Is 'thanks' the world's most Tweeted word?

Thanks for stopping by. No, seriously, thank you.

I, like a lot of people, have had a dabble with TweetCloud in the last 24 hours - my top three were: Nice, Media and Thanks.

I've noticed the third one pop up on a lot of the ones I've seen so I thought it was worth conducting a very (very) crude analysis of the TweetClouds generated by my friends on Twitter.

More than 60% of my friends that I looked at had 'thanks' as part of their top three (really must stress I only looked at 50 in total) - so, my question is this: Is 'thanks' the world's most Tweeted word?

I'm not a developer (I can barely post stuff to my blog!) but if someone is up for the challenge, I've got a fiver that says 'thanks' comes in at number one...or at least the top three.

Over to the smart people now...thanks.

What Would (A) Good (PR) Do? (A response to 'What Would Google Do'? by Jeff Jarvis)

So, I just finished reading Jeff Jarvis' excellent book entitled 'What Would Google Do'?

And this is my retort - grab a coffee, tea, beer...it's a lengthy one...

If you're not familiar with 'What Would Google Do?', I can give you the scoop in a sentence (but buy it for the detail, it really is a fascinating read): Adopt the Google approach to everything you do and 'hey presto' you'll operate at a better level.

Banks, retail, media, manufacturing, even advertising would be better to customers and ultimately their own bottom lines according to Jeff if they were Googlefied.

I tend to agree. In fact, Google, to me, symbolises the biggest shift in corporate methodology we've ever seen and (I say this with some pain) for the good.

However, a couple of industries were immune from Googlefication, and 'incredibly', one of those was PR (poor PR people, such an undeservedly bad reputation, it upsets me no end!).

Now, I have two very clear options here:

- Have a rant for rants sake; or
- Actually attempt to prove Jeff incorrect...a bit

As I like a challenge (especially one as insurmountable as Jeff has made this sound) I'm going to take option two (more fun this way).

First, let's summarise Jeff's case: PR x Googlefication = Hopeless.

- As PRs have client's, their motives behind anything they say are necessarily suspect
- They cannot be consistent(one stance today, one stance tomorrow depending on the client)
- They cannot be transparent because it may hurt their clients
- They must negotiate to death, which makes them bad at collaboration
- They're middlemen, and they don't admit to making mistakes well

Jeff of course qualifies this a little bit by saying the best PR is transparent. Well, duh.

In any event, let's go through these one-by-one.

PR people out there, get amongst it at the end, I can't take being treated like this much more...

Clients / motives

Who doesn't have clients? Ad agencies have them. Media agencies have them. Oh, right. They're paying for the right to 'sell' you a message, so that's ok.

But you know what? You know who loses the most if we say / do something that we don't believe in? Us.

Especially in the UK.

The media is so sophisticated and smart that even the slightest attempt to b*llshit them makes you look like a d*ck. And quickly too. Without the respect of the media you can't be a decent PR person. So, yes we may have clients, but we have reputations too and this doesn't really allow for delivering activity without justification / proof.

And our clients have their own reputations at stake too. Particularly personal reputations, and once that is tarnished it's hard to recover from.

In my experience good PR people aren't stupid enough to risk the reputations of the brands they represent, let alone their own (we're a vain lot too, that helps!)

Consistency

This is almost my favourite.

The literal meaning is 'firmness of constitution or character.' Bit of a re-occurring theme already eh?

Jeff's argument: How can you represent brand X on a Monday, and then the following Monday represent brand Y who both stand for different things.

I have two problems with this.

1. Agencies never represent competing clients at the same time (which makes perfect sense, even though accountants and lawyers can represent as many competing interests as they like).

If anything, this only increases the level of consistency delivered by PR people.

And the best agencies / PR people are the ones who excel at relationships i.e. clients stick with them a long time.

And if you do switch, its often not your call - the client is normally the one who initiates that.

2. What? I can only eat fish 'n chips every night for the rest of my life?

Seriously, what is the difference between changing jobs and changing clients?

Ummm, not a whole lot really.

So, it's ok for one person to work for Burger King selling Whopper's passionately one day and then sell Big Mac's at McDonald's the next? But nuh uh, no changing client stances if you're in PR. Tisk, tisk.

The best PRs act with incredible dignity and professionalism and their motives should never be called into question.

Yes we serve clients, but so does Freddy at Burger King, and he does it wholeheartedly. In five years time he might be doing that at McDonald's. Well done to McDonald's for smelling the freshly baked muffins.

Transparency

In fairness to Jeff he does say that the best and most effective approach to PR is the transparent one.

And he's right. And, I hope my PR brethren out there would agree it's absolutely foolish to adopt any other approach.

What people tend to forget is that PR people are often the last ones to hear about issues within a business.

Something goes wrong in the legal department, they don't tell anyone, it becomes public and then the head of legal turns to the PR team and says: "Umm, we had an issue a few months back, its since escalated, would you mind fixing it?"

I bet you the standard response is:

PR: "Is it true?"

Legal: "Yes."

PR: "Well my friend, fess up, take your lumps, and you'll be probably be respected more than you were before this all happened. Internally and externally. As will the brand."

See, this is the thing. There hasn't been this sudden shift to the personalisation of communications. Social media experts will say that we are 'finally' talking 'to' people as opposed to 'at' them.

Yes, it might be more intimate now (thanks in part to the tools at our disposal), but there is no more valuable a communicator who can take a mass message and make it personal. One Barack Obama or 300 versions of him with a '300th' of the impact? (OK, so that's not a real mathematical term...but you get me)

The humanisation of communications came from PR.

Humans love humans. Humans make errors. Humans who make errors are more likable because that makes them more normal in our eyes.

And this is why the people that have made transparency a pillar of their communications approach have always, and will always succeed. They know they are dealing with humans.

