In some ways, nothing’s really changed. That is still going on, but many people would say the real action is now happening online. And the best thing is, I don’t have to feel sorry for the Google search spiders having to crawl through the myriad pages to retrieve what I want. It’s what they love best!

Here’s a helpful piece from E-Consultancy about how to monitor opinions, articles, conversations relevant to you and your organisation – without paying a brass razoo (in most cases).

Before you get cracking (because you know it’s time) – here’s a quick Nodestone guide to getting sorted.

1.  Know what your goals are

- Do you just want to know what being said about you online, or are you planning to enter the conversation (and if you are not sure, best you be reading up on the power of web 2.0, blogging and the social web. See our presentation here for a start.

- How far do you want to go and what resources do you have to manage your responses?

2.  What key words are most relevant to you

- Various spellings and shortened versions of your company, major projects/products and names of key people

- Competitors

- Major stakeholders (eg. legislators, major customers/shareholders, funding partners).

- The sector that you are in

- Other key words, eg topics you would scan for when reading a newspaper

3. How are you planning to circulate and act on what you find?

- If there is a live debate on a blog or in a forum about your key topics, what will you do? Who will be ready and able to respond to misinformation or genuine criticism?

- If there is a chance to offer a positive follow-up story to an influential blogger or mainstream journalist, who and how will (you) act?

- If there is a positive story about your project/organisation – what will you do? Who will you share it with?

- If there is an interesting story written, how can you use it in your own communications?

- Will you carefully subscribe to certain blogs or newsfeeds and read them?

Welcome to the great conversation of “us”. In some ways it’s never been easier. If you do nothing more than have a play with Google Alerts – you will learn a lot.

If you want to discuss a proper strategy about media monitoring and reputation management, give me a tinkle. We’ld love to help you improve your communications. It might be as simple as a short chat and a sign post to send you off in the right direction.

Some interesting analysis and discussion around this question at Social Edge – the Skoll Foundation online space for social enterpreneurs. Check it out, join in and subscribe to Social Edge is that’s your area.

See other Nodestone posts on blogging.

If anyone is trying to get their heads around Web 2.0, social media, new paradigm thinking and all that claptrap – get a look at this. Lovely simple animation. I’m going to use it at the beginning of all my courses. Free event coming up soon to give people a taste of it all. Watch this space.

Guardian review here (including Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky) which also looks reeal good.

Shame The Big Issue review isn’t available online. A different and very valid take on things.

No wonder most journalist’s I meet are annoyed with blogging and What’s Going On with we-think.

No wonder I am compelled to work in and support this space.

So glad Rosie Sherry is in it with me (thanks for the video).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiP79vYsfbo&hl=en]

Follow the links to explore your own context and see the list at the end to extend your learning.

Highly recommended!

Check it out. 

So social media has truly hit the mainstream. It even has it’s own comic strip. Are we all onboard and up-to-steam? Thing is, this new way is meant to be real. It’s meant to come from a genuine desire to connect with others (customers, stakeholders… fill in the blank).

I’m starting to cringe about the whole thing. The hype. The hyperbole. Sure, Google’s algorythms (currently) love blogs. Sure we can optimise search and get “seen”. But who’s actually going to be listening?

Some emerging thoughts here about how the cream is going to rise to the top.

Many early adopters are already screaming for the off switch.

We are reaching a new point in the adoption of social media. Something’s gotta give (she says joining Dopplr). There is another tipping point approaching.

Time for some great editing and aggregation. Time for some trusted sources to filter it all for us, and I don’t mean the USA Today Bloggers & Podcasters Guide (even if we do keep ranking 1). Or even cool geek individuals like Scobelizer. I’m looking for something all about my interests, the blogs I want to follow, but more visual. Definitely NOT Google’s Blog Reader.

What do we think Gra… time for a chinwag. Oh look, there’s my husband blogging in the room above me. Time to STOP all this and go find him.

Express * Create * Connect * Learn * Grow * Play

A chance to let your words rip and flow. Fun, fresh activities will make these classes one of the highlights of your week.Perfect for anyone who uses the written word to communicate, eg. social enterprise folk, creatives, geeks, government folk, artists, writers, journalists, communications professionals, business people, activists, eco-warriors, peaceniks, bloggers. Come one and all!

“Fun, interesting and worthwhile – personally and professionally. I’m glad I took time out of a lousy schedule to do this class. Now I can rite reel good.”

“It’s been easier to write. I’m jotting down ideas again and having more of them. It’s the creative convalescence, soon I’ll be back at full strength.”

Find out what else regular participants are saying about them here…

Great writing exercises and games that build confidence, dissolve writers block and get your fingers flying across the page or keyboard.

