Alert! Alert! My blog has moved!

My blog has moved!

Blogger went wacko on me so I am now on Wordpress.

Check out my new blog at sloanchouest.wordpress.com.

Can't wait to read your comments, there is a lot of new content waiting to be read.

Practice Makes Perfect

Ethnography: study of people in their natural or “native” environments


Through social media tools we are creating our own environment. An environment with fun activities such as iPhone applications, news alerts on our favorite topics (RSS), audio shows that fit our interests (podcasts), tabloids/magazines that fulfill our need for juicy information (blogs, and sharing information about our selves while learning about others (facebook, linedin, twitter, etc).


In his ebook, The Essential Guide to Social Media, Brian Solis states


Ethnographers are individuals who observe communities to learn the socio-cultural behavior and interaction to hopefully become accepted by the community and in turn, engage as a true member of the desired digital society


In this case- would we all be ethnographers? Observers of interactions through the digital world-- learning and practicing the norms, engaging in conversations, publishing our own work so that we may find acceptance within a certain digital community? My answer would have to be yes, to some extent we all practice ethnography. As do marketing research teams and public relations firms.


Marketers and PR people need to be aware of the environments of their audiences in order to communicate with them properly. If they want to achieve a certain level of success they have to rub elbows with their audiences, become one of them in a sense.


“People establish associations, friendships, and allegiances around content."


There is more work involved in the digital world for marketers and PR people. They can no longer “market at” people and expect them to jump on the bandwagon of fun- they have to become a part of the digital community and work for acceptance.


“You can’t manage a relationship, you need to be a part of it, fully engaged.”


This statement is one for everyone to read and re-read over and over again in order to understand their involvement and their place in the digital world. We all must be willing to put in the time, work, and effort to stay engaged. We all must bring value to our participation.

Kristine Gloria Featured on Quad 3 Podcast

Below are the show notes for the Quad 3 podcast featuring Kristine Gloria from Waggener Edstrom.

0:00 Intro

0:35 Describe Waggener Edstrom and your role at the firm?

a. Wagenner Edstrom (WagEd) specializes in technology and is incredibly relationship oriented. Specifically, WagEd has a long track record with Microsoft.

b. Kristine Gloria is the liaison with account work and digital strategies.

1:17 How has social media evolved and what is your role?

a. Social media has grown from social networks such as Facebook, to micro blogging on Twitter, and has developed into a tool for both personal and professional purposes.

WagEd often uses LinkedIn to do bio searches on their clients and future employees.

b. Kristine's role has been to implement these tools in the business. She is not an early adopter, but watches the space closely.

2:27 How did you gain an initial awareness of social media and how have you implemented it at Waggener Edstrom?

a. SXSW 2007: Sarah Lacy/Mark Zuckerberg Interview and the importance of Twitter

b. Took this momentum to the office.

i. Began a WE Digital Think Tank

4:06 What forms of social media do you use and how does it benefit you as a P.R. firm?

a. Twitter: "Everyday, every hour"

i. Relationships with reporters

b. Facebook

c. LinkedIn: Bio searching specifically

5:11 Commercial

a. FriendorFollow.com

5:41 What is Waggener Edstrom's involvement with the blogosphere and how do you approach bloggers with pitches?

a. Active bloggers on external side of WagEd as marketing

b. Use of blogs internally

6:13 What do you think the relationship between bloggers and P.R. firms should be?

a. Understanding the avenue of communication is key

b. Building relationships is essential

c. Bloggers write what they want to write-it's not personal

6:50 What social media tools do you use on an everyday basis and how have these tools expanded your personal and professional relationships?

a. Keep things professional

b. Social media has helped expand Kristine's network

i. Helps others understand social media tools

7:41 You mentioned social media as a double-edged sword, can you elaborate on this?

a. Blurs personal and professional life

b. Social Media is extremely self-involved

c. You must be in tune to your own personal brand

i. Austin 3.0

9:12 Where do you see social media going in the future in both public relations and personal lives?

a. Kristine does not see blogging as taking over the journalistic venue

b. The public will begin to understand idea of the "double edged sword."

9:53 Outro

Kristine 3.0

A couple of weekends ago Ashley Brown, Adam Raven, and myself hosted an interview with Kristine Gloria for our podcast. At one point in her interview she mentioned Austin 3.0, but never really expanded on what that is exactly. Austin 3.0 is a website that Kristine and her friend Joey Lopez created as somewhat of a social website. They are interested in the "techie" and "geeky" things going on around Austin and want to know more. This description was taken from the website

Austin 3.0 is a website created by Kristine and Joey to give the younger Austin Geek a place to see what is going on in Austin. We hope to create more communication between the various geeky groups around town and help create a greater young Austin geek community

So who is Kristine and why does she consider herself an "Austin Geek?"