Sorry Jeff, we have no choice but to be transparent. To the media, to our clients, to ourselves...because we'll just get found out in the end anyway and then we really look like d*cks.

Collaboration

This one definitely p*ssed me off the most.

And, I'm a gentle soul, and always look for the goodness in people, but in my experience PR people are just as good, if not better at collaboration than any of the other marketing services in existence.

If anything, PR people are less likely to 'land grab' as their slice of the pie is usually almost always smaller.

Chomp on that.

Middlemen / Mistakes

If you're still with me you must have had a damn strong coffee!

Nevertheless, I'll try and make this last one worthwhile.

The mistakes stuff we've touched on already. Cover up a mistake in this game and you're scr*wed. Period.

As for being 'Middlemen' well, for a term that was coined in 1677 I can't really seeing it being put on the endangered species list just yet.

Jeff's argument is that the 'relationship' will essentially become product / brand direct to consumer.

It already is. In fact, PR people help this happen on a daily basis by facilitating the process.

Remember, communications is about taking a message (good or bad) and delivering it to the right audience, in the right place at the right time.

And, this not only benefits our clients but the consumer / stakeholder. They WANT TO KNOW when the next iPod comes out. They WANT TO KNOW if their electricity bills are being reduced.

Think of PR people like mobile phones, without them, you'd spend a lot of time asking strangers for directions.

See Jeff, we're not immune to Googlefication, in fact we probably inspired it.

AV

NOTES: I don't have any qualifications to make, this was just my honest take...imagine that?!?

9XBZD7233FTQ

9XBZD7233FTQ

So simple...the pop up office...

Pop Up from abw on Vimeo.

9XBZD7233FTQ

2010 Prediction Posts - The Ones I've Enjoyed So Far...

It seems every man and his dog is in the process of making 2010 media / social media / marketing predictions at the moment and I for one can't keep up.

So, I've compiled a selection here that I've read and taken stuff from...feel free to do the same.

Perhaps by the time 2011 comes around I'll have the insight these guys have to write up my own!

I particularly like the first one as it encompasses a bit of everything.

Enjoy.

10 Big Marketing Predictions for 2010 (courtesy of http://blog.therisetothetop.com)

Five Social Media Predictions for 2010 (courtesy of http://www.socialzedpr.com)

Predictions for the PR Industry in 2010 (courtesy of http://www.examiner.com)

Six Social Media Trends in 2010 (courtesy of http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org)

PR Measurement in 2010: Five Things To Learn and Five Things to Forget (courtesy of http://metricsman.wordpress.com)

16 Social Media Trends for 2010 from Agent Wildfire (courtesy of http://buzzcanuk.typepad.com)

Nine Predictions for 2010 (courtesy of http;//www.blogtrepreneur.com)

The ten most common Tweets by PR people

As part of my mission to make us (PR people) more likeable to the outside world (and the media) I've decided that the occasional p*ss-taking post does an immeasurable amount of good (especially as I think we don't take ourselves as seriously as non-PR people might think...well I hope so anyway!).

In fact, I was almost tempted to write a post about how people in the PR industry have seemingly become nicer to each other this year thanks to Twitter...but that seemed a bit dull, so I went with this instead.

The ten most common Tweets by PR people

1. The 'check out our coverage' Tweet: "We are so chuffed with the coverage we secured today, are you as chuffed as us?" (Well, I'm happy for you and all, but would rather that space have gone toward my story...good job though)

2. The '(attempted) humble self-congratulatory' Tweet: "We are honoured to be named the 234th greenest agency in Shoreditch." (Hold on, let me order some flowers...no wait, not very green of me...um, chocolate?)

3. The 'I've got a celeb coming in and MUST tell everyone about it' Tweet: "Exciting news. That girl who appeared in four episodes of Emmerdale in 1989 has just walked into our office. Updates to follow." (What's her name again? Oh right, that one, yep)

4. The 'I'm at an event with another PR person who I've never met before' Tweet: "This is so cool. I just met @ConsumerPRgod. He is ace. We're best mates." (Really?!?)

5. The 'Twitter exclusive that really isn't an exclusive' Tweet: "OK, The Sun didn't run this today so hoping if I tack 'exclusive' on this Tweet it will miraculously turn into a DPS for tomorrow." (Ooops, that was a truthful version of that Tweet...ummm...where's the delete button again?)

6. The 'Re-Tweeted, Media Re-Tweet' Tweet: "OMG, @newsdeskman just Re-Tweeted my Tweet about how many Tweets the average person sends per day. Here's the link again..." (Nothing like some Re-Tweet validation eh?)

7. The 'Question that doesn't really need to be asked but you ask it anyway' Tweet: "Does anyone know of any good promotional people I can hire at short notice?" (One word: Google)

8. The 'It's the story of the day so I must be in on it' Tweet: "RT @Person29 RT @Person25 RT @Person21 Katie Price is back with Peter Andre. Officially // I knew it!" (Well done, next stop 3am and The Mirror for you)

9. The 'Client name drop' Tweet: "Just had a great meeting with @Frescos, exciting stuff planned for next year, really exciting." (Go on, tell us more...)

10. The 'Here's the hashtag for tomorrow's event' Tweet: "OK, this is important, the Hashtag for tomorrow's event is #foodwineandfodderfestival09. That's the official one." (Got it, and I promise I'll use it...cross my heart)

Now, I don't think I've even scratched the surface - there are probably 20 others that you see on a regular basis.

If you have a suggestion, drop it in the box below.

AV

Note 1: I've used every single one of these and feel no shame whatsoever...and neither should you.

Note 2: There is a moral to this post...I'm not sure what it is, but it's in there somewhere.

GUEST POST: Merging technology presents a tricky stage for the digital generation...