* Connect with your real voice
* Enjoy expressing yourself again (or for the first time?)
* Give the ferocious editor (or “inner critic”) a holiday and let your words flow freely
* Learn how to write effectively for different audiences, and even for yourself
* Write authentically and learn to connect, be heard and seen by others for who you are

* Stand out from the crowd and compete in the “Attention Economy” of the new world order
* Enjoy writing like a person, not a corporate-speak, “we’re not listening anymore” brochure.
* Get help editing and planning your writing projects
* Join our fab new online space and share youre words, projects, ideas – get extra resources (all students eligible to join).

Your teacher Libby Davy from Authentic Blogging has a background in creative and professional writing, editing, education and strategic communications.

Venue:

The Werks
45 Church Road
Hove
BN3 2BE
www.werkshop.org.uk

Bike, bus or drive if you must. Parking is only a quid for two hours

When?

10.30 – 12.30

1 July

15 July

Put them in your diaries now if you have a positive intention to come and learn / create / express / play.

£13 per session (on the day) or £20 for last two.

Still offering first class free to permanent desk spacers at The Werks and friends of students.

Leave a comment if you would like to know what we will be going in Autumn or to make suggestions…

Please help this grow by spreading the word to those that might be interested.

Contact Libby Davy on 07968 687 107 or libby@nodestone.com

Some folk already starting to book in and watch what’s happening at Upcoming: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/402221/

About Libby
Hello there. I have a degree in communications and have taught writing, editing, publishing and strategy at a university and community level. I am a published and awarded short-story writer (very low-key to be honest) and have had work broadcast on national radio. For many years I have been studying education and involved in a range of education projects, in addition to my own teaching practice. Completed part one of an innovative new Masters programme in Person-Centred Education at Sussex University, and may even return one day.

For many years, I consulted in strategic communications and marketing, and business coaching – with an increasing emphasis on ethical, sustainable / environmental and social enterprise.

In essence, I am a fun, friendly, Australian mother with a passion for creative expression, business, education and human potential – including yours!

http://nodestone.com/2008/05/29/fresh-writing-each-fortnight/

http://nodestone.com/2008/03/28/new-dates-for-fresh-writing-plus-spring-tips/

What they don’t say is that, you can of course use a combination of styles and there are many new forms emerging all the time. Take it to the edge. Be you. That’s all I want to say right now. And as Shel Israel dropped into say on a previous post:

“In Naked Conversations, as I recall, we emphasized that short blogs were more popular and that bloggers who posted brief articles and then posted often, would score well in rankings. We certainly did not intend to say what blogs were MEANT to be. They are meant to be whatever the author chooses them to be.”

Every blog has it’s upside and downside, it’s pros and cons. Each one is unique, hopefully, as it’s creator/s. There’s no magic formula, despite the way these PR folk are trying to package it.

You’ve just got to blog, surf, listen and engage with the blogosphere – and let it all emerge. It’s as simple and as difficult as that. You’ve got to listen to yourself. Hmm, I think I’ve said that before somewhere… ;-)

[slideshare id=37589&doc=the-25-basic-styles-of-blogging-and-when-to-use-each-one-14243&w=425]

Wow, it’s been over a week since I posted. Loads going on with running the three initial courses (2 x mainstream, 1 x academics), developing our delicious new blogging course for business (social enterprises and others), invitations coming in from all over the place… and now, Widgety Goodness.

What is that you might ask? Well, if you have ever been on Facebook (ah, yes I guess the answer would be for most), you might have noticed all the applications you get sucked into using and sharing. Well, these are widgets. See previous post about what a widget is here.

Suffice to say, widgets are scorching right now. Particularly for marketing bods.

The Widgety Goodness 07 one-day event in Brighton 6 December is the first ever widget conference in the UK, and tickets are flying out the door. All going well, we’ll be doing it in New York next year.

I’m working as the backnetwork facilitator among other things, with the ever-happening Ivan Pope and co. I marked him as my “muse” in the relationships profile for backnetwork, which is largely why I took the gig. Ivan sometimes describes himself as an artist, entrepreneur, anarchist. How could I resist!

See this for an example.

There are no hard and fast rules about how to do this, but I will be looking for more and more examples to help you develop your own protocols.

Gra – would you like comment?

The question was asked by someone in our Academics Blogging course, so we will look for specific examples of conventions evolving in that world. Please add a comment if you find any yourselves.

Here’s a living document I prepared for our first three groups of budding bloggers. I feel a collaborative book coming on.

Not sure I see myself in the same light as the company I am keeping in this collection, but some wonderful people to be gaining inspiration from all the same. David Bohm, Carl Rogers, Carl Jung, Natalie Goldberg, Julia Cameron, The Cluetrain folk, Scoble, Meerman Scott (in some order of importance).

We see this as essential reading for anyone on a quest for personal and professional growth through blogging, but it is a very first draft. Stay tuned for more…

Have a read and let me know which quotes resonate most for you…

FREE E-BOOK on the Essence of Authentic Blogging
More posts on writing to help get your words flowing…