Blog World Expo Blog

SXSW: The Cool and the Lame

This year was probably my most rewarding SXSW experience ever. I learned a lot, renewed friendships, made new friends, was presented with some very attractive opportunities and all in all, had a blast. With that said, there was plenty of lamery to go around as well. If you didn’t attend SXSW here’s what you missed (or [...]

Why is “Linkbait” Such a Dirty Word?

As bloggers, we’re supposed to be building traffic with good, useful content. Though it’s something we all strive for, we’re not supposed to publicly state how much we want to build traffic and back links. We don’t want anyone to know we want our posts to go viral. We would be scandalized if folks knew [...]

The New Media Way Is Better Than The Old Media Way

The New York Times ran a story yesterday on a new group known as The Coffee Party. What follows is a classic contrast in how old media handles a news story vs. how new media handles a news story. Leave your politics aside for the moment and look at this excerpt from Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion: Update: Interesting, [...]

BlogWorld isn’t SXSW (and Vice Versa)

In the last few days I’ve been seeing a lot of “BlogWorld or SXSW?” type Tweets. Most of them are from folks who can only afford to attend one conference this year and aren’t sure where their money is best spent. While both BlogWorld and South by Southwest are “must attends” for much of the [...]

How Darren Rowse Liberated My Facebook Account

I was reluctant to embrace Facebook and fought it for several years. I had Twitter and that was enough of a time suck for me. The problem with Twitter was that my family and personal friends weren’t really a part of it. So I joined Facebook to be keep in touch. That was all she wrote. Thanks [...]

Why Do Small Businesses Need To Be Blogging?

This is a guest post by Tara Anderson Marketing Manager at Lijit: With the landscape of today’s media changing at a rapid pace, if your company doesn’t have a blog, it’s sure to be left behind. I know, I know, everyone tells you that. But perhaps by answering a few of the commonly asked questions I [...]

What Type of Blogger Are You?

In 2010 there are more blogs than ever. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and all sorts of niches and genres. They lecture and praise. They teach and they amuse. I may not read or enjoy every single blog, but I can certainly appreciate them all. For each different type of blog [...]

You Need To Be A Social Media Evangelist

I had never heard of Dan Grover until I found THIS POST on Techmeme this morning. To make his point Dan uses the example of a recent Read Write Web post that ended up being ranked high by Google under the search term “Facebook Login“. Guess what happened; tons of people clicked that search result [...]

An Open Letter to B5media Bloggers

As a blog network owner and former blogger for b5media, I have mixed emotions regarding the whole mass firing/restructuring thing. First things first. Firing bloggers with no notice and locking them out of their blogs was a crappy way to reward their loyalty. Some of the bloggers have been with b5 since day one and [...]

Using Twitter Lists for Conferences

One of the cool features that Twitter has added recently is their list facility. Unlike some of the changes, like the horrible Retweet implementation, this addition was almost universally applauded. Funnily enough I only saw it in action at the last Blog World. It might seem like a minor piece of functionality, especially when the core [...]

Tips for Choosing a Sponsor for Your Blog

Last spring I found myself out of a full time job and decided to work on building up my blog network over seeking more full time or client work. The network was doing well with Adsense and private ad sales were also coming through but I felt to truly profit I needed to seek my [...]

Why You Should Disagree with Your Blogger (If You’re Not Feeling the Love)

I just unsubscribed to a couple of blogs. They were decent enough blogs with occasional discussion-worthy topics but their communities were kind of a drag. It was difficult to get into any kind of interesting coversation. The only comments allowed were positive “Oh I so agree with you” type of posts. Anyone disagreeing was labeled [...]

The Latino Blogosphere

BlogWorld 2009 had the innovative idea of hosting a multicultural panel. A clear sign of vision and pulse of the current situation in the U.S.A. I had the honor to be invited by Jose Villa from Sensis to represent the fastest growing group both online and offline: The Latino(a)s! During the session, I was often asked about the Latino blogosphere. What do we blog about? Which language do we use? Where are we? And so forth. This post is an attempt to answer these questions.

America’s Tweethearts Story In Vanity Fair Is Good For New Media

While attending Affiliate Summit West earlier this week Joe Morin asked me if I had read the new Vanity Fair article America’s Tweethearts or Social Media Insider’s reaction to it. I hadn’t yet but Joe sent me a link to both and after reading them I of course have some comments. I liked both the article [...]

Is Twitter Stealing Community from Blogs?

So after my post about the Social Media Police yesterday, an interesting discussion ensued. In fact, it was probably one of the better blog post discussions of my career. Except it didn’t take place here, it took place on Twitter. That in itself isn’t a terrible thing, but as a blogger, it’s sort of my [...]

Media Is Not Objective

As I was reading this post by Paul Carr at TechCrunch this morning it occurred to me that if you substituted the word “Obama” for the word “Apple” Paul would have just written a post that could have been seen on any given conservative political blog any day of the week. That inspired me to hop [...]

Look Out! It’s the Social Media Police

I just read another post about what not to do on Twitter. Yawn. Here we go again. If there’s one thing I’m learning is that there aren’t any rules. Just because someone doesn’t like what other people Tweet doesn’t mean he has to govern the place for everyone. It’s getting old. Every now and then a member [...]

Introducing Civilians to Social Media

If you listened to Jim Turner’s telethon for Haiti over the past couple of days, a certain topic came up often – whether or not social media people are all preaching to the choir. I thought about this a lot last night. I mean, we all read the same people’s blogs and follow the same people [...]

What BlogWorld Looks for in a Speaker Proposal

Deb’s note: This is part one in a series about crafting a good speaker proposal. Via Twitter, I noted the disappoitment in many bloggers and social media people (including me) when speaker proposals weren’t chosen for BlogWorld or SXSW. So I took it to the source. I reached out to the conference organizers who choose [...]

National Delurking Day

This is a bit of an old school blog day that we celebrate each year. I think I first posted about this day about 4-5 years ago on my Daddy Blog. What is Delurking Day you might ask? In the blog world, many people read blogs and they watch and read comments all the while [...]

Is Foursquare The New Twitter?

I have recently been using Foursquare on my Blackberry Storm smartphone. I believe it is only in the beta version at this point for Blackberry users but anyone and nearly everyone with an iPhone are using it in our world, The application is still working a little clunky and not the best of user experience [...]

Blog,Web and Social Media Conference Schedule for 2010

CES, which ended a few days ago, marks the beginning of the conferences season. If you’re like me, you try to make it to a few choice events throughout the year, though there are too many for me to attend them all. One of my frustrations is in finding a list of conferences for the [...]

Inspired By Abby Johnson at WebProNews.com

I can’t help but give a shout out here to someone that has given me inspiration in her work that she produces and the content she provides. I am talking about Abby Johnson with WebProNews. I first met Abby when she interviewed me following a presentation I gave at BlogWorld & New Media Expo on [...]

What Is The Next Big Event?

Do you have an event, conference or meeting, besides of course our event which I just talked about, that you want us to know about? CES was a huge event in Las Vegas last week, and our very own Rick Calvert and Patti Hosking was in attendance along with the reported 150,000 other people [...]

Blogging Badly At Blog World Expo

We love these montage videos and how people are producing content about the show from 2009. This gives a great look at one Blogger’s stalking of Kevin Pollak at BlogWorld & New Media Expo. Kevin was on BlogWorld Expo Radio at the show on October 17, 2009. Now I need to find a way to [...]

Three Days in Vegas – BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2010 When and Where

I am seeing a huge number of searches now that we are in the new year all looking for Blog World 2010. People are searching I suppose to find out the details since we are about 10 months away from the event. The other issue is probably related to the the fact that 150,000 people [...]