By Anna Hughes (Twitter and LinkedIn)

(The Intro: Anna is an online product & account manager, project manager at E-mphasis and considered a thought leader in online visibility. So I thought it'd be fun to get her to use that knowledge and take us into the future...over to Anna...)

I came across a question on LinkedIn the other day; ‘What do you think the internet will be like in 2020?’

The answers were surprising and varied.

Some envisioned a future similar to ‘The Matrix’ where the internet is plugged straight into our brains, nice huh?

Some said that the internet will be as it is today, a virtual space supported, contributed and commented on by the digital population of the world.

The general trend from all the comments was that the future direction for the internet is the union of various web 2.0 functions into one dynamic platform.

As someone succinctly put it; “Eating, sleeping, reading, loving and living on the net...that's the future of the internet!

Click here to view the full discussion.

I think that given the current way people are using the internet, there is a strong indication that we will be saving, editing and sharing documents on the same platform that we view films, micro blog and socialise.

This is all very interesting but what will be the implications for businesses marketing their brand message online?

The way we use internet has changed rapidly, even within the last three years. Some of this has been revolutionary, but negatives have been highlighted too.

LinkedIn and Twitter have recently synchronised so LinkedIn status updates can appear in Twitter and visa versa.

This week I saw a real social media ‘faux pas’. A User was tweeting informally to friends, and had not considered that the tweets were appearing in LinkedIn.

We all know that each social media platform has a different focus. The correct message, tone of voice and style needs to be applied to get the most effective response. The language used in this case did NOT suit the professional networking platform!

With Google Wave, the union of computer functionality is already happening. Although this is exciting, it is also one of my main concerns for the future of the internet as a communication medium. If the various platforms and functionality continue to merge, doesn’t it make it more difficult to separate your brand messages to fit the specific target markets out there? I am thinking that things could get tricky. . . .

Five fab (and free) tools for creating and editing quality web video content

If a picture tells a thousand words, how many does a video tell?

A million? At least.

But up until recently I never considered creating and editing videos because I thought they were a) too much hard work and b) too expensive.

Well, you know what, they aren't that hard to produce...and you can create some great stuff for free (virtually).

All you really need is a few tools, some patience and some decent footage / content.

The tools:

Flip Video Mino HD - Handheld Camcorder

The only thing you need to pay for, but what a great investment.

Flip Camcorders are the size of an average mobile phone, shoot in HD quality, are easy to use and have their own editing software.

I carry mine with me everywhere I go. They really are a 'handy' cam.

Windows Movie Maker - Full Editing Suite / Programmme

Everyone has their own opinion on which software to use to edit videos but for me, this one is the easiest to use.

There are a few options out there, but if you are just starting out, this is a good option to take.

Free Play Music - Royalty Free Music

Being a law-abiding citizen, I'd never use music that I didn't have the rights to use...but at the same time I am not Steven Spielberg (clearly) and don't have a production budget.

No problem. Free Play Music is a collection of royalty free tunes, categorised by feel / mood / style, that can be used as the background to your video.

And each tune us free!

Find Sounds - Sound Effects Software

I luuuuurve sound effects...even the really naff ones.

Find Sounds is another free service which provides you with anything and everything you need as far as effects go.

A car engine revving up? A plane taking off? Applause? It's all there.

Free Video File Converter

One of the big obstacles I came up against was the number of different formats out there...it's a nightmare.

With a file converter like this one you can literally take any format and convert it into the one that suits you. You can even convert YouTube videos into formats for editing. Cool eh?

There are a bunch of 'how to videos' out there which show you how to use each of these tools (particularly Windows Movie Maker), so once you have all the tools, take some of these in and before you know it you'll be producing videos.

AV

The Blogger's Co-Op...

LinkedIn Group Set Up: Blogger's Co-Op Group

Over the last few weeks I've got to know a few people that have either just dipped their toes into blogging or been at it for a while and come up against 'blogger's block' from time to time.

So, I thought it was worth setting up a co-op / group for people who wanted to trade ideas, thoughts, challenges etc.

Hopefully this will open doors to other opportunities such as content sharing, backlinking, guests spots and much more.

If you're keen to get involved, drop me an email at adamcvincenzini@hotmail.com

I'll set up a LinkedIn group, a Facebook group and hopefully a bespoke app / channel for ideas to be passed around.

UPDATE: Both LinkedIn and Facebook groups have been created - links to be posted shortly or you can manually search for 'Blogger's Co-Op'.

Cheers
AV

ESPN: The Company...and the way it markets itself

I've just finished reading 'ESPN: The Company. The story and lessons behind the most fanatical brand in sports.'

It is, in a word, brilliant.

Written by the MD of the Leadership Research Institute, Anthony F. Smith, it looks at how ESPN broke the mould to become the world's leading sports media brand.

I'm going to look at some of the points raised by Smith in the coming weeks but in the meantime here are five classic SportsCentre ads which perfectly capture the brand that is fantatical about fans.

Blink-fluence: A new term for a new generation?

Influence. For some reason that word has been smacking me in the face since 7am this morning.

Wikipedia seen as the most influential website in the world Techradar

Radio (and in particular Radio 4) seen as the most influential medium PR Week

Finding influencers in social media Blog post from Brian Solis

The more I thought about it, the more I came back to the same thing: Is influence the most cherished currency in the world?

And is that why, through the emergence of new media channels, we all (seem to) want a piece of the action?

Maybe.

'Blink-fluence' - a new term for a new generation?

But then it hit me (again like a good right hook to the jaw), all the average punter can really achieve is a bit of 'blink-fluence' - the act of providing a split second of influence, to a very small group, leading to a defined reaction / response.

And it's not through lack of effort, it's simply down to volume / cutting-through.

But, I don't think that's a bad thing.

