Frustrating Site

I believe I have a low tolerance for sites that don't work the way I want them to. I'm not sure if everyone is like this, but if I find a site frustrating on 1st use, I'll try again. But if I find it frustrating twice, it's over. Such is my opinion of Digg.com. I set up an account and floated around trying to figure out what it was about. It didn't fit my preconceptions at first so, I logged off and tried again later. Upon second try, digg.com didn't remember me. Said I hadn't set up my account before. What's more annoying is setting up an account with digg.com takes awhile. So, no more digg. I might try another site to understand tagging, or I just might let it slide as I wrap my head around Facebook. And, god forbid, join Twitter. But from a resume perspective I think I might need to have both. Woot.

Tag, you're it.

So far, my attempt to understand tagging is failing. I joined Digg, but it didn't work the way I thought it would. I'll go back and check it out, but in the meantime, I was just "tagged" in some photos on my friend's facebook site. So the tagging concept of organizing the Internet certainly hasn't come to fruition yet. But I will continue to forge on.

In the meantime, I've become a "fan" of a few of the corporations I shop at or bank with to see how they use that status to market to me, or not. So far, nothing. Not even ING - and they specialize in online banking.

Call me confused as I count to ten and try to tag someone.

Facebook - Just getting started

Yesterday I completed my facebook profile. The site is not at all what I expected. I had always thought that it would act more like a browser window - easy to search for things you want to view/share/etc. But instead it is plainer than that and really seems to be about the people you know. What a surprise for me. Everything I read about says that Facebook is much more than conversations between friends, so my plan is to connect to companies I believe in and see how they market to me. In addition, I want to try a little marketing of my own to my Facebook contacts - but I'll probably wait at least a week.

After I feel a little more comfortable with Facebook, I want to check out Digg.com. This is because the whole tagging concept seems to have to be done through a service like Digg.com.

So, wish me luck.

Still trying - today is about making my website better, but I haven't gotten far - in fact, no where today. I can't figure out how to put blog feeds on my site... sad I know. But that is why I'm doing all this to learn. Oh and today I'm going to tag something. Woot. According to the book I'm reading, Groundswell, only about 7% of Internet users tag anything so 7% determine how the Internet is organized. Well, if there's anything I like - it's organization. I'm a bit psycho about it and kinda think it is cool to try and 'organize' the web. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

Day 2 - well today isn't so much about social media marketing as applying for jobs. I looked at one whose role consisted of among others, maintaining a company's blog. So, I guess this is good experience after all. I am going to finish checking out some websites that I like to use for my job hunt like simplyhired.com plus a few company sites that I know I'd like to work. Then, if I still have time, I'm headed over to Facebook. If it seems I'm putting this off, I am. But I really will do it. If 75 year-old aunts are doing it then I am so the late-arriver to Facebook. Who'd think a 30 year old would be this behind in the times?

A quick review of what I've learned so far:

Web 2.0 is not just online software, but the entire social experience that exists whether through a multi-player game like World of Warcraft or through a social site like Facebook, but also on shopping sites like amazon.com or zappos.com. The online environment is about quickly sharing your opinion with millions of others through so many different avenues that I find it all a bit overwhelming. It's certainly a lot more work than picking up the phone to tell a friend about a book you're reading. But the difference is I only have to tell the story once. Maybe. I will definitely check out ping.fm so I can update all the sites at the same time. What a waste updating individual sites... but we'll see how that really works for me once I actually belong to multiple social sites.

I'm thinking of starting to post feedback on amazon for books I've read. I love reading and try new authors regularly, so it could be fun to connect with others that have a similar interest.

We'll see how it goes.

My First Step

I've been in marketing for over 8 years and considered myself an experienced marketing manager who can apply my direct marketing knowledge to any marketing medium. However, convincing prospective employers that I am able to do just that via an online resume submission is proving well, unconvincing. So, in an effort to be current with the times, I have decided to not only create a blog and a website (which is sadly lacking in content and interest - more on that later), but also to create a Facebook page. I am Linkedin, but have pushed back against the Facebook trend due to my lack of interest in keeping my online presence up to date. It seems though, that to keep my marketing skills current, Linkedin is really just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

At first, this blog is going to be about my exploration of this world of online social networking. I want to not only create, but observe what others do and how marketing can succeed in this environment.

Here I go...

N