Tag You’re It! – Why Tagging Your Content Is Important

If I have said it once I have said it a thousand times, “We live in a Google world.” It is true, we don’t order Chinese food, find directions to the store, or stalk old girlfriends without using Google. Being findable in this world is important if you are trying to be found. Businesses especially [...]

What Would You Do to Follow or Be Followed on Twitter?

I have a bone to pick. Something’s been sticking in my craw now for a couple of weeks and I need to get it off my chest. Lately, many of the folks I try to follow on Twitter expect me to jump through hoops for the privilege. That’s right, people who use Twitter validators, I’m talking [...]

Size Matters To Those That Want Size

I was hoping I could get a better title than that but I wanted to also see what kind of Google search results that will provide with giggles late at night. The reason I wanted to talk about size is because there seems to be a differing opinion as it relates to the size of [...]

Is Your Blog Fast Enough For Google?

For a long time all of us have been worried about our page rank and how we fair in the eyes of Google. Yes, I have always said it, “We Live In A Google World.” Google holds all the search cards, or at least about 60% of it last time I checked, and they make [...]

Listening To Yourself

I called 2009 the year of listening. Many reputation monitoring products made their hay in 2009 including Radian6, TechRigy, Flitrbox, and others. They all have listening in common. Being able to hear what is being said about you and your brand online is an important part of your listening campaign. Not only should you be [...]

Help Us Help A Friend of BlogWorld Expo

Tragedies occur every day and yesterday was no different except that one tragedy happened to a friend of ours. Tee Morris‘ wife passed away leaving Tee to be a single parent of a young daughter. Tee was a speaker this year at BlogWorld & New Media Expo and was a great asset to our show. [...]

Shira Can Haz Blog World

I had a chance to meet Shira Lazar in Hawaii at the So Much More Hawaii Tour this year. She is a rising star in the world of new media and I wish her the best. This is a video interview she did with Ben Huh out in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Both [...]

If You Are A Blogger I Am Watching You

I was looking over the list of the bloggers to watch that was put together over at Darren Rowse’s blog at Problogger by Jade Craven. The list is put together as a resource for bloggers to watch that can help others become better bloggers. The list is great and I know of most of the [...]

The 140 Characters Conference “Call For Speakers”

Jeff Pulver wrote a blog post and sent out an email blast to all of the people interested in the 140 conference that will be taking place in NYC on April 20-21, 2010. Jeff has done a great job of getting attendees to come out and hear from some of the best known people or [...]

Why Pepsi Is Good For Bloggers

This is certainly not a “Pepsi is better than Coke” or now begins the cola wars , I am referring to the world of monetizing. Recently ABC reported, Pepsi announced that it would discontinue spending money on advertising on Super Bowl Sunday. I have for years thought that the price of advertising on that day [...]

Mashable Gets A Face Lift

Today as I was going through some Twitter links that I open in tabs on Firefox, I came across a post that someone had sent me written on Mashable. I immediately saw a difference in the way the blog looked and read and the overall scheme. I thought I was reading it through a weird [...]

Should You Give it All Up to Blog for Someone Else?

As a professional blogger, I enjoy the best of both worlds. I do some blogging and social media work for a few outside clients, but the bulk of my income comes from owning my own blog network. When I first began building my blog, it was a frustrating upward climb. The traffic came slowly and there [...]

Happy New Year!

From all of us at BlogWorld amp; New Media Expo to all of you, Happy New Year! We sincerely hope that 2010 is your best year yet!

Building Online Communities: Are We Preaching to the Choir?

A couple of weeks ago, I had a wonderful phone conversation with Mark Stelzner. Most of our discussion centered around the building and cultivating online communities. During our conversation, I suggested Mark, and anyone else who is building an online community, stop preaching to the choir. You see, your community is already sold. They joined your [...]

TechZulu Talks BlogWorld & New Media Expo

Just wanted t get this interview on the blog as Amanda Coolong does a great job talking with Rick Calvert about the experience at BlogWorld & New Media Expo. Watch Rick Calvert – BlogWorld Expo 09 in Tech & Gaming | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com I am hoping to get some of these interviews doen myself [...]

Another Twitter During Conference Opinion

As I continue to hear about problems with Twitter and conferences I think I will make this something I will be asking all of our speakers about for 2010. I am thinking that Twitter will not be anywhere near our stages unless of course the speaker wants this to be a part of their [...]

Wordpress Updates With Carmen

The latest version of Wordpress has been released per the Wordpress blog and Matt Mullenweg. I am most interested in some of the features they have updated or upgraded with reference to video and other media that is added to posts. The sooner they make it easier to put up a blog post the better. [...]

Congratulations To Blog World Keynote Speaker Laura Fitton on Funding of oneforty.

It was announced today that Laura Fitton, or as we all know her more appropriately as @pistachio, and her company oneforty.com received funding in the amount of $1.6M. Those of you that attended BlogWorld & New Media Expo this year know that Laura was our opening keynote address for the Social Media Business Summit which [...]

Facebook and Everyone Else

I have been trying to figure out how to keep up with the social networks I have for BlogWorld & New Media Expo and my own personal networks. I have always touted that I can drink from the social media firehose as well as anyone but I have been noticing recently that I am having [...]

Echo – Changing The Way Bloggers Communicate Through Comments

I was given the opportunity today to sit in a press conference briefing with the folks over at JS-Kit.com, or should I say Echo? They have changed the name of the company from JS-Kit, one that I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around, to now just being Echo. I myself like the change and [...]

Women in the Blogosphere: More Than Mommy Bloggers

Back in my blogging heyday, various traffic seeking bloggers inevitably rolled out lists of the “Top Bloggers” for each particular year. Thrown in at the very bottom of these lists, almost as if added in as an afterthought, was the name of a woman or two. Comments and blog posts ensued. “Where are the women?” they [...]

Blog World Expo Radio – The Voice of Blog World Expo!

At the event this year in Las Vegas we transferred over from Blog Talk Radio to WS Radio for our regularly scheduled radio show Blog World Expo Radio. This was not because we wanted to leave Blog Talk Radio, we love the folks at Blog Talk Radio and they have been a participant at our [...]

Determining the Purpose of a Blog

With all the talk about earning money as a blogger, I think it’s important to determine the purpose of a blog. This isn’t one of those same “why do you blog” discussions, because most people will say they love sharing or writing and it turns in to a big kumbaya. Determining the purpose of your [...]

When Should Bloggers Stop Giving it Away?

I have something on my mind. I’m thinking about a discussion I had on Twitter yesterday with James Chartrand of the wonderful Men with Pens blog. James and I are good friends and have regular brain storming sessions, mostly about making money with this blogging thing. Now, in all fairness, my blog network earns more [...]

Is There a Place in the Space for the Personal Blog?

I’ve been thinking about personal blogs a lot lately. Sometimes I just want to write what’s on my mind, but it’s too off-topic for my freelance writing or food blogs. I tried to have a personal blog, but to be honest, no one cared. For me, most of the enjoyment of the blogging is to [...]

Blog Sponsorship: A Cautionary Tale

When you take on an advertising sponsor for your blog, do you consider your community first, or do you just take any advertiser who offers money? I’ve always been careful about who I accept for advertising at my blog network. Since I own a community for freelance writers, I ensure advertisers always have the best intersts [...]

Blogs from a Non-Blogger’s Point of View

Last month, I participated in what I consider my most important speaking engagement ever. My seven year old son’s class invited me to speak with them about writing in honor the National Day on Writing. It was indeed an honor. We spoke about the writing process, the types of writing, the types of writing careers [...]