In fact, I hope 'blink-fluence' becomes the norm one day.

Imagine a world we we took little pieces of advice / direction from everywhere, as opposed to big bits from a handful of sources. Nice eh?

So, next time you have one or two people say your blog/tweet/comment made an impact, feel good about it, as it might represent the future...and hopefully a far more interesting one.

AV

2010 Prediction: 'Free' will be about freedom (Guest Post)

By Katherine Warmen Kern, from www.comradity.com, New York.

Adam asked for 2010 predictions. (In the interest of transparency, we aren’t paid journalists. This prediction is the premise for the Comradity value proposition for consumers, content creators, brands, and publishers/programming companies.) So here it goes . . .

The word “Free” has been a divisive lightening rod in 2009 - the battle line between traditional media programming and publishing giants and new media advocates.

The tension around the word “Free” is associated with only one of its 36 definitions on dictionary.com In fact it is #36, the last definition: “without cost, payment, or charge.”

The many other definitions of “Free” are about freedom, starting with the first: “enjoying personal rights or liberty, as a person who is not in slavery: a land of free people.”

Our 2010 prediction is that we realise the inevitable risks of the advertising business model are not exclusive to traditional media.

Specifically, the inevitable risks of the advertising business model are these:

1) Giving away content for free is a great way to minimize marketing costs but the inevitable risk is lower perceived value.

2) Relying on advertising dollars to fund the development of content is more efficient than convincing millions of people to pay for the content, but the inevitable risk is satisfying the needs of the paying customer could unwittingly or intentionally deceive the consumer.

3) Outsourcing content and technology creation lowers the cost of product development, but the inevitable risk is that the creators lose enthusiasm for the YWFFTMMR (You Work For Free To Make Me Rich, an acronym coined by David Winer , who is, ironically, a pioneer in the development of the technology that made YWFFTMMR possible: blogs and “free” syndication or RSS, which create free content for Google News and the Huffington Post).

In 2009, the news industry has learned that giving away a product online, that they charged for in print, has lowered the perceived value of the content.

In 2009, Techcrunch quotes Zynga founder, Mark Pyncus “I did every horrible thing in the book just to get revenues.”

Specifically, most of Zynga’s revenues relied on tricky advertising referral deals. But this is the tip of the iceberg.

A class action lawsuit against Zynga and Facebook has much bigger implications for 2010.

In 2009, at the Monaco Media Forum, Arianna Huffington, who aggregates professional and amateur produced content links, without permission or licensing fees, and fills in the rest of the content needs with “volunteer” bloggers, faced the music from Mathias Döpfner, chief executive of Axel Springer.

According the Financial Times, he told Arianna Huffington that "a Polish newspaper his company set up at the same time as she founded HuffingtonPost.com in 2005 was already making more in profit than the rumoured $6m-$10m her site was seeing in revenue.”

The Axel Springer cross-media platform pays content contributors, unlike the Huffington Post, charges content consumers and generates ad revenues, but does not “rely” on them.

Our prediction is that traditional and new media businesses will adopt the Axel Springer business model, opening the door to evolve the notion of “Free” to freedom.

Follow Katerine and the guys from Comradity on Twitter via @comradity

_______

Notes:

I discovered Katherine and Comradity via Twitter about six months ago.

We struck up a pretty instant connection due to our collective passion for media and its role in society.

I asked Katherine to give us her opinion on how 2010 might look from a media perspective.

I think you'll agree some great stuff has been raised and shared.

AV

The Comms Corner is taking a break in...

...back next week...hopefully!

GUEST POST: The Sun's Tim Spanton on PRs, pitching stories (to him) and being 'wowed'

Posted by Adam Vincenzini

Earlier this week I wrote a post about five 'real' gifts PR people could consider giving journalists this Christmas.

I used The Sun's Tim Spanton as my 'case study' to help bring my recommendations to life as he's someone we deal with often at Paratus.

Tim, being the great fella that he is, not only read the post but also agreed to respond with his advice about what makes a good story for him.

So, here's Tim's guide to pitching to...erm, Tim!

By Tim Spanton, Features, The Sun

Just as every PR is different, so is every journo which makes it very hard to say "what The Sun features team looks for from PRs." However, I can certainly speak for myself...

The best stories are those that make people go: "Wow - I never knew that." So surveys that come up with an unexpected result are always good.

So are surveys that break interesting subjects down by regional variation, eg everyone knows boys want to meet girls and vice versa, but it's always fun reading that, say, girls in Nottingham city centre outnumber boys 2-1 on a Saturday night.

The best PRs, in my view, summarise the main points at the start of an email and then give everything else IN DETAIL further down.

One of my pet peeves is having to chase up a release that, for example, reveals Geordies eat the most ice-cream and West Country people the least but doesn't give the actual amounts or give figures for the rest of the UK.

Another minor peeve is PRs who don't include a phone number on their emails - it does happen - or who send a Sunday-for-Monday but without a weekend contact number.

If something is intended for the next day's paper, it's usually vital to get it over before 10.30am the previous day at the very latest. If it's too late to make it onto the morning conference list, it's unlikely to get in the paper.

But generally my message is: keep the emails coming!

____________________________________________________________

If you fancy checking out The Paratus Blog, simply click here.

Special Guest Post Going Live @ 10:00am Thursday 19 November

It's a secret, but all will be revealed tomorrow...

Media Week's Closure: If Only We'd Paid More Attention To Marty McFly

Scary to think that in 5 years it'll be 2015.

2015! Thanks to the Back II The Future trilogy that year has always been big for me.

Part two taught me that by then I'd have trainers with power laces, my commute to work would involve a flying car and my sustenance would spring from pill-sized ready meals.

OK, so maybe I'm not going to get all those things, but I am getting something else the movie touched on: an almost unrecognisable media landscape.

