Category Archives: Technology

Blogging About My Job For My Job

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The first post I sent out to the audience at my recent new job was a doozy. My marketing plan was simple: to get awareness without sounding braggy. Never easy for a brand. Even harder for a website and marketing agency in the throes of a new website and new marketing strategy. I came on board because I knew two of the team members. And to hear them talk about work, their passion for it, that got me inspired. It took a little convincing for them to get me here. And I wanted to impress them. So I got scared. But I did what I wanted to do. I positioned myself as the new guy. The person just looking in, casually observing and pointing out that there’s an expert team ready to be contacted.

So many times you’re told to not blog in the first person. That bugs me. My use of generic pronouns shouldn’t be what compels you. I think there’s something very real about ME in a story. As I do when I read your stories passionately told about what you think and feel. Discuss. Agree or no?

That post is shared below, and if you want to see it on the Akavit site that link is here. So how did it do? Guess.

 

 

Akavit isn’t new—but their approach to digital marketing is. Since 2008 this group has been hard at work making the trends you see and respond to across the landscape of the internet. So, I begged them to hire me. It was actually a pretty big, freaking scary risk. I moved with one suitcase and a car. I jumped at this chance to join the team for a few reasons I want to share with you.

SKILL: Certain truths remain as content marketing and digital design have evolved: Everything you publish must innovate, inspire, educate, and/or excite. If it doesn’t, don’t publish it—the internet doesn’t need more fluff. The work being done at Akavit practices that tenet flawlessly.

STYLE: To get to know us, imagine us. We’ve created a workspace for creators. It’s almost a cliche to work in comfy chairs with collaborative areas, speaker systems dropping sweet beats, the requisite foosball table, the beer fridge for team Town Halls. All of this contributes to a creative environment that produces some of the best work in the Rocky Mountains. But that isn’t what makes us cool. That’s just window dressing. While some agencies push the fun and forget the work that pays for it, here work comes first. The cool factor is the creativity.

SUCCESS: Awards line the walls and come in the mail frequently, but we don’t do this job for the recognition. Mindful creativity goes into every pitch and every design. The advertising IQ in this office is over my head in the most exciting way possible. Even our motto, “If it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t launch” sets the uncompromising standard that Akavit clients get the best possible results, every time.

SWAG: Since I joined it’s been a whirlwind of concepting, creating, optimizing and winning. I’ve been given the support and the green light I’d been begging for previously. Mind = blown. Turnaround times are the fastest I’ve ever seen. Account and Project Managers are in constant communication with clients—in person and over the phone. There’s true authenticity here and a deep commitment to being both helpful and professional—doing what’s the best for the client no matter what.

Refreshing, right?

I admire this agency—and you should too. The collective brilliance of this group of people is astounding – and none of them even asked me to write that. It’s just what I see. I’m still a little bit “outside observer” status around here. Me sharing this story isn’t so much a new beginning, it’s me hoping you get to see another paradigm shift in digital advertising. I want to transparently display to you our inner monologue as we deliver killer work, and explain the practices we employ for you to learn from. You’ll wanna take notes. Connect with us on your favorite social point, and ask any questions you want answered. We’re here to help.

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How To Succeed On Twitter

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…without really trying.

I’m not patient. I have a killer eyeroll some people hate. I’m snarky about those that don’t use common sense. So it pains me to have a new job where I’m given money to create content on the internet. Well, no, I like the creating part. The curating and reading and sharing gets to me. I sift through internet noise all day looking for quality to share. Hopefully soon I’ll weed out the junk. There’s so much junk.

If you are new to social media…you are so late to the party you are on clean up crew and the cool kids are smirking at you – so you better at least be wearing something blingy. But, you’ll find so many lists telling you that you need an app, or their help, or 34838677087346 best practices they’ve outlined in an infographic that they’ll send to your email.

Don’t listen.

I mean, if you suck, you suck. No app can help. So DON’T SUCK.

  •  Spell shit right.
    • Your grammar and spelling will be judged. Cut and paste in to something that has spell check. Reread. Take a breath. Social media flies by and gives you the impression people are out there WONDERING WHY YOU HAVEN’T POSTED YET. They’re not. It’s ok. Take the time to get it right.
  • Swear if you want.
    • The real point is be yourself. If I can’t get a sense of YOUness, I’m not interested. The most successful people online – you feel like you KNOW them. Whether that’s swearing or running around in short shorts taking booty pics, or talking about church, just DO you. Be authentic, not what you think people want to see. That never works.
  • Ignore all those ‘best practice’ ideas.
    • No one knows your business or goals like you. I see the irony of making a list telling you to ignore lists, but the real takeaway should be that a process of elimination will tell you what works for your audience. Maybe some nerds talking about gardening really want a pic of your flowers. Every. Single. Day.
  • Thank people.
    • Being nice and noticing other people will get you farther than cramming your crap down their throats and wondering why they don’t respond. A little effort goes a long way. My favorite group of people online are massage therapist friends of a girl I went to school with. Because they support each other and make the effort to share successes. It’s kinda the point.
How to respond to social media tips.

How to respond to social media tips.

Well, other than mine of course.

 

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? What else would you add that you are sick of seeing/hearing/being told?

