Trevor Young | PR Warrior blog | Where PR meets social media meets content marketing

60 Digital Thought Leaders You Must Check Out!

 

Welcome to The Influencer Project.

The concept was intriguing - The Shortest Marketing Conference Ever.

And the pitch was tight - 60 Speakers. 60 Seconds Each. 60 Ways to Increase Your Influence Online.

This terrific online event, presented by ThoughtLead, was held last week and the MP3 audio recording and accompanying transcript are now available.

Bite-Sized Chunks

I've just devoured the transcript. WOW!

So much practical advice. So many divergent views. So many different insights, all in easily digestible bite-sized chunks.

It doesn't matter if you're an entrepreneur, a marketer or PR professional, corporate executive or an expert of some kind - if you want to learn how to extend your digital influence, this is the best thing you'll read (or listen to) this year. Seriously. 

Why? Because the views, hints, tips and advice are provided by 60 different experts, giving you a broad range of things to think about.

But if you're REALLY SERIOUS about giving your brand the 'edge', then you'll take things a step further!

If you want to better understand social media and how to connect more effectively in today's networked marketplace...if you genuinely are interested in becoming a smarter marketer and influencer, then you must check out all of the featured experts, speakers and thought leaders individually.

You won't be disappointed.

These digitally savvy men and women have got plenty to offer. Collectively they're generous with their knowledge and regularly and openly share thoughts, opinions and ideas through their respective blogs, books, videos and podcasts.

Here are all the links - you have no excuses :)

Enjoy!!

1. David Meerman Scott - author, The New Rules of Marketing & PR
2. Anne Holland - Which Test Won
3. Mike Volpe - VP of inbound marketing, HubSpot
4. Michael Port - author, Book Yourself Solid
5. Liz Strauss - Successful-Blog.com
6. Robert Scoble - veteran blogger, Scobleizer
7. Carol Roth - business strategist
8. Scott Porad - Cheezburger Network
9. Joe Pulizzi - Junta42 & Content Marketing Institute
10. Laurel Touby - Mediabistro.com
11. Hugh MacLeod - cartoonist, GapingVoid
12. Chris Guillebeau - The Art of Non-Conformity
13. Laura Roeder - social media marketing expert
14. Michael Margolis - GetStoried.com
15. Dave Navarro - LaunchCoach.com
16. Loren Feldman - 1938 Media
17. Ann Handley - MarketingProfs
18. Jim Kukral - author, This Book Will Make You Money
19. Joselin Mane - internet marketing consultant
20. John Jantsch - Duct Tape Marketing
21. Marshall Kirkpatrick - ReadWriteWeb.com
22. Shama Kabani - author, The Zen of Social Media Marketing
23. Terry Starbucker - SOBcon
24. Johnny B. Truant - blogger/entrepreneur
25. Jason Falls - PR & social media expert
26. Robbin Phillips - Brains on Fire
27. Yaro Starak - Entrepreneurs-Journey.com
28. Michael Stelzner - SocialMediaExaminer.com
29. Erica O'Grady - ReinventingErica.com
30. Gary Vaynerchuk - Wine Library TV, author of Crush It
31. Nathan Hangen - blogger + digital entrepreneur
32. Danielle LaPorte - strategic business adviser
33. Guy Kawasaki - author, entrepreneur, venture capitalist
34. David Bullock - profit engineer
35. Vanessa Fox - author, Marketing in the Age of Google
36. Lewis Howes - author, speaker, entrepreneur
37. Valeria Maltoni - Conversation Agent
38. Sergio Balegno - research director, Marketing Sherpa
39. Hank Wasiak - communications thinker, author, entrepreneur
40. Mitch Joel - blogger/author/podcaster, Six Pixels of Separation
41. Tamsen McMahon - communications + branding strategist
42. Justin Levy - author, Facebook Marketing
43. Chris Garrett - professional blogger + new media consultant
44. Cathy Brooks - founder, Other Than That
45. Todd Defren - blogger + principal, SHIFT Communications
46. Brian Clark - Copyblogger.com
47. Scott Belsky - founder/CEO, Behance.com
48. Wendy Piersall - new media entrepreneur + speaker
49. Mark Silver - founder, Heart of Business
50. Dan Schawbel - personal branding expert
51. Shashi Bellamkonda - social media  swami, Network Solutions
52. Gretchen Rubin - author, The Happiness Project
53. Muhammad Saleem - social media consultant
54. Aaron Kahlow - CEO, OnlineMarketingConnect.com
55. Alexandra Levit - career + workplace author/speaker
56. Steve Woodruff - social media marketer + networker
57. David Siteman Garlan - founder, The Rise to the Top
58. Amber Naslund - communications + business strategist
59. Julien Smith - consultant + co-author, Trust Agents
60. Brian Solis - new media thought leader + author, Engage

Hat-tip to ThoughtLead for putting on the event and collating all the above names!