Kristine has been a geek since the earliest days of her first Juno account. Her geek background includes a vivid memory of receiving a Turbo C++ book in seventh grade from her father.She is approaching her sixth year in the live capital music of the world and is a relative newbie to the Austin tech scene. She now dabbles in the following: media/cultural studies, high tech public relations, outdoor adventures, impromptu swims, constantly reading and networking.

And what about her friend Joey?

Joseph Lopez has been in the Austin Tech Scene since 1999 when he arrived as a pimple faced freshmen at UT Austin. He would frequent Smartchip Computers back in the day (Pre-Fry’s era) and many other hardware shops that worked out of warehouses. His Current Ventures Include: Concert Sound (A local high-end audio store), Small Buisness Website Building, Personal Multimedia Production and many more roals with other fellow young austin entrepenures ventures.

So if any of you "Austin Geeks" want to know what's up, check out their website Austin 3.0.

Connecting With the Physically Absent

The Point of Connection, PRSA’s 2008 International Conference
October 25-28, 2008 Detriot, MI

The conference is already in full swing, on to Day 3 now, but what does it have to offer to those of us who are not in Detroit? How can we get in on the action? Luckily for us there is the PRSA blog, comprehension, that can be accessed through the PRSA website. Also, there was a free webcast of the keynote presentation by Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist available to PRSA members and nonmembers. Awesome, right? Well... there was one catch- the webcast could only be viewed within the time block of 12:45 to 2:30 pm, yesterday, October 26, 2008. Bummer... On a good note, the presentation will be available in three months.

So what exactly is going on that we would want to experience? How about 100+ workshops focused on branding, research, digital communications, media relations, transparency, etc. The list goes on and on. Here is information on each track of the conference taken from the PRSA website.

Track 1: Innovative Strategies - Sessions will address the latest strategies in leadership, management, planning, research, relationship, reputation, sustainability, communications and integrated communications.
Track 2: Effective Tactics and Techniques - Sessions will address proven tactics and techniques in core communications, media relations, green marketing, measurement and emerging technologies and social media.
Track 3: Specialization and Practice Areas - Targeted sessions, including Professional Interest Section sponsored programming, will focus on expertise specific to audiences, industries, emerging trends and multicultural communities.
Track 4: The Connected Profession - Sessions will address the vital components that connect public relations professionals and help them engage together as a community on ethics, diversity, education, current issues, advocacy and Accreditation.

Keynote Speakers:
Mitch Albom, Bob Lutz, Craig Newmark, and Penelope Trunk

We may not be there now, but don’t look at it as a lost opportunity. Keep your eye on the comprehension blog and stay up-to-the-minute with news on the conference.

Gary in the club with Rhianna and T.I. singing "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha"

So this is lightweight old news but I couldn't help myself from posting about it. As mentioned in Chapter 10 Going Viral of our text The New Influencers by Paul Gillin, 19-tear old Gary Brolsman became famous for his video "Numa Numa"in 2005.

Internship Angst: "How To...?"

St. Edward's University requires all Communications majors to have an internship before they can graduate. Last semester was my first attempt at making a resume, writing a cover letter, and searching for the internship that would be best for me. I did not really know how to go about doing any of those things except to search the internet for advice. I only applied for one internship and was unfortunately not called back. As I continue my search for an internship in the Spring 2009, I continue to seek advice. If anyone has any pointers for resume does and don'ts, cover letter writing, interview scores and flops, I am interested in hearing them all.
I found an article, How to Avoid Common Resume Mistakes from wikihow.com. For those of us still "out of the loop" I hope this helps.

History Lesson

While scanning delicious.com I came across this article, The 50 Most Significant Moments of Internet History. After reading the list, I had a greater perspective of the happenings behind my computer screen and how it has affected the physical and web-based world that surrounds me. I was shocked to read that RSS was first introduced in 1997 seeing as how I had not even heard of it until September 2008 (I'm a little behind, wouldn't you say?).
Go ahead and check out the list and gain some knowledge of our Internet history. Also, do not pass up the "Most Epic Fails" that follows.

Snooty Service

When did customer service became a cost of technological advancement? This past weekend I flew with American Airlines and was very dissatisfied with their check-in process. As I strolled up to the ticket counter I was halted by the hand of an A.A. employee. With extreme attitude she asked me if I already had my boarding pass, I simply replied "No," and she ushered me outside of the ticket line to a row of kiosks. Apparently, American Airlines will have nothing to do with you until you have paid your bag fee and acquired your boarding pass through one of the kiosks. That is of course unless you are flying First Class. Also, please tell me why I have to check in through a kiosk, then get in another line to receive my luggage tags from an A.A. employee. Why couldn't the employee help me in the first place? 

