting to Change on the Reef – Jeremiah Owyang (Web-Strategist)
Jeremiah provides some valuable advice to companies and people being adversely affected by the current economic conditions. Do companies need to cut off part of their body to stay afloat in the years to come. In addition to a great and relevant quote from Darwin, Jeremiah also offers up some valuable reads with respect to the economy and it’s impact on social media.
The Rapid Growth (And Destruction) and Growth of the Marketing – Seth Godin
On the surface this post was promoting Seth’s new book Tribes, but take a closer look and he’s explaining why mass marketing and yelling at your audience doesn’t work, and how social media reveals a basic human need that we want to be connected, to make a difference and to matter.
Do You Have 16 Boxes? – Seth Godin
This is a must-read if you’re concerned about the health of your personal brand, job, or company during the current economic recession. If one thing is out of sync, don’t let it cause panic, build up the other aspects of your business so that when we come out of this thing, you’re suddenly ahead of the game (and your competitors).
Recommended Web Strategy Reading – Jermiah Owyang (Web Strategist)
Jeremiah graciously assembled some of his best, most visisted, and most commented posts and linked to them all in one blog post. There are some really great and applicable (especially for business) reads about social media in this list. Take the time to read a couple, or bookmark them for future reference.
Would You Like a Job as an Online Community Manager? – Marshal Kirkpatrick
This post covers everything from how to know if your company needs a community manager, what a community managers is, how to prove dissenters wrong, what a community managers does, whether or not it’s worthwhile for a founder/CEO to assume the community manger position, is worth paying for and more.
In Defense of Raising Money: A Manifesto for Non-Profit CEOs (PDF) – Sasha Dichter
Sasha is sick and tired of apologizing for being in charge of raising money. This is his manifesto. This is a must-read if you work in a non-profit industry. It really is brilliant.
We’re All in Customer Service – Valeria Maltoni (Conversation Agent)
This is something I’ve learned within the last year or so as I’ve developed my online business, but there are countless others that don’t realize yet. Valeria explores how technology and the social web allows us to communicate and collaborate more effectively and across a wide variety of mediums. As communicators, marketers, and leaders we’re all in customer service.
Job Search is to _____ as Career Management is to ____ : Follow Up – Jason Alba (JibberJabber)
A very short, very fun post from Jason on some great analogies for job search and career management. He also provides some of the funniest responses he got from his readers doing the same exercise. Keep in mind that both the job search and career management are important, just that they are different.
September
50 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level – Chris Brogan
With all the blogs out there, it’s often very tough to stand out. The fact that this post has over 160+ comments speaks volumes about the value provided. If you’re trying to get over the hump with your blog (most of us are right?) then these 50 ways, sorted by goals, design, content, promotion and business is a great place to start.
The Basics – Chris Brogan
This post showcases eight basics that you (your business) must be capable of, because this is what people are expecting, when you’re working in/with social media.
Set Your Blog on Fire – Chris Brogan
Read Chris’ ‘50 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level’ post and still looking to get over the hump? Trying to turn readers into participants? This post provides great tips on how to both enhance and promote your content.
How to Grow Your Personal Brand – Jason Falls (Social Media Explorer)
A great one-year anniversary post in which Jason adds value for his readers instead of tooting his blog’s horn. Jason’s post features 5-6 actionable tips to help build your personal brand in any industry (not just blogging). But the bottom line, as Jason points out, is to focus on good content and networking.
10 Timeless Business Tips from 10 Millionaires – Neil Patel (Quicksprout)
I haven’t featured Neil before, but this rather self-explanatory post features some great advice from some very respected entrepreneurs such as Guy Kawasaki, John Reese, Jeremy Shoemaker and others.
Success as an Entrepreneur: Why it’s Not About You – Guest Post by Tim Clark (Get Rich Slowly)
This blog post is one that really resonated with me (and I hope will provide you with a similar ‘a-ha’ moment) because it is genuinely what I believe. Tim Clark delivers a real gem here. My favorite line is: “In order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to help other people.”
The Fall of 9-5 Work Days and the Rise of ROWE – Dan Schawbel (Personal Branding Blog)
So, I think I’ve done a better job finding content that caters more towards my Gen Y audience this time? What do you think? Maybe it’s just wishful thinking from me (as a member of Gen Y), but there are few jobs (especially in this medium) where I believe a 40 hour work week is more productive than a results only work environment. To the naysayers, I do think this is privilege your earn, not a right by any means.