On The Web, You Are What You Publish!

Leading business book author David Meerman Scott hit Australian shores last week for a whirlwind tour which included a guest spot at Social Media Club Sydney and a Social Media Masterclass in Melbourne.

I attended the masterclass event. WOW! You've got to hand it to anyone who can hold an audience for some 6+ hours as David did, plus socialise with participants for some time after that.

The session pretty much covered the expanse of content from David's two best-selling books - World Wide Rave and The New Rules of Marketing and PR. It was a highly practical session jam-packed with scores of examples and, although I've read a lot of David's work, it was great to immerse in and focus on social media from a PR and marketing perspective for such an intense period of time.

I think the secret to truly understanding social media is being able to 'join the dots'.

Social media is such a disparate beast, full of shiny new tools and tactics that people tend to get hung up on. To be able to see the bigger picture - both from a technological and societal point of view - and then integrate into an existing communications program is when a brand will truly experience the power and simplicity of what social media has to offer.

David dropped plenty of gems during the masterclass, but a couple of points stand out for me:

In order for a brand to gain attention, it can either:

• BUY IT - i.e. traditional advertising
• BEG FOR IT - i.e. media relations and editorial publicity
• BUG PEOPLE FOR IT - i.e. direct methods such as call centre activity.

Or, he says...

"You can earn attention by publishing your way in."

ON THE WEB, YOU ARE WHAT YOU PUBLISH. Make your brand stand out by producing remarkable content so that people come looking for you!

David's trip has been well covered by blogs locally. Here are some links I highly recommend you check out if you want to get a better handle on David and the new rules of marketing and PR:

The Week That Was With David Meerman Scott (by Jennifer Frahm, who organised the tour)

Dear Rupert, I Think I Want to Break Up (excellent piece by Karalee Evans)

The Power of Twitter: How a Tweet Led to a Week in Australia (David Meerman Scott's take)

Also worth checking out is the Twitter back channel populated by prolific tweeps @Karalee_ and @IdeasCulture - some great nuggets of information plus links etc (under the #SMOMMC hashtag).

* PHOTO: a panel was formed to round off the David Meerman Scott Masterclass; from left, David Meerman Scott, Kate Kendall (MarketingMag.com.au), James Duthie (Next Digital), the PR Warrior (parkyoung) and moderator, Gerry McCusker (engageORM).

* PHOTO: the audience listens intently to David Meerman Scott.

Online PR is All About Community

This video is worth bookmarking (or downloading for later use) if you're interested in a simple but effective explanation of the different approach required of online PR. 

No hysteria or loud music, just an easy to follow animated demonstration of how community and conversations sit at the heart of PR-driven social media activity.

The video was produced by RealWire.

(Hat-tip Wadds' PR Blog).

Online PR is all about Community from RealWire on Vimeo.

NOTE: downloadable versions of this video for offline use are also available.

Social Media - Fad or Revolution?

This is a great video jam-packed with observations and seemingly up-to-date statistics that support the astounding growth of social media (excellent soundtrack too!) - by @equalman, author of 'Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way we Live and Do Business'.

For a list of the statistics contained in the video (plus sources) - Socialnomics - Social Media Blog.

(Hat-tip to Ribeezie.com).

'Play Fair, Play Nice, Stay Relevant' - CFA Gets Real With Online Terms & Conditions

You wouldn't exactly say Victoria's Country Fire Authority is an 'out there' organisation in comparison to, say, mega-brands such as Apple or Virgin.

I was therefore very surprised - pleasantly so - to check out the terms and conditions on the CFA's 'Connect' website, which read (in the introductory part, any way) as if they were indeed written by Sir Richard Branson's personal copywriter i.e. real language with a touch of humour.

Like all online forums, CFA Connect has a set of terms and conditions you need to accept before you can become a member.

However, unlike virtually all Ts & Cs I've ever had the misfortune to encounter, the CFA has managed to work both with the lawyers and circumvent them at the same time. BRILLIANT!

The problem with most guidelines for online behaviour is they're written in overbearing dictatorial tones, full of legalistic jargon that, let's be real, no-one ever reads. I think the lawyers forget that terms and conditions are as much a communications tool as a layer of protection.

Here is how the CFA kicks off its terms and conditions (see screenshot below):

Okay, so we just wanted to say play fair, play nice, stay relevant and, particularly in the forum, don't say anything you wouldn't say to someone's face. And if you are the kind of person who says nasty things to people's faces, don't do it here!

But that didn't cut it with the lawyers, so you've got to agree to the stuff below as well, which gives you some more details and also lets you know we won't tolerate no monkey business!

THEN...

They include the jargon-laden legal stuff (that no-one will read anyway).

What the CFA has managed to do here - in one hit - is to satisfy its legal team (and protect itself) while at the same time effectively communicate what is expected of members posting on its forum.

Who would have thought the CFA would become the new 'poster child' for online forum terms and conditions?