The 'news'

The news out of Haymarket yesterday regarding Media Week (and Revolution) was sad.

In fact, it seems this year we've mourned the passing of a print media title every other week.

Media Week's 'demise' is particularly big for a number of reasons, but in my opinion the most notable one is the influence of 'time' - which has become the single most important factor in how we consume news.

It's not a matter of print versus online (although that is a huge part of it).

We've simply got used to the fact that we shouldn't have to 'wait' for news, we can have it whenever we want.

Especially media news. It travels faster than Doc Brown's Delorean.

I'd argue that in the case of Media Week it's biggest stumbling block lies / lied in its name.

And I'd argue that 'Week' is the word that deserves the most analysis / scrutiny.

In fact, 'Media Millisecond' probably doesn't quite sum up how much the pattern of consumption has changed.

We simply just can't have the timing of news dictated to us anymore, those days are done.

The big question: what does it all mean?

Are all weekly titles doomed?

I dare you to answer that! The only thing I can confidently say is that a huge opportunity is developing thanks to the thirst (addiction) for instant news.

I actually think we're on the verge of a media explosion like we've never seen before...one that not even Marty McFly could predict.

AV

Aleksandr Orlov's Top 9 Moments of '09

It's been documented to death so not adding to that...just sit back and enjoy some of the best moments from one of the most memorable comms campaign characters in years...



Original footage by the team at VCCP.

My Top 29 Communications Blogs / Sites of 2009...

Let's face it, December is a write off, so getting this done now...

The complete communicator - someone who has knowledge and insight across every platform and discipline - pipe dream? Well, possibly, but no harm in trying.

Via these blogs (to varying degrees), I've tried my best to stay as tooled up as possible in 2009...hopefully you find them as useful as I have...

All-Rounders

1. Simon Mainwaring: The Blog - A great creative and strategic mind, and incredibly helpful

2. Dave Fleet - Interesting look at the crossover between disciplines

3. .Think - A Brainstorm blog about design, marketing, branding and much more

4. What's Next Blog - BL Ochman on anything and everything

5. Social Media Today - Yep, in the right spot, looks at all comms disciplines...and does it well

Advertising

6. Beyond Madison Avenue - Advertising insights that always offer value

7. Make The Logo Bigger - Another one that looks at convergence but with a personal touch

8. Great Ads - What it says on the tin, a great spot to check out some great stuff

Brand

9. Brand Strategy Insider - Bevy of brand building goodness

10. Brandtelling- What word of mouth is all about

PR / Media

11. Stedavies.com- Been at it for five years, puts together a mean list

12. The Media Blog - Nice look into all things media

13. PR Sarah Evans - Great at packaging up recent activity / case studies, also serves up insights of value

Social Media / Marketing / Blogging

14. Conversation Agent - The queen of online conversations

15. That Canadian Girl - Covers it all, penchant for gadgets

16. Dosh Dosh - Marketing and blogging tips, alongside social media strategies

17. The Jordan Rules - Focuses on user experience and strategy (good for tips too)

18. Scobleizer - Nice tech focus, good fun too

19. Matt Singley's Blog - Big favourite of mine, good stuff by the bucket load

20. SocialMedia.biz - A real 'pulse' blog, one worth checking in on regularly

Sports Marketing

21. Sports Networker - Sports and Social media...nice ol' mix

22. Take A Peck - Jason Peck's look at sports and social media...lists aplenty too

Trends

23. Trendspotting: The Blog - Internet trends, marketing and predictions

24. Digital Trends - A source for everything in the tech space

Odds and ends

25. Old Media, New Tricks - A great source of innovative thinking

26. Broadcasting Brain - A blend of creativity and pyschology

27. Design and Advertising Goodness - (And badness), nice spot to scroll, and scroll, and scroll...

28. Amy Stein Photos - Pics and creativity from a New Yorker (just a nice bit of variety for me)

29. Soshable - Last but not least, a simple look at social media and loads more

Thank god for RSS!

AV

Is this the worse editorial photo ever taken?

Can't be far off!

5 'real' gifts PR's can give journalists this Xmas

Let's start by setting the scene...

A: "Sh*t, Christmas is close, what are we going to get Tim Spanton?"

B: "Oh yeah, Tim, he wrote that nice piece for us didn't he...better keep him happy...will a lunch do?"

A: "Hmm, I don't know, maybe he'd like a personalised Moleskine diary?"

B: "Yeah, bet he doesn't have one of those, he'd love that, let's do it."

Now, I'm sure Tim would appreciate a nice lunch, and a Moleskine always comes in handy (even a slightly contrived personalised one) but I have come up with five other gifts you could consider giving him (and the rest of the media community) in 2010.

So, here we go, five real gifts PR's can give Tim (and other journalists) this Xmas:

1. 'Make, don't fake.' - An easy one: Know what 'makes' a story / feature for Tim.

Tim is part of the features team at The Sun. Now if you could put those two variables into an equation a very specific result would pop out. Only give him stuff that fits that criteria. I'm not going to do your job for you, but spending 15 minutes looking back at what he's written about in the last few months wouldn't hurt.

2. 'Leave the phone alone.' - Tim will call you if he likes your story / pitch, don't bombard the guy with calls.

This might upset a few people, but I'd never call Tim before sending him an email outlining what the story is / was. Within a couple of lines he'll work out if its one for him. If he likes it, I might get a call. If it's not for him, I probably won't (if he has time, he may drop me a quick email even)...or he'll tell me to speak to the news desk. I know I hate having my time wasted, don't waste a journo's time with a 'nothing' call.

3. 'Ban the blanket.' - Understand what a personlised pitch / email is...it might help.

Just dropping 'Dear Tim' at the top of your email doesn't make it personal. What makes it personal is before going to him, being honest with yourself and establishing that your story might be one for him. If you do that, you don't need to tell him why it might be of interest, it'll be obvious...hopefully.