Social Networks from Traditional Media Titans and Your Personal Brand – Dan Schawbel (Personal Branding Blog)
Business Week, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal and the NY Times have all embraced social networking in the form of their own social networks. All are great places to go to grow your network and extend your personal brand.
13 Gary Vaynerchuk Tips on Building a Profitable Blog – Darren Rowse (Problogger)
This post features 13 snippets and/or quotes from Gary V’s BlogExpo keynote that Darren Rowse thought were worthy of sharing. Considering what Gary’s done of late, and considering Darren thinks his content is worthwhile, you have no reason not to read it.
Top 5 Corporate Blogging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them David Meerman Scott (Web in Know)
This post from David Meerman Scott is one that was particularly interesting to me because I suspect that one day I might be either doing corporate blogging or consulting corporate bloggers. Additionally, most corporate blogs I check out are crap, and somebody’s wasting their time; this post gets at why this happens.
10 Reasons Lenovo’s Olympic Marketing Program Won Gold – Rohit Bhargava (Influential Marketing Blog)
This is a relatively long blog post, but it highlights one of the best social media marketing campaigns to date. What follows are 10 ingredients for anybody trying to come up with a successful marketing campaign. Definitely a must-read for social media marketing types.
August
At the end of July, I compiled my favorite blog posts from July. To date it has been one of the most widely read posts on this blog and and I got a lot of feedback from other bloggers (even those that weren’t included on the list) to continue showcasing some of my favorite reads for each month.
I was I traveling most of August, and so I’m a little late getting around to it, but here are my favorite posts for the month of August:
I Don’t Care About You – Brian Clark (Copyblogger)
This was a great reminder for me that with few exceptions I need to be writing for you guys, my readers. There’s a lot of egotistical marketers out there, and Brian provides this great antcedote that puts things in perspective.
Why Most Brands Fail at Social Network Marketing – Jeremiah Owyang (Web Strategist)
Jennifer Jones interviews Jeremiah about a Forrester report he did basedon on the best and worst of social network marketing. He discusses some key points (criteria) in being successful, and some of the reasons that 15 of the 16 brands did not pass their test. If you’re interested in social network marketing, it’s definitely worth the 8 minutes of your time.
Nuggets from Business Failure Commandments – John Moore (Brand Autopsy)
This post is basically John sharing some really awesome takeaways from Donald Keough’s, “The Ten Commandments of Business Failure.” He originally shared the takeways via twitter so they’re all very tight. There’s some great quotes from famous people, and some golden nuggets worthy of re-visiting from time to time.
7 Tweaks to Your Social Presence to Reflect Your Expertise – Liz Strauss (Successful Blog)
I don’t know that I’m an expert in anything (except for maybe fantasy sports), but Liz’s post provides valuable insight into leveraging what you do know, and how to enhance your existing social presence.
20 Free eBooks About Social Media – Chris Brogan
I won’t pretend I’ve read all these, but you can always expect great value from guys like David Meerman Scott, Chris Penn, and Brian Solis. I suspect the ‘Marketing Apple’ one also has some solid content. If you haven’t noticed Chris is one of a handful of people that I continually read and draw from; he provides phenomenal, tangible content to his community.
25 Reasons Social Media Can (Should?) Be Anyone’s Job – Amber Naslund (The Brand Box)
Amber has pieced together 25 ways that social media can apply to lots of different job descriptions, no matter what you’re in business to do. Certainly marketing and PR are included, but she also explores how social media can impact other job functions such as brand managers, client services, and business managers. Along these lines, I really enjoy reading about how other professionals (not necessarily in the business world) utilize social media. Chris Brogan had some interesting insights with respect to teachers, pastors, etc. recently.
Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future – Chris Brogan
Chris makes a case for using your linkedin profile to showcase not only where you are currently, but where you aspire to go next. He provides some solid tips on how to make a good first impression, spice up your summary, and how to approach work experience and obtaining recommendations.
Talent is Never Enough, Not Even for Your Blog – Mike Sansone (ConverStations)
Basically Mike took the table of contents from John C. Maxwell’s “Talent is Never Enough,” and substituted the word blogging in for talent. I found it to be a really neat exercise that gave me some valuable phrases I’d like to keep in mind when blogging.
