Tag Archives: twitter

What do you do? Tell me in 12 seconds.

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Are you on Facebook? I am. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been tagged by my friends about “25 things you don’t know about me”. In tagging me, they asked me to also write 25 things. I tell you, I’m just too freaking lazy to write that many things about myself. 

So instead, I’m starting a new thing. Get on 12seconds.tv (it’s free) and post a 12 second video about what you do and/or what your company does. I did two of them from my iPhone. Note, the iPhone doesn’t do videos, but the 12seconds app does a 12 second slideshow with three pictures. It’s actually fantastic. For the 12 seconds, I think it’s way more effective than video.

Getting back to the idea. Post your video and tag it #12secDo. Also post a link on twitter with the same #12secDo tag, and we can find your video via search.twitter.com. I’m really looking forward to seeing what you all do.

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Why is it I can’t say anything on the270

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But I have plenty to say on twitter? (and things people say to me) Oh well.


Tracking for Columbus

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Oh great, what the270 needs, another Twitter post (by the way follow me, I’m @wyliemac). But bear with me, this one’s a nice story about our interconnected world and about Columbus Twitterers.

A few weeks back, I wrote a blog post about DSW suing Zappos. That post got me looking at the Tracking for Zappos page, where everytime the word “Zappos” is mentioned in a tweet, that tweet appears on the site. Now I thought that was pretty cool. So in a tweet I asked “Anyone know how Zappos set up their aggregation site? Would be nice to do something like that for #Columbus.”

Later that night, I got a direct message from the CEO of Zappos, aka @Zappos, telling me that he could set a page up for me. After consulting with the Columbus Social Media Cafe, I came up with a few Columbus tracking words and now each time those words are on a tweet, the appear on the Tracking for Columbus page. There is also an “employee” page that collects tweets from those Columbus Twitterers that have agreed to be a part of the tracking site. (Note, we’re labeled employees because the template is built from Zappos’ employee tracking page.)

The site is freaking amazing if I must say. In a glance, I can see what people are saying about and doing in Columbus. Yes, there are some mishits, but for the most part most of the tweets are Columbus related. I encourage you to take a look at the site and keep track of the Columbus Twitterers. And if you want to be included on the list, just let me know and I’ll add you. The only thing I require is that you live in the Central Ohio area.

DSW commits major PR blunder in sueing Zappos

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You know I hate to see Columbus businesses mess up. But it looks like Columbus based DSW has a PR nightmare on its hands.

Yesterday, DSW filed suit against online shoe retailer Zappos alleging that Zappos and it’s agents have infringed DSW’s service marks. The PR trouble is multiple.

1) The entity that allegedly infringed the service marks is an affiliate of Zappos, not Zappos itself. In Internet parlance, an affiliate is basically someone that puts a link to an online store and gets a commission whenever someone that clicks that link buys from the online store.

2) According to Zappos’ CEO, DSW never informed Zappos of their problem, and just sued them. Which is a perfectly valid move, except that …

3) Zappos has a HUGE Twitter presence and a HUGE fan base. DSW, your move strikes these folks as:

a) a PR stunt given that you just launched your competing online shoe site, and

b) a douchebag move given your lack of trying to work things out in advance.

Worse yet, there was a guy on Twitter with the screen name of, ugh, SEOColumbus (account since deleted) that bashed Zappos. Turns out, SEOColumbus was associated with DSW.

Run a search on Summize.com for Zappos and DSW. You’ll see that the masses are outraged and pledge to buy from Zappos and not DSW. That hurts.

Is there any way for DSW to contain the onslaught of bad PR? Perhaps some of my PR friends on Twitter can chime in. I for one have shopped at DSW and hope to continue shopping there. It’s just hard to see a Columbus business miscalculate so badly. It makes us all look like yokels. Like when Skybus went bust.

And if I may interject one more comment. For Pete’s sake, if you’re going to try to covertly muck up the social network world, please use another name that doesn’t sully our region’s name.

Update: Here’s the DSW complaint if you’re so inclined to read.

dsw-v-zappos-complaint

NBC 4 still miles ahead of the other guys – and pulling away

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Channel 6 and Channel 10 have not yet left the stone ages. While Channel 4 twitters and builds a relationship with its viewers, the others continue to lag behind. And they’re lagging behind even further.

Now, Channel 4 is beginning to use Brightkite, which is a location based social network. You check in at a location and then all your posts, including uploaded photos, are associated with that location until you change it.

Channel 4 videographer Andy L. is leading the charge. Recently he’s posted photos from the news chopper and from today’s tornados (?). Since I’m a brightkite friend of Andy’s, I have the ability to have his updates sent directly to my phone. So when he’s out on assignment, I can get a preview of the stories he’s covering. Very cool.

Welcome Channel 4 to the Twitterverse

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NBC 4 Twitters!Channel 4 twitters! Much like the Dispatch does.

