Hello.

Knock knock. Anyone home?

Not sure what parallel universe you live in – but if you think for one second that ANYTHING you do online is private you are delusional and should probably go off-grid right now.

People are freaking out about Facebook and its eroding privacy policy. Some are calling for users to quit Facebook all together. Some are even staging protests.

Come on people. I understand privacy. This is why we have doors on bathroom stalls (in the US) and we pull our shades down at night.

But you know that everything you post on the internet can be public. Just accept it and only post things you wouldn’t care if your mom sees.

Once you join the online world you are an open book. Period.

Here’s my advice.

Go the opposite direction. Instead of trying to hide and privatize the information you put online -make it even more public. Be more in the open and live your life online and “out loud.” You’ll be more careful what you post in the first place and your worry will slip away.

Of course you might invite some unwanted intrusion or ogling. But if you couple a public presence with integrity you really have nothing to fear.

Do you agree? Thoughts?

I don’t print driving directions anymore.

I don’t know or remember any phone number.

I have come to rely on location based search for food and supplies.

I use my phone to blog. (Writing this post right now from my iPhone).

The iPhone has changed my Twitter life. I am no longer a slave to my desktop Twitter client.

I can snap photos of my kids and send them immediately to their grandparents in Pennsylvania.

The iPhone truly is an amazing device. My big problem is my dependence on it. Like I mentioned above – it has caused me to be less prepared.

Last week I stopped by Beehive Baltimore for a show and tell session. The members gather once a month to show each other the projects they are working on. My friend Dave Troy is working on some really neat apps for the iPhone.

I don’t know if he wants the word out yet, so I will just say that it blew my mind in how it could be used for daily life.

I can envision a day when we carry a device with us that completely supports and augments our daily lives.

How about you? Do you use the iPhone or another device – and what’s your take on it?

This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask questions while standing at the intersection of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, social media, podcasting, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see – please subscribe for free. To join the discussion or to comment in real time follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

*Photo by William Hook

I’m convinced that the people who figure out a good way to track metrics and ROI on Twitter are going to make a lot of money. Part of tracking involves figure out the trending topics. My friend, John Lucchetti, pointed me to a new website that shows Twitter trends geographically.

By looking at a map you can not only tell what people are talking about on Twitter – but where they are talking about it. This information can be location based. For example, I live in Baltimore and can see what people are talking about in my city. It can also be used topically to find out where topics and trends get the most chatter.

As of this writing a major flood is happening in Atlanta. The tags #atlflood and #flood are showing up on the map near Atlanta  for obvious reasons.

This Twitter trends map got me thinking about how we can search and organize information on Twitter.

Here’s your assignment. Come up with five ways that you see a Twitter Trends map being useful for your business, career or personal life. Report back in the comments or find me on Twitter.

This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask questions while standing at the intersection of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, social media, podcasting, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see – please subscribe for free. To join the discussion or to comment in real time follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

Having said that – I did log into my Feedburner account today and started noticing a sharp increase in RSS subscribers. Looking at the pie-chart it looks like the majority of these are being counted in Friendfeed.

Note to self. Think more carefully about how to leverage Friendfeed for my own sites and client sites. This appears to be a powerful tool.

What is your experience with Friendfeed? How are you using it to communicate online? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below.

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask questions while standing at the intersection of social media, podcasting, online video, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see – please subscribe to it for free. To join the discussion or to comment in real time follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

I love this little camera. I use it all the time because of its convenience. This camera is great for quick web videos, parties, and traveling. It is literally easy to slip into your back pocket and records in HD or standard VGA.

You can see the full product specs here.

If you like this blog consider subscribing for free.

Tweet This Seinfeld

If Seinfeld was on the air today they would most likely write an episode in which the characters would bet each other on how long they can go without tweeting. Of course this would lead to hilarious dialogue and scenarios.

How long can you go without using Twitter? Are you an addict?

The five classes of Twitterland

As far as I can tell – Tweeters fall into one of five classes…

1) “I tweet therefore I am”

The issue: These folks identify so closely with their Twitter identity that they write only their @name on their name tags at conferences.

Key danger: You actually believe someone doesn’t exist if they don’t have a Twitter account.