12 New Rules of Working You Should Embrace Today – Leo Babauta (Zen Habits)
This rather lengthy read is worth every minute. This is potentially my favorite read of the month of August, and I can only hope that I get the opportunity (in the very near future) to work for a company that embraces many of these ideas. My favorite might be #3 – Collaboration is the New Productivity.
How to Read – Brian Clark (Copyblogger)
Two absolute gems from Brian Clark on the list this month. This is a great article that gives a very in-depth look into the four levels of reading. Perusing my google reader every morning, I try a lot of inspectional reading, but then I star posts like this one to come back and do syntopical reading so that I develop my own unique perspective and refrain from setting up shop in the echo chamber.
Finally, here’s a couple of great little mini-series’ of posts from Chris Brogan and Dan Schawbel. I think you’ll find them both to be very valuable.
Chris Brogan’s ‘My Best Advice’:
Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Tool Kit:
July
Wow. The summer is flying by. My virtual internship with Seth Godin has more or less wrapped up, though I will still be helping out/participating with another Squidoo project aligned with the upcoming election, and Triiibes, which corresponds with the release of his new book in October.
I still have another two weeks or so with my other internship, and we leave on the 5th headed to Orlando, New York and Washington DC, and won’t return until the 16th. In the meantime, these great reads should keep you busy.
Taking Your Blog to a Community – ProBlogger Blog Tips
This is a post from Connie Benson that was featured on Darren’s blog. The post is chock full of content on how to find new communities, how to reach out to them, and also includes tools and strategies for reaching out to the new communities.
The Future of the Corporate Website Involves People – Web Strategy by Jeremiah
Jeremiah hosted a contest, and asked readers to answer the question, “What is the future of the corporate website in 5 years?” The following post features two phenomenal answers that really gave me something to think about not only for my own website, but if I want to have a future profession in social media.
A Sample Blogging Workflow – Chris Brogan
Chris has probably emerged as one of my top 3 bloggers since I found him this month. (Where have I been?) This is a great post for me when I can’t think of a blog topic, or if I just want to remind myself how to be semi-interesting.
What Social Media Does Best – Chris Brogan
Like the slideshow from above, this post is a great resource if you need to explain to other people what social media does and why it’s becoming an important aspect of marketing.
How to Give a Presentation to Change the World – Conversation Agent
This is a brilliant post and compilation of some great presentations from Valeria. The Benjamin Zander presentation was brilliant. I especially liked this quote, “Remember that there is a difference between a person’s competence and a person’s effectiveness based on their ability to communicate verbally. If you are a good presenter, more action will be taken on your recommendations.”
50 Ways Marketers Can Use Social Media to Improve their Marketing – Chris Brogan
With plenty of big companies starting to use social media, here’s fifty, yes fifty ways to use social media. These are just the start of the conversation, but I suspect out of fifty ways, there will be a few that will resonate; with your blog, with your company?
21 Ways to Make Your Blog or Website Sticky – ProBlogger Blog Tips
This is probably my most favorite post of July. I need to print it out and go through it, like a checklist, and ensure that my blog does most of these things. Consider doing the same.
How Does a Company Dip it’s Toes in the Conversation – Conversation Agent
Having conversations about things that make marketing better is important to me. The notion that social media is important to marketing is important to me. This post is about the convergence of marketing, advertising and PR on the Web and the surrounding implications for the professionals that deal with it. How do you get started?
Essential Skills of a Community Manager – Chris Brogan
Virtually everything I read about community managers leads me to believe I’d be a really good one. Here are 6 really important skills that I think I have a good grasp on, but that I want to continue practicing and being conscious of, hence the importance of this post, at least for me.
New Communication Theory and the New Roles for the New World of Marketing – Brian Solis
Long post, very valuable, read it. “…the future of your business hinges on the ability for champions to arise, implement, and justify the socialization of your company’s ability to listen, empathize, respond, advise, and evolve based on the online discussions that are currently taking place with or without you.” Wouldn’t you rather it be with you?
50 Steps to Establish a Consistent Social Media Practice – Chris Brogan
Are you tired of Chris Brogan yet? I’m not. I can seriously go back and read posts like this (specifically the posts in his Social Media 100 quest) nearly every day and get something new out of them. Do yourself a favor and don’t skip this one.
Community Manager Responsibilities and Goals – Connie Benson
Another post from Connie, and another post about being a community manager. Again, being a community manager is something I am definitely interested in, and Connie puts together a great list of things to think about with respect to community management.
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