There isn't a whole lot you can't find on the internet today. Is it nice to be able find anything you could dream of with a few swift clicks? Sure. But there's also a lot out there that shouldn't be: the weird, the creepy, the downright wrong.
What's the creepiest of the creepy? The wrongest of the wrong? The beautiful people dating website, which basis its membership on the votes of its established, beautiful members. If someone isn't deemed beautiful enough by the masses, they don't get in.
And now according to Mashable, the site has included its own sperm bank, where beautiful people can connect and plan to make beautiful babies. The site's creator has announced that now, even the non-beautiful (or as he graciously calls them, ugly people) are allowed to browse at the beautiful bank.
Seriously, this a real site. I couldn't make this up if I tried; these things called morals wouldn't let me.
The real point of this post is to show how the internet can and is used for bad. Almost anything can be made easy now, from the wonders of email to the creepiness of designer babies, and it can happen so fast people won't even know it until its done. So keep yours eyes open.
I am. And I will never look at a beautiful baby the same way again.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Formula for Successful Followership
It already exists, and it's time to jump on the bandwagon. Everything has a formula, from the modern modes of social media to the great literature of our time.
So without further adieu, I would like to take a moment to talk about The Lightning Thief, or as he's known to us mortals, Percy Jackson. Percy is your 12 year old, average, run-of-the-mill kid. Except Percy can make strange things happen, and one day he finds himself whisked away to a secret place just for magical kids like him. But Percy isn't your average magical kid either. He's special. He's the One. And there's little downtime when you're the One. Before long, he and his two new friends (a comic-relief sidekick and a braniac girl) are off on the adventure of a lifetime to fight the forces of evil and ensure that good prevails.
Perhaps the plot sounds a little familiar. Perhaps some of you have heard of a little book (7 little books, to be exact) that follow the adventures of a boy named Harry Potter. And by some, I mean all, because unless you've been dashing through hyperspace for the past ten years, you've heard of Harry Potter. And you know exactly how it begins, how it ends and who dies in the middle. You know enough to know that The Lighting Thief is The Boy Who Lived reincarnated, right down to the nerdy names and comic/brainy sidekicks. Oh yeah, Percy Jackson deals with Greek gods, not wizards. The key (and only) difference.
Lo' and behold, The Lightning Thief is a smash hit. People can't get enough of Percy. And as a die-hard Harry Potter fan, I'm not ashamed to admit that I myself am a new Percy fan too. As obvious as it may be that Rick Riordan (author of said book) is a major J.K. Rowling (who needs no introduction) fanboy, no one really cares that the basic plot and premise is the same. They like the plot, they miss the premise, and they're willing to buy anything that will suck them back into someone else's fantasy-land. The book is just different enough to make the story its own, and that's really all an audience needs.
Now lets turn back to social media. Think of all the facebook pages and twitter feeds you've ever seen. How different are they, really? Besides the fact that all pages and feeds are programmed to look exactly the same, you might notice that most of the really successful ones follow the same formula. Formulas they picked up from other pages (retweets, @'s anyone?) that have proven successful. Same with blogs. Every social media guru runs to Seth Godin first, and bases their blog off of his uber-successful example. No shame in it; if it works, why not? There's countless examples of multiple blogs, twitterers, whatever, pitching the exact same idea with an almost identical angle, and the successful ones are those that take that angle and deliver it in a fresh, interesting way.
See the connection? Substitute gods for wizards and people will be intrigued all over again. Put a sarcastic voice on a blog pitching cereal and you'll pique the interest of those bored with their bran.
So take a leaf out of The Lightning Thief's book, and steal.
So without further adieu, I would like to take a moment to talk about The Lightning Thief, or as he's known to us mortals, Percy Jackson. Percy is your 12 year old, average, run-of-the-mill kid. Except Percy can make strange things happen, and one day he finds himself whisked away to a secret place just for magical kids like him. But Percy isn't your average magical kid either. He's special. He's the One. And there's little downtime when you're the One. Before long, he and his two new friends (a comic-relief sidekick and a braniac girl) are off on the adventure of a lifetime to fight the forces of evil and ensure that good prevails.