Addictions

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When I like something, I like it too much. I tell 6000 people it’s my favorite. Here are my current favorites:

*Pocket – This app is the instapaper plus for Android. I love it for my phone, computer, and the Chrome app that syncs it with my Twitter feed. I love the “read it later” idea – you scan when you have a second and go back for more when you have the time. Can’t think of anything else I need to claim my new Samsung Galaxy is just as rad (way radder, let’s be real) as an iPhone.

*The new bit.ly – Linking through bit.ly has become more than just a short Twitter sharing method. It’s brilliant. I feel so powerful knowing who is actually clicking through on links I post. And if I want to reread something it’s saved on a page with the stats.

*Game of Thrones – I don’t have cable, but just started reading the first book. It is enthralling. Feels good to be using my Kindle again.

*The new Passion Pit – I’m not good at music suggestions the way other people are. I am convinced I listen to the best music in the world no matter the genre. But right now, since Passion Pit is coming August 9th to Twilight Concert Series, I thought I’d share a whole album before you can buy it – NPR is awesome for doing that.

Is there something that you are hopelessly in love with lately? Let me know! Recommendations and blog comments are more of my favorites.

A fun photo to share – the sunset from my house last week.

Make It Count

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Do you remember your first blog post? Here at somegosoftly I have archives and can find it real quick. It’s awkward.

What about your first myspace update?

First tweet?

First Facebook update?

Most of you might have said something less than memorable. Maybe, “I’m here!”

Or, “What is this all about?”

And now we’re getting Google+.

It’s yet ANOTHER chance for you to get out in the world of social media and say something.

There are tons of jokes in the other mediums suggesting people are already struggling with making that first step into the ocean of this new forum resonate.

So, what is it going to be? You get yet another chance to start fresh, create a space, have a voice.

How do you proceed?

While we aren’t exactly taking the first steps on the moon with this or anything, it is fun to know that you could be the beginning and success of something new, of finding a new way. I’m always jealous when I see the creative side of a new idea, and wish I’d thought of it first. I can’t wait to see what people come up with for Google+.

End Of Me

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That Kindle is too cool. Plus the 400 some odd books on it so far. I was supposed to get a lot done today, but in between house stuff I already read a full book in a few hours! The best thing is how little it bothers my eyes! I’m already thinking of all of the things I’m not going to get done because of it. Not only that, I’m looking forward to my hair appointment. It’s got me thinking of other things that I won’t mind anymore, like waiting for the car to be serviced, for a doctor/dentist appointment, all those things I’d get bored waiting around doing if nothing fun was going on on the internet to look at on my phone.

I watched TV tonight for a minute with my laptop, Kindle, camcorder, camera and phone all on the couch by me. So many fun toys! But it is hard to concentrate on making a video, sending a text, and reading a book!

Spelling And Typos

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We all, from time to time, make mistakes. I have a sweet Momm and Dadd that will read my writing and let me know if I make a mistake. And husband. And brother. And Snippy. And anyone else I might ask for feedback. Here, Facebook, Twitter, Ski Utah. Doesn’t matter. It’s important to me that I express myself clearly and part of that is not being ignorant of something I may have overlooked.

You wouldn’t hire someone who couldn’t be counted on to be consistent and professional, and writing well is part of that, even if it’s not the main focus of that person’s job. As an advertiser you’d quit giving a site money if it made mistakes too often.

Maybe not everyone has time for someone to help proofread their work. But it is starting to drive me totally crazy that so many people who have an online presence are simply terrible at spelling. Grammar and writing style are one thing. Sometimes I’m trying to convey something funny or snarky and write it a certain way that may not work for you. That’s allowed. I won’t pick on you for that. But if your ‘career’, no matter how serious, has you posting online, I think you should spell or have someone proofread your work.

Does it matter to you if you get a work email that is barely legible? Not a quick text from a friend written more to convey an idea than tell a story, but something that is supposed to be professional. I’ve been seeing some blogs, Facebook business pages, and Twitter accounts lately that have typos that hurt my brain. What would you do? I’m tempted to find the equivalent of the online ‘red pen’ and go around correcting people. But I’m betting it won’t make me many friends…

My Yelp Fail

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Or, “Need Yelp Help”.

One thing I love about the B’s is that they try anything and everything once. San Diego is so enormous that sometimes MK and I got in to a routine and didn’t often stray from it. So while we were there visiting and in need of some celebrating, we took to our fancy phones to find a place for lunch we’d all never been to before.

I tried Urbanspoon first, an app that is like casino slots, you give it a shake and it picks neighborhood, price, and cuisine, then suggests a restaurant. Our location was yielding too many chain restaurants, so MB suggested I try Yelp.

I was hesitant, I’ve never had a good experience with that site. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, you tell me. He suggested I type in “best margaritas”. The site did indeed pull up a bunch of Mexican restaurants, so we figured we were good. We picked one with great reviews, or many stars or whatever.

We get there, and the food was only okay, and there were no margaritas. They didn’t even sell them. What did I do wrong? Why did Yelp put this place in my results?

I mentioned once before the other problem I have – if you aren’t just telling me the restaurant was clean, and the service was good, how on earth can I relate to you? I clearly didn’t have the same taste buds as the people that loved the place, and voted NO margaritas as ‘best margaritas’.

I kep forgetting that not everyone has a smartphone (get with it already sheeple) but for those of you that do – is anyone experimenting with layar or any other augmented reality app?