4. 'Bury your feelings deep' - Package it up objectively, not emotionally.

It's great (in fact, recommended) to be enthusiastic in the way you pitch stories to the media, but don't 'overcook' it. You might think its the greatest story ever and you've invested a lot of time into it, but that's not grounds for it to run. We often over-do things in PR, take a step back and be objective before you hit send, you'll be respected for it.

5. 'Accept the judges final decision.' - He liked it, he wrote it up, but it didn't make - it's not his fault!

There's nothing more exciting than a journo saying: 'Yep, I'm filing some copy on this one, hopefully it'll get a run.' So if it doesn't make, don't turn the reason why it didn't run into a witch hunt. You (and the journalist) can only do so much. Sadly space or a big story breaking is out of every one's control, accept it and move on. Let sleeping dogs lie.

Now, if Tim ever reads this, he might turn around and say 'No! Send me gifts...by the truck load!' After all, who doesn't like a nice present.

But, perhaps he (and his fellow scribes) might also like us to get the balance between doing our jobs well, and understanding the remit of our audience (the media) a little better.

Ho, ho, ho.

AV

A sharp look back at The Comms Corner blog this week...

Woah! Big week. Here are links to some of the posts from the last 7 days...

10 most over-used words in press releases

Five things to consider before you start blogging

10 movie characters who'd struggle to grasp social media

The most well crafted brand of our generation

And the accompanying video...

Five Tweets I Wish I Could Take Back

Why less often means more in the world of micro-blogging...

We've all done it. Hit send. Paused. And freaked out!

That's right, the good old 'tweet you wish you'd never sent' - the one you know you'll regret...and pretty damn quickly too!

I decided that the best way of deterring such erratic behaviour was to keep a list of the tweets I wish I'd never sent...here are five particularly 'cringey' ones...

Five tweets I wish I'd never sent:

1. "Not the best start to my day, put my pants on back to front...things can only improve surely... "(Yep, nice one, that's what the world wants to hear...good job)

2. "(A link) to 13 techniques to cure the hiccups...required reading." (Come on, really?!?!?)

3. "I've restrained myself all day, but we're (Australia) tearing England a new ars*hole...BOOM!" #SmugAussie #Ashes (The 'spoke too soon' tweet, particularly painful)

4. "Did you know that the dot over the letter "i" is called a tittle? I didn't, but I'm a fan." (There's pointless, and then there's really pointless!)

5. "OK, my best attempt (at creating a new Twitter word): 'Twaxing Lyrical' - the art of tweeting to pass the time in a taxi." (Some thoughts really should stay in your head)

There is a comms-related moral to this post (kinda): Twitter is a powerful medium, one which can broadcast a message incredibly broadly in a matter of seconds...just make sure it's a message the world finds useful.

What has been the tweet you most wish you could take back? What have you learnt?

Drop it in the comments section below...you'll feel better for it, trust me.

AV

F*@k being an 'expert'...be a 'flexpert' instead...

Expert. My most hated word. Not only is it bandied around 'willy nilly' but I think it's a burden. Once branded an expert you are screwed. Your destiny is written. You're done.

What on earth is he talking about? Being recognised as an expert in any field is something to aspire to, isn't it?

Well, in my opinion, the answer is yes and no. In fact, for communications professionals I think a new type of exec is even more valuable: The Flexpert.

We know comms disciplines are converging...quickly.

We know that integrated solutions provide the best return on investment.

And we know that someone has to bring all this together.

So while you need the experts to do the 'doing' perhaps consider the life of a 'flexpert'...I think you'll find you might be able to do a little extra 'wooing.'

AV

The ten most over-used words in press releases?

I saw two very funny tweets from The Daily Telegraph's Harry Wallop yesterday, both highlighting why we (PR folk) don't necessarily have the greatest of reputations.

It's a shame, because for the most part, the talent in the UK is exceptional.

But Harry's tweets did get me thinking, what can we collectively do to be of more value to our audience: the media.

To start, I thought I'd list the 10 words which I think are the most overused in press releases - who knows, perhaps a bit of variety might a) make the copy produced more compelling and b) not bore the hell out of journalists who see hundreds of these things every day.

So, my nominations for the top 10 most over-used words in press releases are:

Delighted - it's just not a real word, used by real people. If I won £45m in the lottery I'd be 'over the f***ing moon' not 'delighted.'

Revealed - yep, I've used it, we all have, but imagine being on a newsdesk and seeing that in the opening paragraph of every second release that comes through about some research. I have no idea what the alternative is, but it'd be a revelation if it was used less.

Extraordinary - I felt bad about including this in my list because the 'extraordinary' is often a key factor in what makes news. However, its also incredibly rare so avoid using it unless it's really appropriate.

Groundbreaking - truly groundbreaking news doesn't need to be labelled as 'groundbreaking'. If something is groundbreaking it should be obvious in your headline / opening paragraph and if it isn't, then it ain't groundbreaking.

Celebrate - 'and to celebrate it's 14th customer...' - another one that seems to be used when there's no other word that fits. Don't get me wrong, it does have its place...but in the right place, at the right time!

Trend - my favourite. We often use 'trend' when we really mean 'increase' because we think 'trend' is more newsworthy. It is, but only when its a real trend. A trend is a direction, a movement of mass significance, not one day of slightly adjusted behaviour.

Leading - again, it comes back to appropriateness. If you are a leader in a field / discipline, go silly with it. But with 'leading' comes proof. If you don't have proof, don't use 'leading.'

Welcomed - Another one doesn't really say anything...but each to their own...

Launched - I know, the alternatives are limited, but imagine being a recipient and seeing this word 50 times a day...it'd drive you mad. (At this juncture I'd like to point out this post doesn't offer much by way of solutions, that wouldn't be fun!).