Perhaps the plot sounds a little familiar. Perhaps some of you have heard of a little book (7 little books, to be exact) that follow the adventures of a boy named Harry Potter. And by some, I mean all, because unless you've been dashing through hyperspace for the past ten years, you've heard of Harry Potter. And you know exactly how it begins, how it ends and who dies in the middle. You know enough to know that The Lighting Thief is The Boy Who Lived reincarnated, right down to the nerdy names and comic/brainy sidekicks. Oh yeah, Percy Jackson deals with Greek gods, not wizards. The key (and only) difference.
Lo' and behold, The Lightning Thief is a smash hit. People can't get enough of Percy. And as a die-hard Harry Potter fan, I'm not ashamed to admit that I myself am a new Percy fan too. As obvious as it may be that Rick Riordan (author of said book) is a major J.K. Rowling (who needs no introduction) fanboy, no one really cares that the basic plot and premise is the same. They like the plot, they miss the premise, and they're willing to buy anything that will suck them back into someone else's fantasy-land. The book is just different enough to make the story its own, and that's really all an audience needs.
Now lets turn back to social media. Think of all the facebook pages and twitter feeds you've ever seen. How different are they, really? Besides the fact that all pages and feeds are programmed to look exactly the same, you might notice that most of the really successful ones follow the same formula. Formulas they picked up from other pages (retweets, @'s anyone?) that have proven successful. Same with blogs. Every social media guru runs to Seth Godin first, and bases their blog off of his uber-successful example. No shame in it; if it works, why not? There's countless examples of multiple blogs, twitterers, whatever, pitching the exact same idea with an almost identical angle, and the successful ones are those that take that angle and deliver it in a fresh, interesting way.
See the connection? Substitute gods for wizards and people will be intrigued all over again. Put a sarcastic voice on a blog pitching cereal and you'll pique the interest of those bored with their bran.
So take a leaf out of The Lightning Thief's book, and steal.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Building Blocks of Blogs
Every blog has a beginning, and everyone has a beginner blog. Usually those blogs fail to receive the proper amount of TLC. But even with the tenderest of love and care, some blogs are still guaranteed to fail, because somewhere along the line, the blogger missed a step.
Just like it's guaranteed that every time I get a to-go box at a restaurant, I'm going to leave it on the table. And if I do manage to run back for it in time, I'm going to leave it in my car. And even if I get it all the way home to the refrigerator, I won't remember it's there the next day. Bottom line: The food's not getting eaten. And sometimes, blogs just don't get read.
But every once in a while there's that special one that does. The Seth Goden's, the Junta42's, those guys. Everyone knows those guys because everyone reads those guys. Why? Because they're good at what they do and know what they're talking about. They took all the right steps, they got their food into the container and safely tucked in the refrigerator, and now everyone's eating it right up.
So those may be the lucky guys, but I'd be willing to bet that even they had a beginner blog, and only by building on that beginner were they able to get where they are now. The bright side is that for those like me who have trouble completing the food-to-fridge process, there's always the hope that one day it will click, the right formula will be found and we could have our very own special blog. But it won't just appear, it takes work to make a quality product. And it takes time to make sure that product is in fact quality. 'Cause if the food's no good, no one will want to eat it the next day anyway.
With that said, I'd like you to semi-disregard my last post about the billboard. Because I don't think I would ever climb up on a billboard and tell the world that it was too complicated for me to remember to eat my food. But hey, if I did, I'm sure I'd get someone's attention.
Just like it's guaranteed that every time I get a to-go box at a restaurant, I'm going to leave it on the table. And if I do manage to run back for it in time, I'm going to leave it in my car. And even if I get it all the way home to the refrigerator, I won't remember it's there the next day. Bottom line: The food's not getting eaten. And sometimes, blogs just don't get read.