Are Keynotes and Twitter A Bad Match?

I have been reading about a situation at Web 2.0 Expo that has me as an organizer of speakers a bit befuddled. Danah Boyd’s presentation took a turn for the worst and it turned out to be a bad experience for her and for the attendees. For the long story short version you can see [...]

The Power of Twitter: How the Blogosphere Came Through for Liz Strauss

Last week, I learned that my friend and someone who I look up to as a mentor and bloggy role model, Liz Strauss, was in the hospital. “That can’t be fun.” I thought. So I contacted a mutual friend, Lucretia Pruitt, to see if I could get an address and room number to send flowers [...]

Sports Bloggers Continue To Hit It Out

Blogs With Balls 2.0 Intro from HHR on Vimeo. The guys at Blogs With Balls continue to amaze me with their “mad skills” and the obvous fun they are having when talking about their event. They have been an asset to BlogWorld & New media Expo, and I cannot wait to see what they have in [...]

Using Social Media To Explain Social Media and Other Concepts

One of the sites I like to go to often and one that will no doubt get a large amount of traffic over the next few months is Common Craft. I especially love the way the use video to explain difficult or complex issues. They did a great job on explaining social media. They have recently [...]

The Get Well Liz Strauss Fund

Friend of the blogosphere, and my idol and inspiration, Liz Strauss, has been under the weather lately and was just released from a hospital in Chicago. While we all want to send positive vibes and good wishes to Liz so she makes a speedy recover, we’re also asking Liz’s friends to do just a [...]

Happy Veteran’s Day! Talking To The Army

To all of our veteran’s and servicemen and women across the country and abroad, please accept our heartfelt and sincere thanks for your service and sacrifice for your country and our freedoms. I know I speak for all of the people here at BlogWorld & New Media Expo when I say we very much appreciate [...]

What NOT to Say to a Blogger at BlogWorld

My friend Keith Burtis and I were walking the exhibit floor at BlogWorld on the second day when Keith spotted a booth run by some folks from Buffalo. We stopped by the booth so Keith could say hello to his homies, when I recognized the brand logo adorning the booth. It was for a former [...]

5 Things Your Spouse Won’t Understand About Blogging

Thinking of getting into blogging? I hope you have a good support group at home. It’s especially helpful if your spouse is someone who “gets” blogging and social media. If not, be prepared for lots of questions. 5 Things Your Spouse Won’t Understand About Blogging 1. Why you spend so much time blogging It’s hard to explain why [...]

BlogWorld ‘09: How Does Your Light Shine?

Thanks and good karma sent out to the following for providing the images for this slideshow: Lara Kulpa Keith Burtis Ben Sparks Denise Wakeman Reem Abeidoh

BlogWorld ‘09 One Week Later: Thoughts from Around the Blogosphere

One week after the BlogWorld and New Media Expo, life returns to normal. We’re rested. We’re over the “BlogWorld flu.” We’ve hugged our kids, snuggled with our spouses, and did massive loads of laundry. We uploaded tons of images updated our FaceBook and Flickr streams and we’re catching up with the email. Was it worth [...]

An Open Letter To All From Blogs With Balls and HHR Media

To the illustrious attendees of Blogs With Balls 2.0: We at HHR Media felt that by Tuesday, your BwB 2.0 hangover and double-vision would be mostly gone, and those of you (of which there were a few) who missed plane flights as a result of your excessive “conventioneering” shall we say, are home safe and sound. [...]

Multicultural Blogging

Guest post written by Sensis President Jose Villa The term “multicultural” has grown out the need for the marketing world to understand and categorize the various ethnic and lifestyle minorities that have emerged in the U.S. during the last 30 years. The term has come to represent an amalgamation of various ethnic and [...]

RSS to E-mail

RSS to Email is the perfect way to streamline timely and relevant content to your inbox. RSS to Email spearheads the embodiment of syndicating content globally. It allows bloggers to feed their subscribers with relevant, updated messages in a timely and targeted medium. RSS to Email also allows subscribers to have the power of choice; they [...]

Book Signings During BlogWorld

Every year, BlogWorld speakers release books and hold signings sessions live at BlogWorld. Check the schedule below and come meet your favorite new media author. TODD CREAGAR Thursday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM CAROL ANN FRIED Thursday, 3:00 – 4:00 PM BRANDON ELEY Friday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PATRICK O’KEEFE Friday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CHRIS BROGAN Friday, 12:00 – 1:00 PM GARY RYAN BLAIR Friday, [...]

Getting Down to the Wire:Your BlogWorld Survival Guide

It’s getting down to the wire. We’re printing out boarding passes and packing suitcases. BlogWorld begins on Thursday. To ensure you’re getting the maximum BWE ‘09 experience, I’ve listed some very cool stuff all in one place. Read it. Print it. Take it along. I give you… Your BlogWorld Survival Guide Top 10 Things to Take to [...]

BlogWorld Sponsor The Light Group Offers Hot Deals For BlogWorld Attendees

BlogWorld Sponsor and operator of several of the hottest clubs in Vegas The Light Group has some special deals for all BlogWorld attendees. So if you are looking for a place to hang out before or after any of the official BlogWorld parties, check these out: Show your conference badge at the following venues for discounted [...]

An Analysis of the Blogosphere: Its Present and Future Impact

I am very excited to tell you that “An Analysis of the Blogosphere: Its Present and Future Impact,” a BlogCatalog commissioned study of the blogosphere by Spectrum Brand Strategy, LLC, was recently completed. I am even more excited to have the report in time for BlogWorld Expo 09 and to be able to share the [...]

New Sponsor For Milblog Track

The Milblog Track is pleased to announce a new sponsor, the VA Mortgage Center. Thanks to their kindness, those attending and participating in the milblog track will enjoy refreshments throughout the day. Sincere thanks and much appreciation go out to them for their generosity. Thank you VA Mortgage Center for [...]

Guest Post BlogWorld Alum Scott Monty Ford Motor Company

Has it been just over a year since the last Blog World Expo? I vividly remember attending that one – I saw colleagues, friends and made new acquaintances, sharing knowledge and learning some exciting new things. And what an amazing and wild year it’s been in the time since. In September 2008, I was still getting [...]

BlogWorld Ticket Giveaway for Twitter Followers

***Update 10.11.09 2:23pm** Sorry for the delay in announcing yesterday’s winner guys. Just busy with last minute preparations for the show. Our second winner for the Retweet contest is @BlueWorkhorse Congrats! And the third and final winner is…… @BrokeAssBride Congratulations. See you in Vegas! Thank you to everyone who participated. ***Update 10.9.09 10:19 pm*** and our first winner is @bphuettner. Congratulations Brenda! DM me to [...]

Too Much Conference Swag? Time to Get Charitable!

Do you have to pack an extra tote bag in your luggage so you can carry home all your conference swag? If so, what happens to the swag when you get home? Be honest, now. Do you use half the stuff you grab from sponsors? Do you help yourself to hotel shampoos and soaps only [...]

Your Help With Next Year Requested

The major goal of the milblog track at Blog World is to talk with you. Not to you, not at you, not about you, but with you. We want to meet you, get to know you, and have you get to know us as well. To that end, we will have an unofficial panel [...]

OFFICIAL Blog World Expo Party & Tweetup Guide

The time is now upon us as we gather for the 3rd annual Blog World Expo and the 2009 conference has grown by leaps and bounds and this year’s Las Vegas nightlife is no different. This year we bring you not only a solid conference and exhibition hall bigger and better than ever before [...]