Innovative - almost sounds important, doesn't it? But it's another one of those words that doesn't need to be used if the subject truly is innovative. It'll be obvious.

Now, I'll probably go write something today that features every single one of these words but at the very least, I'll be conscious that I'm doing so.

Like any bad habit, the first step is admitting it!

If you have your own thoughts on which words are the most over-used, tap a comment into the box below.

Cheers

AV

D-ignorant Attitudes Aren't Heathy

Just a quick post in response to what was a very 'tongue-in-cheat' remark floating about on Twitter this morning.

It was actually quite clever: 'Digital Comb Over' - a person posing as a digital specialist when they're not one.

Well, I'm NOT a digital specialist (I struggle enough with 'traditional' PR!) so perhaps I don't have the same views as people who are.

But I think its bloody brilliant to see people take an interest in yet another form of communications.

I really do admire and respect the people that have been there since the beginning, and have learnt a helluva lot from them.

And if people are positioning themselves in a certain way they'll be found out in the end...if that actually matters.

We, as a group of communications professionals, should embrace and harness the energy out there - its only going to create more opportunities for everyone in the long run.

Rant over.

AV

10 movie / TV characters who'd struggle to 'grasp' social media

This blog is about the very broad subject of communications and almost anything connected to it.

So, when I came up with the idea for this post I tried to justify it because the link seemed a bit tenuous, but then it hit me...like a punch (or kick, or elbow) to the face (just as many of these guys have delivered over the years).

We can learn just as much from the traits of 'communicators' (fictional or not) as much as the platforms and methods used...albeit in a tongue-in-cheek way.

10 Movie / TV characters who'd struggle to 'grasp' social media

The criteria adopted for this was pretty simple: if social media is all about engagement, conversations and making connections then I think the attributes of the following characters may prove to be a bit of a stumbling block...

1. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, Hanibal Lecter Series) - Despite being a brilliant psychologist (which tends to help in understanding your audience), he'd probably kill you before you got a chance to 'digest' (sorry!) any communication he has with you.

What a tweet from Hannibal might (or might not) look like: "Here's a twitpic of what I ate earlier..."

2. Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland, 24) - On one hand, given the time constraints, limiting communications to 140 characters via a medium like Twitter sounds perfect, however, Jack's idea about making a 'connection' might be a little, erm, direct.

What a tweet from Jack might (or might not) look like: "If you don't re-tweet my tweet right now I promise I'm going to make this very unpleasant."

3. Tony Montana (Al Pacino, Scarface) - Again, not someone who personifies 'sociability', Tony's tendency to have thing his way would present certain challenges. Paranoia probably isn't that well suited to such a public medium either.

What a tweet from Tony might (or might not) look like: "@FrankTheBoss I got the stuff, want me to bring it over, send you a bit.ly link with the GPS coordinates, or blow your f***ing head off?"

4. Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands) - Apart from the physical challenges he'd have faced bashing out a blog, posting images or sharing a video (compared with his ability to cut and shape physical things), he wasn't exactly chatty...nor was he immediately easy to warm to...shame really.

What a tweet from Edward might (or might not) look like: "Anyone fancy a virtual game of rock, paper, scissors? #bored"

5. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini, The Sopranos) - Although you'd think working in the 'waste management business' might call for some light interaction during the day, Tony just never seemed like the sharing type. I also imagine the FBI would lose three quarters of its workforce if Tony and his crew made themselves that easy to 'follow.'

What a tweet from Tony might (or might not) look like: "@ChristopherMoltisanti That little pr*ck who runs cursebird is dead."

6. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon, The Bourne Triology) - Jason is a bit Jack Bauer-esque in his black and white approach to life, and definitely more prone to action than words. And also possibly a little too intimidating and clever. Not to mention the fact that he probably knows what you are doing / thinking anyway.

What a tweet from Jason Bourne might (or might not) look like: "Get off Twitter @PamelaLandy, you look tired."

7. Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan, I'm Alan Partridge) - Ahhh, granted he'd be funny (in that laugh at him way), but imagine how inane his topics of conversation would be. And for someone who is supposed to engage with an audience via his radio show, he's not exactly the easiest person to warm to. In fact, Alan might be the antithesis of what a sound social media communicator should look like.

What a tweet from Alan might (or might not) look like: "Oh @Lynn, be a dear and get the wi-fi sorted out in my room, I have a million messages to respond to. God I'm popular."

8. Rocky Balboa (Slyvester Stallone, The Rocky Series of films) - Not particularly articulate (although succinct), not particularly friendly (although loyal), and not particularly giving (well, not in a sharing of information type way) Rocky is another character that was perhaps lucky to have been conceived pre-social media. Some may argue however that it may have helped his career / connection with his fans (just a reminder this is fictional, there's no way the real Sly Stallone could improve his standing with me no matter how great his social media skills were).

What a tweet from Rocky might (or might not) look like: "Man, it's cold. Real cold. Yeah, cold."

9. David Brent (Ricky Gervais, The Office - UK) - I think this one kind of writes itself, but in case you need reminding, David Brent probably lacked social skills more than any other TV character of our generation...can you imagine how that'd translate in the online world?!?

What a tweet from David might (or might not) look like: "Did I mention I have 37 followers? Yep, 37. All real people. Yep. Not a single one called Britney Vids. All real. All."

10. Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder, Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory) - Willy, although finally revealed at the end of the film as having a heart of gold, was a pretty private person and 'inclusion' wasn't his strongpoint. I just can't see him being 'part of the conversation' - can you?

What a tweet from Willy might (or might not) look like: "No my dear, I'm not on Facebook, what a silly question."