But every once in a while there's that special one that does. The Seth Goden's, the Junta42's, those guys. Everyone knows those guys because everyone reads those guys. Why? Because they're good at what they do and know what they're talking about. They took all the right steps, they got their food into the container and safely tucked in the refrigerator, and now everyone's eating it right up.
So those may be the lucky guys, but I'd be willing to bet that even they had a beginner blog, and only by building on that beginner were they able to get where they are now. The bright side is that for those like me who have trouble completing the food-to-fridge process, there's always the hope that one day it will click, the right formula will be found and we could have our very own special blog. But it won't just appear, it takes work to make a quality product. And it takes time to make sure that product is in fact quality. 'Cause if the food's no good, no one will want to eat it the next day anyway.
With that said, I'd like you to semi-disregard my last post about the billboard. Because I don't think I would ever climb up on a billboard and tell the world that it was too complicated for me to remember to eat my food. But hey, if I did, I'm sure I'd get someone's attention.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
At a loss for words
Striking up a conversation has never been that difficult for me. I can usually find something relevant to talk about, even with perfect strangers. So this week I was given a task to join a few groups on Linkedin and join in on the conversation. By doing this I will hopefully get myself noticed in a sea of professionals and if I'm lucky make a few new contacts. Easy right? I thought so too. Unfortunately though, not so much.
My problem...well, let's just say I feel like the new kid at school.
I have been going from group to group trying to find a place where I can belong and feel comfortable to start a conversations let alone chyme into a discussion. But every time I get the slightest never to jump into topic of conversation a sense of skepticism begins to overwhelm my brain and that pesky subconscious of mine begins telling me "WAIT! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!"
I know I sound paranoid, but to be honest I haven't found it that amusing to make a fool out of myself. Plus, when the group is called Intelligent Social Media I would rather not sound unintelligent.
Lets face it I'm a newbie. What do I know compared to the people who have been using social media for marketing, advertising, campaigning, and so on? Up until about a month ago all I used social media for was to be, well, social. I didn't realize I was so out of the loop. MTSU certainly didn't provide a Social Media 101 lecture my junior or senior year of college.
I realize my fountain of social media knowledge will come within time, but my join group+start a convo assignment can't wait for forever. So to help me not sound so...oh what's the word...feebleminded; I'm going to utilize the advice from a column I read on Socialmediatoday. The article is called The 8 Commandments for Participating in Online Conversations. Not bad advice if you ask me.
My problem...well, let's just say I feel like the new kid at school.
I have been going from group to group trying to find a place where I can belong and feel comfortable to start a conversations let alone chyme into a discussion. But every time I get the slightest never to jump into topic of conversation a sense of skepticism begins to overwhelm my brain and that pesky subconscious of mine begins telling me "WAIT! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!"
I know I sound paranoid, but to be honest I haven't found it that amusing to make a fool out of myself. Plus, when the group is called Intelligent Social Media I would rather not sound unintelligent.
Lets face it I'm a newbie. What do I know compared to the people who have been using social media for marketing, advertising, campaigning, and so on? Up until about a month ago all I used social media for was to be, well, social. I didn't realize I was so out of the loop. MTSU certainly didn't provide a Social Media 101 lecture my junior or senior year of college.
I realize my fountain of social media knowledge will come within time, but my join group+start a convo assignment can't wait for forever. So to help me not sound so...oh what's the word...feebleminded; I'm going to utilize the advice from a column I read on Socialmediatoday. The article is called The 8 Commandments for Participating in Online Conversations. Not bad advice if you ask me.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Keep the Content Relevant
Social media is a great way to spread information about your company or brand to the public: True.
Social media is an easy way to spread unwanted information in a very public fashion: True.
It's a fine line to walk between saying enough and saying too much, and social media outlets are littered with those who have lost their balance.
My limited experience with professional social networking has left me with few of my own words of wisdom, so I'll borrow someone elses: "Don't say anything in a blog that you wouldn't want plastered on a billboard with your face on it." -Erin Bury.
Basically, if you wouldn't say it out loud, don't say it online. I tend to gear this advice more towards professional media outlets, where its important to remember not only who you're trying to reach but who you're representing. After all, the whole world may be listening.