2) “I am a compulsive tweeter”

The issue: These are the folks who just can’t stop Tweeting. Don’t have wifi or cell service on that long airline flight? Oh no – how are you going to tweet what you had to drink with your meal? Write 140 characters on the back of an airline napkin and then type it into Twitter when you land of course.

Key danger: Like any addiction – you tell yourself you don’t have a problem and this thing is manageable.

3) “I don’t have a #%@& clue what I’m doing on here. Someone said I should be using this so here I am.”

The issue: These people don’t know what they are doing and so begin to post without really understanding the toolset. They begin to post random complaints or thoughts that they think sound candid – but in reality – they sound very contrived.

Key danger: You look like a dork who doesn’t have a clue.

4) “I will post links to all my amazing and awesome offers and business opportunities and you will love them so much that you will visit my site and make me millions. Hehehehe.”

The issue: No one cares about you or your millionaire maker website. At least not until you engage us as humans and not masses of people who can make you rich.

Key danger: You give yourself false hope. You are building a reputation as “that guy.” What a sorry sap you are.

5) I am very manipulative with my tweeting by name dropping and hoping to be apart of the “in” crowd at conferences and events.

The issue: You are in need of friends and an ego boost. Instead of just developing relationships with people you come in contact with – you go after the big fish and expect them to reply to your @ messages every time. When they don’t – you are enraged.

Key danger: You are setting yourself up for disappointment.

My Advice For Serious Twitter Users

Get off Twitter.

Seriously.

What good is it?  What has it done for you?  How are you benefiting?

Actually – the best question to ask is…

How is anyone else benefiting from you on Twitter?
They probably aren’t – so just stop using this stupid and pointless service.

If you still are convinced that you need to be using this tool (like I am) then here are a few suggestions.

Be yourself. Be helpful. Be encouraging. Be interesting. A lot more can be gained by focusing on other people and their hopes, dreams, successes, and failures. It is rewarding and fun to help others succeed.

What are your thoughts on Twitter? Do you agree disagree?

Also check out my post over at Folk Media for thoughts on Twitter For Business.

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask the questions while standing at the intersection of social media, podcasting, online video, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see – please subscribe to it for free. To join the discussion or to comment in real time follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

* Photo by dailyclerks

I was interviewed by Scott Paton at Blogger & Podcaster Magazine today. He asked me to give my new year predictions for 2009.

The interview went well and Scott is a good guy to have a chat with about Podcasting and particularly direct response copywriting.

So here are my 2009 predictions for blogging and podcasting.

1) Podcasters will wake up to the power of blogs.
Many will abandon podcasting altogether and begin blogging instead. They will see that blogging is the force driving all new media its distribution on the web.

2) Bloggers will continue to be the power brokers.
They will begin using more techniques like email autoresponders and offline events to promote themselves and market their content. We will also see a huge spike in bloggers turning to affiliate marketing to monetize their writing and content.

3) Email will be the killer app.
You think I’m nuts don’t you? Just watch as more and more bloggers and podcasters use this tool to drive traffic and engage their audience. I’m right on this one.

What? No mention of Twitter taking over the universe?

Nope.

Too much spammy stuff going on there. I think Twitter’s best days are behind it. But we’ll see. I’ve been wrong once before. I’m sure I’ll have some disagreement on this one.

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask the questions while standing at the intersection of social media, podcasting, online video, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see – please subscribe to it for free. To join the discussion or to comment follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt
* Photo by cuellar

The incest in online video, blogging, podcasting, and social media is rampant.
I’m not talking about running off to West Virginia with your sister kind of incest – I mean the subject matter of most social media is incestuous.

All we seem to talk about in our podcasts, videos, and blog posts is podcasts, videos, and blog posts.
That’s equivalent to a newspaper only covering stories about the newspaper industry. Who would read such a paper? Other newspaper people… maybe. Aspiring writers and publishers? Okay. But what about the rest of the world?

This very blog post proves my point.

It is now time to stop wasting our time and focus outward to help real life businesses drive sales, marketing, and PR through social media.
It’s been beaten into our brains that social media should live with PR and is awkward and weird in the world of advertising.

Bull crap!

That’s the consultants talking who don’t know how to show a ROI for this stuff.

That’s the traditional advertisers talking who aren’t used to the laser focus direct marketing campaigns that drive quantifiable sales and results.