Don’t Let The “Blog” Fool You

When you go to Burger King, there is more than just burgers right? I mean you can get a salad, milkshake, those yummy chicken fries..oh and an Angry Burger too.(Yes, it is a burger, but I had to work it in. I have a thing for those Angry Burgers.) So, just like most things, there [...]

Planning Your Podcast At Blog World Expo? We Just Made It Easy!

Our new identity this year is to also be the trade show for not just the blogging world, but after our merger with the podcasting and video world of the New Media Expo in 2008, we want to include the podcasters as well. We have been trying to find ways to allow our podcasters that [...]

Introduction and Serious Request

For a number of reasons, I want to introduce Tammy Munson to you today. Tammy is a panelist on the milblog track, taking part in the “They Also Serve: Spouse Bloggers” panel. I will skip the normal introductions and short bio for now, and ask you to go read this post instead. You [...]

Come Out from Behind Your Blog and Take Your Networking to a Whole New Level

One of the reasons many bloggers dig blogging and social networking is enjoying online conversations. They’re talking with like-minded people about the topics in which they share a common passion. Think of how much farther you can take those conversations if you bring them totally offline – away from the 140 characters or blog comment [...]

Meet the Milblog Panelists: Scott Henderson

Scott Henderson is not a milblogger, he’s a Transformer. No, not like in the movies, but a person who helps companies and non-profits transform themselves online so that they can transform their growth. In the Milblog Track, he’s going to be discussing the changes and opportunities on the way for milblogs and milbloggers. His [...]

Meet The Milblog Panelists: Barmy Mama

I’ve said before that milbloggers, and the milblog panelists, span the spectrum. Today, it is a pleasure to begin showcasing that spectrum by starting with Barmy Mama. Now, blogging has been a bit lite of late, but having a newborn tends to do that. Now she may not do so, but I hold Rick [...]

No, Milblogs Are Not PAO or Propaganda

In response to something offline, I wanted to add to what I said yesterday. While some PAO’s blog, and the Department of Defense is starting to blog and engage in social media, milblogs are not PAO operations. The milbloggers do have to register with their command, which can consist of telling their superior they are [...]

In Case You Were Wondering Why…

Here is a reason or 10 why you should end up in Vegas! Thanks Nicole I needed that one today! If you want to let Nicole know how cool this is, feel free to stop and tell her yourself if you are in Las Vegas at BlogWorld& New Media Expo. Nicole is a speaker that will be [...]

What is a Milblog, and Why Should You Care?

Aside from being asked what a blog is, the next question that comes up in talking with people — even other bloggers — is “What is a milblog?” That’s a good question. Milblogs are blogs about the military, or topics of interest to the military, by those associated with the military. There are several “types” of [...]

Are There Any Original Ideas in Blogging Anymore?

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Demand Studios Creators Conference in Santa Monica. While there, I was speaking with another writer who was sharing an idea she had for a blog. It was an amazing idea. I won’t give it away here, but in retrospect, the reason this idea tickled me so [...]

Want To Attend the Milblog Track for Free?

I love a good challenge. It gets things flowing, from endorphins onward. Rick Calvert, founder and head of Blog World and New Media Expo, has issued a challenge. It seems Rick is convinced we can get 200 people to the milblog track on 15 October, quite a good number of people. So, he [...]

It Profits To Be A Non-Profit At BlogWorld!

****Update*** You Only Need A Weekend Pass To Attend The Non Profit Track*** Let’s face it, money is tight. If you are a large corporation or a hobbyist, an employee or an employer, you know of what I speak. This is not more prevelant that in the non-profit world. They have budgets that would make most [...]

Next 5 People To Use Tweet35 Get 35% Off Any Blogworld Registration!

Ok you were out of town and missed the deadline to register for BlogWorld & New Media Expo before prices went up. Your dog ate your calendar, your boss didn’t give you the ok in time, you just plain old forgot. Well here is your chance. The next 5 people to use the code TWEET35 [...]

Get A Taste of Blog World Expo

I am going to be talking tomorrow with some of the speakers that will be speaking at BlogWorld & New Media Expo in October. I have watched as our schedule came together and have many people to thank for that, but none more than the speakers that will be providing their time, their efforts and [...]

Chad Vader Breaks The Internet and Turns To Blog World Expo For Help

If you have not seen this video of Chad Vader now is a good time to check it out. We have had quite a chuckle here watching and sending it out via Twitter. Our special thanks to Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda for their hard work in putting it together and allowing us to have [...]

Software Versus Physical: Why Go to Conferences?

By Guest contributor Chris Garrett With all the buzz and hype around social media, you might wonder why someone would go to a physical rather than virtual conference. What are the advantages of a conference over staying at home? As someone who is an advocate of all things digital, and also someone who has been involved in [...]

Cirque du Soleil Tickets At BlogWorld

We are very grateful to Cirque du Soleil and their Social Media Manager Jessica Berlin @jessberlin for once again providing free tickets to several of the hottest Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas for BlogWorld attendees. This year, Cirque du Soleil is offering a limited number of tickets to Mystère, Zumanity, KÀ, [...]

Barnes & Noble Official Book Store Vendor for BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2009

We are happy to be partnering with Barnes & Noble again this year on the BlogWorld Book Store. So if you are speaking, or attending BlogWorld & New Media Expo this year and you are an author and want to have your book included in the book store this is what we need you to [...]

Medblogging and Patient Privacy

(Mike Sevilla, M.D. is a board certified family physician in Northeastern Ohio. We know him as medblogger and Blog Talk Radio star Doctor Anonymous. Mike is moderating the Medblogger track session “Staying on the Good Side of HIPAA: Safe and Ethical Blogging Practices”. Here is his take on the session and the panelists. Take it away, Mike!) ******************** When [...]

Top 10 Things to Take to BlogWorld

BlogWorld is a little less than a month away. If you’ve been to The BlogWorld and New Media Expo in the past, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. If you’re new to this conference, there are a few things to consider. BlogWorld isn’t only parties, though it’s always great fun. There’s [...]

Win a Free Pass to BlogWorld with Hotel Included – Courtesty of Alltop

Wishing you could come to BlogWorld but can’t quite scrape together the cash to get there? Perhaps there’s another way: Guy Kawasaki and Alltop are giving away three passes to the BlogWorld and New Media Expo, plus they’ll even throw in the hotel stay for one lucky grand prize winner. Intrigued? Read on: Prizes: First prize: Two nights [...]

The Milblog Lounge

Come one, come all to the Army Milblog Lounge! I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Army has stepped forward and as a result, we have a 20×20 area in the exhibit hall, half of which will be configured as a comfortable area for discussions on milblogging and topics of interest to the [...]

Meblogger Track: The State of the Medical Blogosphere

The medical blogosphere is actually a composite, made up of patients, doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, medical companies…you get the picture. If you are blogging about a health care topic, you fall under the medblogger rubric. “The State of the Medical Blogosphere: We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby” is one of four sessions comprising the first Medblogger Track [...]

Coordinating Participants from Around The World

One of the more interesting, and fun (honest) things about putting together the military blogging track is working with participants who vary a great deal. We literally are planning on having panelists participate from Afghanistan and else where. Adding to the mix is the fact that we even have one or more participants [...]

Medical bloggers at Blog World Expo, October 15th, 2009 September 7, 2009 (The following post has been written by Kevin Pho, MD, blogger and medblogger track panelist. The original post can be found here, at Kevin, MD) ******************** I have been graciously invited to participate on a panel in the medical blogger track at Blog World Expo 2009, held [...]