But what’s so much cooler, is that so does some of WCMH’s employees. I follow them, and it seems like I’m ease dropping a bit as to what’s on tap for the evening news. But that’s a good thing. Because they’re *building a relationship* with me (whether they know it or not). When they say they’re sending the feed of some report for editing, I want to watch it. Thus, I’m going to watch Channel 4′s newscast over the others.

Cheers to Channel 4! Now I’m off to see if the other stations are a cool as them.

UPDATE 4/8/08: No, I wasn’t able to find other twitteres from Channel 6 or 10. Too bad for them, they’re missing out.

The RVA Blog from Richmond linked to this post and expanded upon what I had to say:

I just talked to a co-worker, Ryan Squire, the Managing Editor at NBC-4 WCMH-TV, our NBC station in Columbus, OH. Ryan and his crew recently fired up a Twitter account for the station.

Ryan understands the value of Twitter as a communications tool for the station but he and the staff are taking it one step further by maintaining personal accounts which let you look in on the inner working of the newsroom.

What I’m really excited about is the opportunity for people that follow the Channel 4 folks a chance to suggest stories. To provide leads. To “interact” with the news. I really hope they keep it up.

Note: I had Channel 10 on in the background and heard a commercial for the Channel 10 news. I immediately changed the channel to Channel 4 to watch their news.

The270 Prods the Columbus Dispatch to Actively Twitter

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At least that’s my version of the truth. I’ll report. You decide.

First, the Columbus Dispatch did establish a Twitter account at DispatchAlerts. They did so on November 30, 2007. But they posted one update on that day. Then they posted an update on December 1. Then nothing. Until April 17, 2008. FOUR days AFTER I suggest to the Dispatch to start twittering.

Hmmm.  While they will NEVER admit to it, little do they know that I have bugged their offices. What follows is a transcript of a recent conversation between editor Benjamin Marrison and columnist Joe Blundo.

— Begin transcript —

Marrison: BLUNDO!

Blundo: Yes Mr. Marrison.

M: Get your ass in here.

B: Right away sir.

M: Did you see that crap in the270?

B: Uh, the two … seventy? Sir?

M: Oh come on Blundo, get with the times. The270 is just the coolest Columbus blog out there. Geez, and you call yourself a reporter! What do I pay you for?

B: Actually, I’m a columnist sir. I don’t have to report.

M: Yea, yea. Whatever. Anyways, can you believe that ass over at the270 is telling us what to do?

B: What’s that exactly?

M: He’s telling us to start twittering.

B: Twittering?

M: Oh come on. What are you, a twit? Here, go read this. [Marrison hands Blundo a printout of the270 post]

B: Oh. I’ve heard of this. Didn’t we start an account a while back?

M: Yea. I assigned Tim May to start twitting, but he had his head so far up Tressel’s [back side] that he dropped the ball. I want you to start twitting. And do it now. And do it often.

B: Yes sir. Whatever you say.

M: And another thing. Dig up some dirt on that the270 guy. I heard he used to work for that great Republican Kenny Blackwell, but now is supporting Obama. What kind of self respecting Republican is he?

B: I thought we were supposed to be non-partisan.

M: Blundo, get the f out of here before I kick you out.

— End of transcript —

Dispatch Alerts

Damn Indy!

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Okay, just an update to my #Columbus hashtag post. Looks like #Indianapolis gets it, or is in the process of getting it. Check out what @alxconn said:

Really hoping to get the number one active slot on #hastags for #indianapolis #tweetup

So come on Columbus. Hear the call. Start your #cbus and #columbus engines (pun intended).

Oh, and checkout the #sxsw hashtag to see the potential for this.

One final note.  I’m going to lay the hashtags gauntlet down to #Indianapolis. Don’t let me down. :)

Hey Columbus, start Hash Tagging your Tweets

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Yesterday, I requested that the Columbus Dispatch start using Twitter. Today I ask you too, to start tweeting, if you haven’t already done so. But I’m also asking that you go one step further. Start hash tagging your tweets.

On the right under the videos, you’ll see a series of hash tags related to Columbus. When you click on them, you’ll be taken to a page that shows all the tweets that used that particular tag. For example, the #cbus hash tag will show you all tweets tagged with #cbus.

If we can get a bunch of people doing this with their tweets, we can show to the world how vibrant Columbus can be. Imagine your at the bar and you see Andy Dick making out with a guy. Of course you’ll want to take out your camera and take pictures. But why not tweet about it on your cell phone. That way, anyone monitoring the #cbus hash tag can see that something exciting is going on and head down to the bar you are at (assuming they have no hang ups about going to a gay bar).

Want another example. Say you’re at ComFest. And there is a band playing a hot set. Let us know with a #comfest hash tag. The potention for this to be a viable real time citizen notification system is limitless. And easy to do.

Okay, so I got you intrigued.

  1. Sign up for a free Twitter account
  2. After you’ve signed up, go to Hashtags’ twitter page and click “Follow”
  3. When you write your tweet, make sure the hash sign (#) is in front of your tag, without spaces

That’s it.