Great stuff, and congratulations to all involved!

(Click on image to enlarge)

Armchair Guide to Online Social Networking & Business Collaboration World

I didn't get along to the Online Social Networking and Business Collaboration World in Sydney earlier this week, but fear not - given the nature of the speakers and content involved, there has been no shortage of blog and Twitter posts about the conference!

It's worth checking out the Twitterverse in action when it comes to an event such as the OSNBC World.

What does the audience tweet about?  Everything basically, ranging from their opinions of the speakers and their presentations through to casual observations of people in the audience and other event minutiae. Tweets feature hashtags (in this case #osnbc) which enable Twitter followers to track (and join in) the conversation.

This is real-time conversation at its purest - a genuinely interesting experience when you're sitting at a desk away from the action (I was in Melbourne at the time) yet gaining insights and information from audience members literally as it happens. It's raw, it's opinionated - and similar conversations are happening around the world all the time.

Blog posts covering the event started appearing soon after conference had ended (or in the case of the ever-efficient Ross Dawson, during the conference).

Here are some post-conference blog wrap-ups:

• Netregistry Brainstorm (Day 1)
• Netregistry Brainstorm (Day 2)
• Rae Buerckner 
• Chieftech  
• Trends in the Living Networks 

In a previous post I talk about blogging being the 'enthusiasm medium' - you can add Twitter to that as well!

List of Corporate Social Media Examples Continues to Grow

More and more blue-chip companies and brands are dipping their legs into the social media water (as opposed to merely their toes!).

Fantastic to see!

In recent times I've been busy compiling a list of examples of corporates who are getting involved with blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Second Life et al; it's still very much a work in progress but in the meantime, check this out -- ex-Forrester analyst Peter Kim has put together an A-Z List of Social Media Marketing Examples which is definitely well worth bookmarking.

It's a solid if not eclectic list with some interesting examples, ranging from the well-documented success stories through to some companies that are attempting to use social media in innovative ways. 

Corporate Twitter forays overall tend to be a little naff although some brands, with a little effort, have potential while Forrester and Wholefoods are making great inroads in this space.

There are also several examples of consumer 'backlash' social media executions - what can happen if an angry group of consumers turns against your brand.

All in all, Peter Kim's list is definitely worth spending some time on if you're interested in a broad overview of what's happening in social media from a corporate and brand perspective.

Social whaaaaat??

I dunno, it might just be me, but in recent chats I've had with a variety of people from within the broader marketing communications industry - clients and agency practitioners of various persuasions - I start banging on about social media and we have the beginnings of a good conversation, but...

...more often than not, while I'm blabbering about all things social media, my partner in conversation is actually got their head in the social marketing space! 

Talk about confusing - we're actually having a conversation about totally different topics! No-one's fault - it's really easy to confuse the two, obviously...and we haven't even touched on social networking!

Aaaarrgh!

Welcome to Web 2.0 Oz-Style

Australia's social media 'scene' is thriving if the just-released Top 100 Australian Web 2.0 Applications list is any guide.

Prominent local blogger and chairman of the Future Exploration Network, Ross Dawson, provides some insights here. Definitely worth a look before checking out the list.

Number one on the list is Mig33, a global mobile and web-based community.

Listed second is enterprise wiki Confluence, while third is a favourite of mine Red Bubble.

Australian blog and media search engine Gnoos pops in at number eight. Congrats to Pete Burley and the team!

BusinessWeek Revisits Seminal Cover Story on Blogging

Three years ago BusinessWeek magazine ran a cover story entitled Blogs Will Change Your Business.

It was a significant story, not because blogs were 'new' as such but more so because if a prestigious publication like BusinessWeek makes such a big statement on its cover no less, then people tend to sit up and take notice.

In fact, the online version of the story 'continues to receive lots of attention'. Punch 'blogs, business' into Google and that same story continues to come up, if not first, then in the top handful of search results.

The online version has been so successful from a readership point of view the authors have felt the need to freshen it up in terms of additional notes, comments and statistics and a new title ('Social Media Will Change Your Business') - the refreshed copy can be read here. Now the same authors Stephen Baker and Heather Green have saddled up again and produced another BusinessWeek cover story which revisits the original.

This new feature - entitled Beyond Blogs - again provides an interesting (albeit extremely broad) 'point in time' snapshot of the business of social media. 

The two articles make great 'bookends' and are best read in tandem. An incredible amount of development has occurred in the social media space between the publication of both stories, including the rise and rise of MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, powerhouse digital communities that didn't even rate a mention in the 2005 article but obviously weigh heavily in the follow-up.

Interestingly, a BusinessWeek colleague of Baker and Green - Kerry Miller - has gone on to become a blogging sensation attracting up to 1.3 million readers to her blog Passive Aggressive Notes, thus providing the authors with a real-life 'close to home' example of the power of blogging. Miller now plans to turn her blog into a book.