Are Social Networking Groups Driving Traffic Away from Your Community

I once worked as community manager for a company that was big into building up social networking groups. We had Yahoo Group, a community on Ning, and of course, a FaceBook group, because everyone has to have them. When it came time to build up a forum on the site itself, or participate in on [...]

Separating Work and Cyberspace: Should You?

I was asked an interesting question today – whether or not we should allow our bosses to become Facebook friends, and if we should feel obligated if they ask. I did a little pondering… We’ve all heard stories of bosses not appreciating things said by employees in various social networks. We also know future employers and [...]

Blogger Sponsorship for Conferences Part III: Your Proposal

If you’ve been following our series on how to land a sponsorship in order to attend conferences, you already know about figuring out what to offer in return for a sponsorshipand also, choosing a sponsor. I’m going to assume you have your lists at the ready and it’s time for you to write a proposal [...]

On Track with Travel Blogging at BWE09

Are you a travel blogger? Do you want to be one? Does your marketing company work in the travel industry? Then you NEED to be at Blog World & New Media Expo this year. I’m so excited that travel is a dedicated track, which means we’ll have an entire day of panels and sessions dedicated to [...]

Doctor Anonymous Brings BWE to Blog Talk Radio

Doctor Anonymous (aka: Mike Sevilla) will be discussing BlogWorld Expo tonight, as he celebrates the second broadcast anniversary of his popular Blog Talk Radio show. Mike will be moderating the “Staying on the Good Side of HIPAA: Safe and Ethical Blogging Practices” panel during the upcoming Medblogger track at BWE. When he isn’t blogging, broadcasting, tweeting or [...]

What Talks About

food and drink, sports, weather, politics, travel, and the intricacies of counter-insurgency operations? Your friendly local milblog does, that’s who. Millbogs cover a variety of topics and issues, from reports from the front lines by those there doing the fighting to the challenges facing the spouses who hold down the homefront. In [...]

Medblogging Meets BlogWorld/New Media Expo

Never underestimate the power of a rant! This year will mark the first ever Medblogger track at BlogWorld/New Media Expo. And it all started because of a rather indignant blogger. That would be me. ***** An introduction may be in order. I’m Kim, a registered nurse who has been blogging about my life and times as an ER nurse over [...]

Announcing Wordcamp Las Vegas At BlogWorld Expo

We wanted to announce something very exciting that we have never done before now, Wordcamp LasVegas @ BlogWorld Expo will take place this year on October 16 – 17, 2009. I had the opportunity to speak at Wordcamp Las Vegas in January in conjunction with a trip to Las Vegas. I was very impressed with the [...]

Blogger Sponsorship for Conferences Part II: Finding a Sponsor

Finding sponsorship to help defray the cost of attending conferences isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are a lot of steps involved, but the hardest part is finding a sponsor. Finding a brand that shares the same message at your and your blog, and, is willing to pay for you to be a spokesperson [...]

Blogger Sponsorship for Conferences: Part 1 – What Do You Have to Offer?

If you’ve been attending conferences for the past couple of years, you may have noticed some bloggers have sponsors paying their conference entry fee and other expenses. In return these bloggers are helping to promote their sponsors. For bloggers who can’t scrape together the funds to attend conferences, this can turn out to be a [...]

Last-minute pass give-away to Gnomedex 9.0

Jim Turner, our illustrious Social Media Director (@Genuine on Twitter) will be winging it up to Seattle tomorrow for the sold-out Gnomedex 9.0 event. It’s one of our favorites, and it’s put on by Chris Pirillo. Here’s your chance to join him with a FREE All-Access Pass worth $299.00! Put up a blog post BY NOON [...]

Speaking of Speakers

It has been a long road or journey, one that I might pack for differently given what I know now, but a journey that has been fun. I first agreed to help work this conference as far back as 2006 when I first met Rick Calvert in Seattle at a blogging conference. I have seen [...]

BlogWorld New Media Expo Headed To Gnomedex 9.0

I have heard and followed along with this conference for a long time. I actually was able to attend a couple of years ago from the comfort of my own home in my office while watching some of the sessions on Ustream. I really love the conference facility at Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. [...]

What the Heck is Up with All these Conferences?

I was Skype chatting with my sister the other morning , talking about IzeaFest as I’m still not sure yet whether or not I will attend. “Wow,” she said. “For people who want to work at home, bloggers sure go to conferences to be with people a lot.” Though I explained to her that the [...]

Cool as Ever Tech TweetUp at Del Mar Racetrack

Our friend Jenn Van Grove (@jbruin on Twitter) is hosting a great TweetUp this weekend at Del Mar Racetrack this weekend, not to be missed. It’s called Cool as Ever Tech, it’s on Saturday, August 8th from 12:00 Noon ’til 6pm and it’s freeeee… So come meet SoCal tech friends from Los Angeles, Orange County and [...]

Ode to BlogHer ‘09 – Telling Dad Style

Were you at Blogher ‘09? Was it truly a swagfest? Would love to hear from folks who have good stories to tell. What did YOU take away from BlogHer – and by takeaway I don’t mean things that can be stuffed into a carryon.

Blogger Outreach: How to Do it right

Blogger outreach is a big deal lately. Many businesses and PR agencies are hiring people who “know how to talk to bloggers” because, apparently, bloggers are influential people. That’s all well and good, but I’ve received pitches from some of these blogging outreach people and most of them need to work a bit on their [...]

Are Bloggers Going Swag Crazy?

“There’s no good swag this year” said the attendee at South by Southwest Interactive. “What’s the use in coming if no one’s giving out any good stuff?” “I don’t know,” I told him. “Maybe to learn and meet other terrific people?” Are bloggers going swag crazy? Is it all about the merchandise and sponsorships? I never really [...]

2009 Blogs With Balls Program At BlogWorld Expo Announced

If you didn’t know already, we are partnering with the folks at HHR Media this year to bring the most amazing sports blogging track ever to BlogWorld & New Media Expo. The sports blogging conference is aptly named Blogs With Balls and drew more than 300 attendees to their first event a [...]

Hey That Blogger Stole My Content: How to Deal with Content Theft

A blogger’s words are like a store’s inventory. If merchandise is stolen, the shop loses sales. If others are stealing a blogger’s words or using his content, there’s really no reason for him to bother anymore as. Exclusive content is important for traffic and ad sales. In short, it sucks when someone else is using [...]

Twiistup 6 at The Universal Hilton

We would like to make sure everyone knows about the Twiistup 6 at the Universal Hilton coming up this week, Thursday and Friday. This is an event that all of you should attend and they have a killer lineup of speakers. Jason Calacanis Serial entrepreneur, founder of Mahalo and co-founder of TechCrunch 50 and Weblogs. Wikipedia Link James [...]

Twitter Stepping Towards Commercial Accounts

Looks like all that talking might actually be leading to some doing. That’s right, Twitter has finally taken its very first steps out of the world of the free, and into the world of the paid…kind of. Twitter has unveiled a new thing called Twitter 101, which is basically a series of web sites and [...]

Build Your Blog’s Community Using Tweetmeme

Of all the bloggy bells and whistles, I’m hearting my TweetMeme button the most. It’s sending me the love like you wouldn’t believe. TweetMeme is a handy little widget allowing readers to retweet a blog post on Twitter in order to share with friends and followers. I recently installed a TweetMeme plugin on all my personal [...]