Social media is an easy way to spread unwanted information in a very public fashion: True.
It's a fine line to walk between saying enough and saying too much, and social media outlets are littered with those who have lost their balance.
My limited experience with professional social networking has left me with few of my own words of wisdom, so I'll borrow someone elses: "Don't say anything in a blog that you wouldn't want plastered on a billboard with your face on it." -Erin Bury.
Basically, if you wouldn't say it out loud, don't say it online. I tend to gear this advice more towards professional media outlets, where its important to remember not only who you're trying to reach but who you're representing. After all, the whole world may be listening.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Oh Mondays...the day that requires a good sense of humor.I always try to find something that will amuse me just so I can make it through the first day of the week. Could you blame me? I didn't think so.
So what has me giggling inside. You guessed it. This guy!
This is David Perez. A regular 29-year-old recruiter for Leo Burnett. Now, I know what you must be thinking. That's great Abbie but nobody cares. Well trust me, you will care.
For six days (June 21-26) this poor fella will be at the mercy of a plethora of tweeters. As a bet this man has agreed to do whatever his twitter followers tell him to do, that is everything that is legal. Call me cruel, but I find this very exciting.
Now this is of course a semi-cheap ploy for his employer to gain some heavy publicity (gotta love social media!). But I wouldn't scream employer harassment just yet, especially since David will get a pretty sweet deal out of the whole debacle if he completes the the entire six days.
If you want to learn more you can go to CNN or Mashable to get the whole scoop. Until then I call upon my followers to help me think of some things we should have David do. Any ideas?
Whahahaaaaa......
My Battle with the Like Button
Facebook's Like button has earned a giant Dislike from me.
My battle began recently, and it began with this blog. I cannot for the life of me get a Like button to appear on this lovely screen you're looking at it. I've spent too much time trying to deliver the exact code into the exact spot in the edit tab. Nothing happened. I finally managed a pathetic Like button that doesn't sit in the right place and only appears for me when I publish my post, and then promptly disappears when I try to view the blog.
So I decided I didn't really need a Like button. Like buttons are weird; I don't need to know everything that my facebook friends give a big ol' thumbs up to.
But then I stumbled across this article on Mashable, which claims that a Like button can increase a blog's traffic by 50%. Great.
Despite my general dismay with the article and the now inescapable task of adding a Like button, the general message is interesting. Link your blog to facebook, and more people will see your blog. I'm sure if your twitter account were linked to your facebook or vice versa both accounts would be getting a lot more hits as well. Social media is so interconnected that it's become hard to have one without the other. Everyone has their favorite (I'm a facebooker, despite our Like button quarrel), and I'm sure everyone has their least favorite (really, how can something that constantly tweets in your ear not be annoying?), but no one can deny the power of social media when the forces behind it combine.
And so my battle continues.
My battle began recently, and it began with this blog. I cannot for the life of me get a Like button to appear on this lovely screen you're looking at it. I've spent too much time trying to deliver the exact code into the exact spot in the edit tab. Nothing happened. I finally managed a pathetic Like button that doesn't sit in the right place and only appears for me when I publish my post, and then promptly disappears when I try to view the blog.
So I decided I didn't really need a Like button. Like buttons are weird; I don't need to know everything that my facebook friends give a big ol' thumbs up to.
But then I stumbled across this article on Mashable, which claims that a Like button can increase a blog's traffic by 50%. Great.
Despite my general dismay with the article and the now inescapable task of adding a Like button, the general message is interesting. Link your blog to facebook, and more people will see your blog. I'm sure if your twitter account were linked to your facebook or vice versa both accounts would be getting a lot more hits as well. Social media is so interconnected that it's become hard to have one without the other. Everyone has their favorite (I'm a facebooker, despite our Like button quarrel), and I'm sure everyone has their least favorite (really, how can something that constantly tweets in your ear not be annoying?), but no one can deny the power of social media when the forces behind it combine.
And so my battle continues.
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