I love the generation in which I live and I am fortunate to have technology as such a large factor in my life, but that does not mean that I would choose to operate with machines rather than people.

The A.A. employee approached everyone after me with the same snooty attitude. That is no way to attract business or to keep business. Customer Service should not be lost in a time where machines are replacing people. Customer Service should be even stronger in that situation because of the lack of person-to-person interaction. 

If it is my choice, I will not fly American Airlines in the future. I place a high importance on customer service and definitely did not receive that through their airline. I like to be comforted and assured that I am in the good hands of a good company when I am thousands of feet above ground. I like to be greeted with a smiling face and an optimistic attitude, and to depart with a sincere "thank you for flying with us today." I like receiving my in-flight instructions from a person over the intercom who will make the monotonous routine funny and interesting, rather than listen to a voice recording. I like not having to pay for the first bag I check-in. I like employees who are enthusiastic about their jobs, who want to make their company the best it can be. 

I like Southwest Airlines. 

Sharing the Funnies

This video was taken from www.NBC.com. I posted it to my blog using the Share option.

Sharing the Funnies

Thanks to Facebook's obsession with what its users are doing at all times, I saw that one of my friends had updated her Facebook status to a YouTube link. Naturally curious, I clicked on the link and it brought me to the SNL opening skit from this past weekend. Tina Fey appeared as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hilary Clinton. The setting was a conference in which Palin and Clinton attacked sexism in politics. 

I revisited Youtube today in hopes of viewing the clip again and it was no longer there. Instead there was a pink bar across the top of the screen stating "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by NBC Universal." What? What's up with that? My next thought, "Google it." I chose to read the article NBC Zaps YouTube Uploads of SNL Skit on Sarah Palin, from Wired.com to get the scoop. Author of the article, Sarah Lai Stirland, explained that NBC demanded YouTube to take down the clip for the exact reason stated in the pink bar on the YouTube website, copyright infringement. The article mentioned that NBC had posted the clip on its' own website. That was my next destination.

Right there in the center of the page was the beyond hilarious clip. To brighten my day with some "funnies" I clicked on the video, watched the advertisement before (those advertisers, always looking for ways to trap us in) and got my good laughs in. What I saw below the clip was what brought me to blog about SNL's grandiose opener from this past weekend and the NBC Universal's response to the clip's popularity. The share tab brought up a screen that gave me numerous options. First, to email the link to a friend. Second, to Post to a Social Network. Third, to copy and paste to an email or IM. Lastly, to send the link to my NBCgroup/contact (something I do not have). It was the Second option that blew my socks off. I was amazed at the availability to post the video on every Social Network I have ever heard of. I just thought "this is so cool." 

Within the three weeks of being in my Internet and Social Media for Public Relations course, my eyes have been opened to the world of connectivity. There are so many options with how we use the internet, so many inner-workings. I feel as though I was blind to the wonderment of the Internet and it's powers. Until this course I was never interested in blogging, I had never heard of Web 2.0, I had no idea that RSS even existed. Now, I am so eager to explore the world that rests behind the keys of my keyboard and the screen of my laptop. 

Apple my Love

Oh Apple, how I love you. Not only has Apple given the world the most useful multi-use phone ever created, it has put our world in our hands. Anyone who has an iPhone can access the Internet with the slide of the unlock key and a light press of the Safari button. That’s old news. Now with the App Store feature, iPhone owners can personalize their experience with their phone and the Internet on another level. As I was browsing through my App Store over the weekend something caught my eye. The App Store now contains an application called Feeds, created by Prime31 Web Design and a few other feeds pertaining to blogs. Also, there is a free application, TypePad that allows users to update their blog from their iPhones, it integrates with TypePad on their desktops, and if the users have a Twitter account, it automatically updates their Twitter alerting their friends of the recent updates. All-in-one features, who could ask for more?

Web 2.0 has created a new world within consumerism. Where will this new level of consumerism take us? As “new influencers” what effect will our choices of gadgets and applications have on Web 2.0? Due to the creation of multi-use phones such as the iPhone, the Blackberry, and the Instinct people can share their pictures and their thoughts with others at a much quicker rate than before. Oh the possibilities…

If an individual would like to have their world, their way, in the palm of their hand, the iPhone is the go-to gadget. Since having my iPhone I have gone through numerous stages of appreciation. At first my phone as something cool, then it was an obsession, my obsession grew into my phone being an extension of my body, and has now grown into an active agent of my Digital Profile.

Once again, Thank You Apple.