Twitter vs. Facebook

During interviews with potential clients, I’m inevitably asked, “what is the difference between Facebook and Twitter.” I always tell them this: It’s all about how and with whom you choose to communicate. Facebook is the extended family picnic. Twitter is a rock concert. I thought about this a little last night before I went to bed, [...]

Social Media Explosion Not Translating into Jobs, Yet.

We all know the hype behind social media, heck, we all LOVE the hype behind it. We all know how much easier it is to get in touch, stay in touch and find New people to want to be in touch with, when you’re using social networking, and any or all of the tools of [...]

Old Media vs. New Media

I began working for a traditional magazine publisher in 1985, the beginning of a long, tumultuous career in “old media”. As someone who started out old school, it’s been interesting watching old media dissolve and new media evolve. Unlike many of my old school contemporaries, I’ve been quick to embrace the new way. I dig [...]

Turning a Blog Into a Network: One Year Down the Road

Almost a year ago, my blog Freelance Writing Jobs grew from a standalone blog with several bloggers to a network of seven blogs. As you can imagine, it’s been a challenging experience, one in which I continue to learn and grow. There were several reasons I decided to grow my blog into a small network. The [...]

Quick Tip: Want Folks to Follow You on Twitter? Tell Us Why We Should!

Looking for Twitter followers? Wondering why all those people you follow won’t follow you in return? It could be because you’re not giving them enough to go on. Most people who look for folks to follow on Twitter do so because they’re looking for like-minded people to share and converse with. If your Twitter profile [...]

Blogs in Plain English

Whenever I try to explain to someone who isn’t blog savvy about what a blog is or why blogging is so popular, I try to word it as I would explain it to my (late) technically challenged grandmother. Grandma didn’t get faxes, emails or the Internet, and trying to explain new technology to her was [...]

United Airlines Sucks!

So back on May 23′rd of this year I was flying home out of Schiphol Airport after two long weeks working two separate trade shows in Europe. I arrived at the airport almost three hours early and was one of the first in line to check in. The check in crew showed up all smiles laughing [...]

Speakers and Schedule Not Yet Complete

I wanted to take a moment and bring everyone up to date on where we stand with the schedule and the speakers lineup. We are completing most of the 11 separate tracks that will be going on at Blog World Expo in October. Panels such as the military bloggers have already been completed by their [...]

Who is Reading Your Blog? The Importance of Knowing Your Community

Knowing who visits your blog on a regular basis is more important than you think. Looking at your community as a network of individuals rather than numbers or comments will help you build traffic and better enable you to monetize your blog. While blogs are a personal thing, if you’re not meeting the needs of [...]

5 Ways to Lose Followers on Twitter

I talk too much. This isn’t a major revelation,though. I’ve known this for some time. Even back when I was a kid my weary parents used to beg me, pretty please, for some quiet time. My brothers and sisters would invent “let’s see who can be quiet the longest” games just to get me [...]

What are People Saying About You Online?

There’s a lot more to blogging than just writing a post. Successful blogging also means meeting the needs of your community. Yes, your blog is there so you can say what you want, whenever you want, but if you turn off your regular visitors or don’t give them what they want, you can lose a [...]

The Speakers Lineup Taking Shape For 2009: A Quick Update

All this week I have been working with the staff here to get the lineup of speakers put together for the event and we are just now after pouring through the many submissions and proposals sending out the emails of those that have been accepted as part of our curriculum and those that were not [...]

Why it Pays for Brands to Monitor the Social Networks

Last week I publicly wondered whether or not brands should monitor the social networks, this week I was able to prove my point. I’m not smug about it though, just happy there are folks who get it. A few days ago I tried to upgrade my cable service and was displeased to learn I couldn’t receive [...]

David Lee at Wetoku Interviews Me

Yesterday BlogWorld Exhibitor and Wetoku VP of sales David Lee asked me a few questions using their new video service. It was pretty lag free and despite both of us having lousy web cams the quality looks pretty good to me. That is except for both of us having a bad hair day. At least [...]

CEO’s Are Actually “Social Media Slackers?”

Looks like the biggest big-wigs of the biggest companies in the world might just have some explaining to do. The world is shifting every day to a much more “socially networked” world, and everyone from your grandparents to your grandchildren are jumping on board and taking part. That is, everyone except for CEO’s if reports [...]

Can’t Make it to BlogWorld? 5 Ways You Can Still Be There in Spirit

The BlogWorld and New Media Expo is a wonderful celebration of networking and learning, a place where bloggers can talk about their favorite topic and know others will get it. Not all who are feeling the love can attend conferences, however. For many the airfare, lodgings fees, entry and other expenses are out of reach. [...]

MySpace Cutting Jobs & Downsizing International Work

Uh oh for MySpace. Looks like the former King of Social Networking just got knocked back to Prince. As Facebook has officially passed MySpace by when it comes to popularity and traffic, MySpace looks like it’s being forced to act accordingly and has reportedly made moves to reposition themselves. According to recent reports, MySpace has actually [...]

Should Brands Monitor the Social Networks?

Yesterday at dinner with “the girls”, the discussion turned to social networks. Some didn’t quite get the appeal of Facebook and Twitter and an interesting discussion ensued. It took an even more interesting turn when one of my friends, who works for a major national brand, felt businesses really don’t want to monitor the social [...]

Want More Twitter Followers? Pay For Them!

We’re living in a world where the more people you’re connected to on the internet, the more successful you are most likely going to be when it comes to your business enterprises. The problem for a lot of people, however, is that they just aren’t connected to that many people, and getting more of those [...]

Do Your Blogs Bring You Business….Or is it Your Business to Blog?

I read a thought-provoking post yesterday at Men with Pens regarding converting blog readers to clients. The author, James Chartrand, left some interesting food for thought behind. Many bloggers give away all their wisdom for free. Their readers come by to learn, perhaps add a comment or two, and then leave. If we’re lucky they’ll [...]

Social Media: There’s No Such Thing as A News Black Out

As I was preparing dinner last night I had one ear tuned to the television in the family room and one ear tuned to the child playing in the back yard. My attention fully focused on the news as I heard the words “Twitter” and “Facebook.” If you’re like me, mention of the social networks [...]

Press Releases Still Work!

Lots of my new media friends like to say the traditional press release is dead. They are dead wrong. Some of them even like to say blogging is dead. They are insane (more like shameless link baiters). This morning we sent out what can only be called a traditional press release announcing the dates for the [...]

Army Lifts Social Media Ban

Chalk this one up as a victory for the brave men and women around the country that are helping to keep our country completely safe and sound. Up until this point, due to security concerns and privacy worries by ol’ Uncle Sam, the U.S. Army had blocked the vast majority of all social media and [...]

Does Your Blog Have Balls? Join Us In New York City!

I am headed to New York City on Friday, June 12, 2009 to participate in a very cool blogging conference in New York City at Stout New York. The event is scheduled all day on June 13, 2009. The have lots of panelists and cool topics. Of most interest to me is the “Why We [...]

Speaking Submissions Deadline Came and Went – Now The Hard Part – Choosing

Now the real work for me begins. I am getting inundated with questions from everyone that has submitted speaking submissions as to whether their submission was chosen. To be frank, I am not done reading the more than, enter large number here, submissions that were submitted and I have yet to complete the tracks that [...]

The $99 iPhone: Apple To Get Even MORE Popular?

In case you were sleeping, living under a rock or were completely off-the-grid for the last few days, you most likely already know that Apple just made a splash. Yes, another one. At the recent WWDC they had a few pretty substantial announcements to make, but the biggest, in my humble opinion, was that their [...]