I think social media should live with marketing as a live or die – pass or fail tool. Either it works to increase your bottom line or it doesn’t.

As a business owner – I don’t want some social media consultant telling me how great social media is and how it’s going to change the world but fail to tell me how it will change my business.
If it can’t be measured and quantified it doesn’t exist. Period.

Think I sound harsh? Try talking with any marketing executive at any serious company and you’ll see how easy I sound.

Bottom line – if social media (and more importantly you if you are a consultant/practitioner) are going to survive in the real business world, you better find real ways to drive real business and show it to real people. Or the people paying you now will catch on and fire you .
And the people you hope consult for will laugh in your face when you come calling.

You say: “Okay okay Joel – get off your high horse you self-righteous little twerp.”

Here are two great examples of driving sales using Social Media. If you are an old school social media type these won’t be news to you – but for those newbies out there…

Wine Library TV
Gary Vaynerchuk does a daily video podcast that has skyrocketed his companies wine sales. Not to mention sent him into the stratosphere as a mini celebrity.

Will It Blend
BlendTec began using videos to illustrate the blending power of their $400 blenders. The CEO would blend iPods, blocks of wood, and other items to show the force and power of the blender. Sales of $400 blenders are up.

Questions:

If you are a social media professional – how do you measure return on investment for yourself and clients?

If you are a business owner – would social media appeal to you if you could measure the results?

Follow me on twitter to discuss.

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask the questions while standing at the intersection of social media, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see please subscribe to it for free. To join the discussion or to comment follow me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

* Photo by Will Lion

Bull Crap.
Okay – not totally. You can make over $100k per year consulting – but not everyone can do this. Come on – do you really think this can scale enough to sustain a nice lifestyle?

I’ve attended my share of Social Media-Podcasting-Online Developer-Affiliate Marketing-Tweetup events (heck I’ve even been invited to speak at many of them) and I’ve noticed that about 95% of the attendees are social media / podcasting consultants. That’s great -but it’s like hanging out in a room full of teachers.

The best teachers are the ones who teach from experience.
In other words, they have been up the road a couple times before. They are the ones who own and run a successful business or blog or website. Mark Cuban – Jeff Bezos – Steve Jobs – Richard Branson – Yanik Silver – Jason Van Orden – Brian Clark …. the list could go on.

The problem is getting these uber-successful people to teach us how they became successful.
And that’s just it. It is something we have to learn – not something we can be taught. We must find our own way – not worry about what the “gurus” are telling us. The real gurus aren’t talking that much. They are too busy building their empires of fame and fortune.

Watch and learn.
My two-year-old son copies everything I do. He is learning to be like me. Whatever I do will impress upon him at this early age in life. He is growing and developing as a person and I am shaping that. But I’m not really teaching him formally. He is absorbing what I do and emulating it.

Eventually my son will have copied me enough to get the mechanics – and then he’ll go on to develop even further variations of what he’s learned.
Same with learning to be successful. Watch and learn the mechanics of successful and wealthy people – then get out there yourself. We are all more capable than we let on.

I don’t want to be a social media consultant. I want to be a leader.
I would rather lead a successful company filled with great people that leads the way in innovation and design. I would rather lead the way in asking the dumb questions no one is willing to ask. I would rather be than teach.

NOTE: This post came as a result of reading this book. While the title may turn you off if you are a self-righteous – sworn to poverty – socialist, it has many lessons on being successful in business that can be applied to life in other ways besides the greedy grabbing of wealth.

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is where I ask the questions while standing at the intersection of social media, marketing, PR, storytelling, life and leadership…. and what the heck this all means for my business and yours. If you like what you see please subscribe to it for free. To join the discussion or to comment find me on Twitter.

Joel Mark Witt

*Photo by AComment

In your opinion what is better? Content or personality? Great writing & production values or a dynamic person delivering? Join the discussion by letting me know on Twitter: www.twitter.com/joelmarkwitt

Listen to my Utter on the topic:

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This site, Joel-Mark-Witt.com, is about technology, blogging, social media, video, podcasting, and how you can use all these tools as a leader to grow your business or professional career, even if you know nothing about computers and the Internet. It has a two part focus. 1) Social Media Leadership. 2) Social Media For Business. If you like what you see please subscribe to it for free by RSS or eMail.

Joel Mark Witt