Hotel Discounts Abound for BlogWorld ‘09

Yesterday Rick blasted out (on Twitter) some amazing hotel discounts for BlogWorld attendees. Check out these sweet deals: The Courtyard, directly across the street from the conference center, is $79 per night. You’ll save on cab fare too because you won’t need to pay a cab driver $20 to get you from the strip each trip. The [...]

Put a Little Thought into Your Link Exchange Requests

I receive requests every day for link exchanges. Many newer bloggers especially feel a link exchange from a more established blog or blogger is a good way to get traffic and create buzz. Backlinks are always good, but people, can we put a little more thought into this? Yesterday I received a link exchange request from [...]

Blogging: You Get What You Give

In May, my blog network had it’s highest ever payout in terms of revenue. We’re talking more than two thousand dollars for the month. For some serious probloggers this may seem like chump change, but for someone who has watched a slow steady rise over the past four years, yesterday’s tallies were a celebratory occasion. Over [...]

Yes Drill Sergeant! Military Goes Social Media

Yesterday, my esteemed colleague talked about whether or not blogging has officially jumped the shark. Today, we’re wondering what the term will be when it comes to Twitter and Facebook now that news is surfacing that in addition to the White House joining into the social media fray, now the U.S. Military is doing the [...]

Has Blogging Jumped the Shark?

I live to blog. If I’m not blogging, I’m forming posts in my head. Everything is an idea. I suppose you can call me an old school blogger, but I’m not close minded. I like to consider new ideas and technologies, even if I don’t always get them. That’s why I was kind of taken [...]

10 Things I Learned From Twitter

It’s no secret I harbor a Twitter addiction. Though I’m not yet at the intervention stage, my love for microblogging has stolen away hours of my time. Lest you think this is just a frivolous type of addiction, let me assure you it’s far from being harmful. In fact, Twitter is a learning experience. Don’t [...]

The Importance of Following Directions When Applying for a Blogging Job

Last weekend I posted an ad for a blogger. The requirements were simple and I didn’t ask applicants to bend over backwards or turn over their first borns. This isn’t the first time I hired a blogger and knew the more rules and regs posted in my ad, the less likely I was to receive [...]

Twitter Turning to Television: Reality TweeVee?

I’m going to be straight up front and honest with this little gem of news: I’m a bit terrified. Rumors are surfacing that Twitter is in talks to develop a television series. Yes, you heard me right, Twitter wants to be on TV. In a word, wow. If all goes according to their perceived plan, Twitter [...]

Ashton Kutcher Threatens to Stop Tweeting – Do We Care?

Dear Ashton Kutcher, I have news for you. There was a Twittersphere long before you went on national television begging for followers, and there will be a Twitter long after. Your threatening to stop Tweeting if Twitter turns into a reality television show is akin to the many Twitterers who threatened to stop Tweeting if celebrities (that [...]

BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2009 Registration Is Now Open

That’s right BlogWorld & New Media Expo registration is finally open and we need a few guinea pigs to test it out and make sure everything is working right. If you are reading this post you probably just saw our tweet. So here is how it works. Here is a link to the 2009 BlogWorld [...]

Are Businesses Confused by Social Media?

Many businesses are jumping on the social media bandwagon, but do they know what it is or why it’s necessary? I see advertisements every day for community managers and social media specialists but the description for each ad varies remarkably. No two jobs are similar. When it comes to business, there’s no mistaking where you would [...]

Facebook Fielding $200 Million Bid For 2% Stake

Looks like Facebook is still bringing in some substantial appraisals for just how much it’s worth. While we’re still a bit unsure if it’s actually Worth the money they are claiming it is worth, a Russian company just offered Facebook and its head honchos $200 million for only 2% of the company. That means, for [...]

Bloggers Have Mad Skills – Pay them Accordingly!

I have a bone to pick. Something’s sticking in my craw and I need to get it out. Lately I’m coming across ad after ad for bloggers – yet no one is willing to pay for the work. Instead they’re offering “exposure” and “internships.” Hello? I’m exposed every time I walk out my front door, [...]

Facebook as Terrorist Recruiting Tool?

Could this be a big ‘uh oh’ for Facebook? For now it doesn’t look like it, but this recent bout of news does raise some questions as to exactly how Facebook is going to begin addressing some of the more questionable uses of their social networking site. We all know they were quick to address and [...]

Social Media isn’t Spam

The past couple of weeks found me on a quest for answers. With everyone claiming to be social media experts nowadays, I went looking for definitions. What is social media? What criteria should one have before claiming social media expertise? I’m still compiling that data, but there is one trend I found interesting and disturbing. [...]

Tweets From Space: Astronaut Twitters

If the White House jumping on the bandwagon and signing themselves up for a Twitter account wasn’t enough to convince you that the micro-blogging service had officially gone mainstream and its popularity has blown up, maybe today’s little gem of news will. How about this: a NASA astronaut part of their latest, ongoing mission not [...]

10 Tips for Attending Conferences

Every time I attend a conference, I learn a few more tricks. It took a few years of trial and error to get it all right – not that there’s a wrong way to attend a conference. Now though, I know a little bit more about saving costs, remembering names and faces, making important connections [...]

Facebook Gives Two Holocaust Denial Groups The Boot

Looks like pressure finally got to Facebook and they did what I am sure the vast majority of people will agree, was the right thing. Freedom of speech in this country is beyond vital. The ability to say what we feel, when we feel it without censorship or controlling is one of the things that [...]

Here Are My Heroes…. Who Is Your Hero?

A few days ago a dear friend introduced me to a group of very special people and a wonderful organization; The Bob Woodruff Foundation. Stephanie asked if we could help them spread the word for their TweettoRemind campaign and their goal to raise $1.65m by Memorial Day. We of course said yes! What is Tweet to [...]

Community Isn’t Only Online

One of the reasons I enjoy attending blog and social media conferences so much is because I love meeting with the folks I interact with online. I’ll even go as far as to say I use my online communities only as a tool for making personal connections. I think a mistake many folks make is [...]

Better Paying Opportunities for Bloggers?

As someone who trolls the job boards daily looking for writing and blogging leads, I tend to notice trends. For instance, with so many folks laid off from their jobs, many are turning to freelance writing and paid blogging opportunities for making ends meet, at least temporarily. I started writing for the web in 1999, we [...]

Twitter: The Best Job Search Tool Ever

Twitter fascinates me. If I could, I’d spend the entire day watching the current trends and following shared links. Sometimes I lurk, and watch other conversations unfold, other times I’m an active participant. With my Tweet deck open I can monitor several talks at once. It’s a beautiful thing. Because my blog is about freelancing and [...]

Over 50 and Jobless? Join Social Networking Sites

We’ve all heard the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” We all know what it means, we all know how true it usually is, but is it still relevant? Is now the time, if ever there was a time, to start teaching all the old dogs out there, some very new, very [...]

Which Celebrity Would YOU Choose to Give a Keynote at BlogWorld

After Ashton Kutcher became the first person to reach one million followers on Twitter, there was a bit of discussion as to whether Oprah should give a keynote at BlogWorld 09. As you could imagine, there was a variety of answers, not all positive. It got me to thinking… At the first BlogWorld, Mark Cuban gave the [...]

White House Dips Into Social Networking Pool

Looks like the White House is going 21st century, in a very big way. We all knew during the campaign that Obama was a bit more advanced than any other presidential candidate in history when it came to his embracing and utilizing new technology. That trend is continuing as the White House made a fairly [...]

College Admissions Using Social Networking Tools

Think you are completely safe when it comes to what’s being posted on your social networking profiles? Think all those photos of you or your kids that are tagged, all of those videos you or they might make little cameos in, are safe and sound and seen by no one but you? Think again. Turns [...]

CDC Using Twitter For Flu Information

Last week we discussed briefly how Twitter was rapidly becoming much more than just a place to find out who’s doing what, when, and why, and shifting into much more of a conduit for information. Today, in the midst of a nation-wide pandemic scare, we’re learning just how true that really is. Twitter, it turns [...]

Learning Wordpress

This is my third try at writing this post as I have lost my draft three times. Isn’t that just the way when you want to talk about a technology? I am writing this in the dashboard of Wordpress. There are many choices when wanting to use a blogging platform, like Blogger, Moveable Type, Squarespace [...]

Twitter Becoming Huge Conduit For Information

From Twitter’s humble start as a way for you and all of your friends to update each other on what’s going on, where you are, what you’re thinking and what you’re doing, it’s hard to believe where things have currently landed. A year ago, would you have believed that some of the most popular celebrities [...]

During Recession, Marketers Turning To Social Networks

In today’s economy, I’m fairly sure just about everyone has been feeling the pinch. When it comes to bigger companies, one of the divisions that I’m sure has been struggling, is the marketing division. How do you advertise your product to people who are struggling with their own financial issues, without spending more money than [...]

Did Ashton Kutcher Exploit The Children Of Africa?

While searching for other blog posts about the recent hubub over the hypothetical possibility of Oprah Keynoting BlogWorld this year, I came across another post that stunned me and brought a whole new perspective to Kutcher’s million Twitter follower quest that I hadn’t considered before. Blogger Clement Nthambazale Nyirenda has a post accusing Kutcher of exploiting [...]

Job Seeking? Social Networking Can Help!

In today’s economy, it seems to me that people fall into one of two categories: Lucky to still have their job, or desperately searching for a new one. Granted this is most likely a very vast generalization, but you get the point. The good news is, the tools available as a job seeker are more [...]

Should Oprah Be Allowed To Speak At BlogWorld?

Wow people can really get their shorts in a twist really quickly in the Blogosphere or in this case the Twittersphere. Tonight Twitter and the tech blogs were buzzing with talk about Ashton Kutcher’s little challenge to CNN to see who could be the first to get to one million followers on Twitter. Larry King Responded. [...]

How To Monetize Your Blog; A Gary V Post You Must See!

I just had a great conversation with @Jason Falls from Social Media Explorer and had to write this post. We were just talking about how some smallish (1,500 to 2,000 readers a day) but high quality niche blogs kept trying to pitch him to get a world wide brand to advertise on their blogs. Jason finally [...]

Church Encourages Twitter Use During Service

Welcome to the 21st century. I guess when the institution that has been considered the most traditional and least technologically advanced starts to embrace modern technology like Twitter, it’s time to say it’s officially arrived. I just caught wind of a church in North Carolina that not only doesn’t care if you text message and [...]

For Love or Money: How to Find the Blogging Sweet Spot

Being a professional blogger is sexy. You get to make money writing on the Internet in your pajamas. It’s the epitome of the American dream, all idyllic and hypnotizing. Well, it is until your bills come anyway. Then that fantasy land you created while drinking overpriced mochaccinos comes crashing down and you remember that being a [...]

Twitter Worm Spreads Over Easter Weekend

Isn’t Easter supposed to be the time of getting dressed up nicely, maybe going to a church with your family, eating too much ham, eggs and rolls and finding bright colored eggs hidden all over the yard? I’m fairly sure the last thing it’s supposed to be about is the spreading of a new worm [...]

Social Networking Finds Higher Calling

Right when you thought you knew exactly what Social Media and Social Networking was capable of, right when you thought you knew exactly what it’s future would be and that it was officially shifting towards business, something pops up that gives you a renewed hope for just what all this new technology could be capable [...]

Google Wants Twitter…Is Twitter King?

Unless you’re hiding under some sort of stone in the past few days and weeks, you’ve most likely heard the rumors circulating and floating around that Google has officially expressed some interest in acquiring the wildly popular microblogging site, Twitter. Wow. Given the fact that newer rumors are now circulating that Twitter wouldn’t sell to Google, [...]

Facebook Booms, MySpace Falls

Facebook, Hulu, Twitter, Bebo are all booming. Every day, week and month the traffic numbers continue to steadily rise and their popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing down. One of the original founders of social networking, however, has done nothing but show a steady decline in traffic and popularity over the past few months…that’s right, [...]

Rappin At SXSW? How About Blog World Expo “I Wanna Be A Rock Star?”

This has gone around the blogosphere out on Twitter and a number of other places. Rebecca Corliss did an awesome job of putting together this recap of SXSW in Austin, Texas. Some of the rock stars in blogging, podcasting and conference attendees are in the video. What I would like to see now is a video [...]

Mark Cuban Fined for Twitter Comments

I guess if you’re as rich as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, $25,000 really isn’t that much money to lose. If you’re like me or the rest of America it is, and it begins to make me wonder just how responsible we’re all going to be for the comments we make on Twitter, in our [...]

I Love Twitter

I love Twitter, and I might be addicted. Fortunately – or unfortunately – I have to work all day and so can’t access Twitter until I get home around six. Even then, I don’t dwell on Twitter Lane as many people seem to do; I just love to walk up and down the Twittersphere and look [...]

CBS Sunday Morning’s Two Takes On Blogging

I never watch this program but for some reason I did this Sunday. I took it as a sign when Tim Bourquin sent me a link to the first video online that it required a post. This first piece is pretty good considering the audience and despite the little dig equating bloggers with yellow journalism. Watch CBS [...]

Twitter To Offer Commercial Accounts…For A Fee

The fact that Twitter has had, well, issues, coming up with a way to actually make some money off their service has never been a secret. The fact that they’ve been desperately needing a way, also, has never been a secret. Looks like steps have been taken for Twitter to do exactly that as it [...]

Bloggers Blog Because. . . Well, Because!

Why in the world would someone like me want to go to Blog World Expo, or any other blogging conference? Would would someone like me NEED to go? Aren’t bloggers twenty and thirty-somethings? Don’t they write about diapers and projectile vomit and daycare and breastfeeding at the workplace? Bloggers are also techies, right? Bloggers are always [...]

Shaq Tweets At Halftime

In a word: Wow. We’ve been talking a lot lately about just how big social networking is getting, how huge Facebook and Twitter have become over the last few months and how they are more than likely going to continue to do so. In case you were still a non-believer (didn’t the simple fact that [...]

The Pricelessness of Blogging

I live out in the country, several miles from the nearest small town. I know only one other adult who blogs, living in this area. We met and became friends because of our blogs. We have little in common besides our passion for blogging, but a passion for blogging is a big enough passion to [...]

Social Networks Changing The Way We Communicate

Remember the days of long winded phone calls, answering machine messages that filled up the entire tape, handwritten letters delivered by snail mail, or worse, horses? Yeah, me either. Those days are fading further and further into obscurity with every day that passes and the simple fact is this: We do not communicate with each [...]

Blogging for Bargains!

I used to clip coupons from newspapers and magazines, but I don’t any more. I don’t even take the newspaper, and haven’t for several years. I still get a few magazines in the mail, but I’ll probably let the subscriptions lapse when they come due again. That being said, I still use coupons every time I [...]

Blog World Expo Wants to See You At Web 2.0 Expo

We are giving away a free badge to a special Blog World and New Media Expo blog reader, radio listener or other friends. You can win a badge to Web 2.0 Expo very simply. Here is how. Just tell us you want to go to Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco coming up on March 31, 2009 [...]