If its possible to take anything meaningful from this post, it is simply this: while you should be 'you' in how you conduct yourself on social media platforms, just possibly avoid being 'them.'

Anyone you would have included on the list? Tap in your suggestions in the comments section below.

Cheers

AV

@AdamVincenzinii

NOTE: No females made my list - either a coincidence, or one gender is better suited to 'engaging' communication than the other. Sorry gents :/

The importance of local PR in the retail sector

Via http://www.retailmarketingmaxim.com/

Although the media would have you believe that regional media is dying, there is an argument that suggests its on the verge of having a renaissance thanks to digital media.

This means that now, more than ever, retail brands must not treat local PR as an afterthought.

Adam Vincenzini, who heads up one of the UK’s leading regional PR services, reMnet, tells Retail Marketing Maxim why local PR is important and what impact it can have.

Read The Full Retail Marketing Maxim Article Here

Ten Top Twitter Apps For Communications Professionals

Exactly one month ago I posted a list of 10 top Twitter apps for PR and Communications people.

A month is a LONG time in Twitterville, so here's the updated list with some very significant new editions.

Also listed are some resources that, although aren't strictly classified as 'applications', are still great tools.

1. Hootsuite

This didn't feature at all in last month's list, but has skyrocketed to the top of the chart for September. Why? If you're a 'sharer' and time poor, this allows you to set all your tweets up first thing in the morning an periodically distribute them during the day.

It also provides real-time stats on all your linked accounts and for individual tweets.

Highly recommended.

2. Twitter Search

This remains in 2nd spot for a very good reason - it provides you with the simplest way to see what is on the minds of the broader public, and comes in especially handy if there is a topic you are tracking.

3. Newspaper People On Twitter

Compiled by the team at Media UK, this is updated in real-time and gives you an idea of which journalists are using Twitter and how influential they are.

List are also available for Radio and Magazine people on Twitter and many more.

4. UK Media Tweeple

Operated by @LitmanLive this is a list of UK PR folk on Twitter and comes in handy if you like to keep an eye on what the rest of the breed is up to.

5. Twhirl

Although TweetDeck is popular, I find it a a little over-consuming, constantly 'bleeping' away at my desk all day. Twhirl, on the other hand, still gives you your regular updates but in a less intrusive way.

6. Tweetmeme - aggregates links on Twitter to work out which are the most popular.

7. Twitterfeed -a favourite amongst journalists, this feeds articles / blog posts straight into your Twitter feed.

8. Tweetarium - Only just been put on to this. Tweetarium is a Twitter application which helps you manage your twitter stream and ensures you don't miss a tweet. Great way to group your followers.

9. CoTweet - Another one that I've only stumbled across of late, this is a platform that helps companies reach and engage customers using Twitter.

10. Who Follows Whom - If communications is about influencing and 'influencers', then this is well worth a look - amazing how many followers you'll have in common with your colleagues.

Like any Top 10 list this is very subjective so if you have any comments / feedback, please post below.

The EuroBlog Social Media Awards 2010

LINK: http://www.euprera.org/

Euprera (European Public Relations and Research Association), a network for PR acaedemics and thoughtful practitioners, is launching the EuroBlog Social Media Awards 2010 to showcase the work of Europe's best PR students and researchers.

The three award winners will be invited to collect their awards, including a 250 euro cash prize, at the Euprera Spring Symposium in Ghent, Belgium Feb 25-27, 2010. The awards panel is chaired by one of the world's leading PR bloggers, Neville Hobson (http://www.neville-hobson.com/).

Eurprera wants to showcase the work of people who are using social media to discuss and develop new ideas about PR and communication, from students just beginning to explore these exciting new areas through their first blog to experienced researchers who are breaking new ground in theory and practice.

Anyone who wants to be involved will have their blog listed on the Euprera SMA website (http://publicsphere.typepad.com/euprerasma).

Is a career in communications really for you?

In typical 'me' fashion, I fell into the world of PR...literally.

There I was, aged 17, buying a jacket for my birthday when the (admitedly cute) shop assistant asked me what I planned to do when I finished school.

I responded with my then standard answer: "I've got no bloody idea."

She then asked me which subjects I liked at school.

My reply: "English, I love to write. Ummm, business management...ummm...legal studies. Politics, that ain't bad."

She then asked whether or not I had heard of something called PR.

In typical bloke fashion (even though I had no idea what she meant) I said: "Yeah, PR, yeah, that's pretty cool."

Essentially, my male ego took over from that point and I was determined to know everything about it, which then led to studying PR in Melbourne, before embarking on a 10 year career on both sides of the globe.

Fortunately, I lucked out. It suits me, for the most part.

But if you are interested in the communications career path, here a few suggestions to consider...they may make the decision making process a little easier.

Be honest with yourself as to whether you are a 'media' junkie or not. You need to be.

Ask yourself whether you are naturally inquisitive. An attribute you need in most professions, but arming yourself with knowledge in this game is vital. In essence you are like an in-house journalist, the more you dig, the better story you can tell.

Can you do the boring stuff? Trust me, the first few years are painful. The only 'communicating' you do is with yourself on the commute home when you ask yourself 'what was I thinking?' (don't worry, it passes).But, if you're not willing to get the basics and foundations right, walk away now, they are vital.

Are you flexible? Most guys want to work in sports marketing. A lot of girls have their hearts set on fashion or beauty PR (oh, don't generalise too much either, gets you in trouble). But when you start out, you have to be prepared to do whatever is available and make it your own. It does take time, but eventually you will have more choice.

Can you deal with not being right every single time? Like any profession, communications is a science (granted its not rocket science) but your job is to reach your audience in the best possible way. Most times, the best possible way isn't the 'fun' way but it does 'the business'.

So there you go. A few tips on what to consider before you leap into comms world. Enjoy.

AV

Five things to consider before you start blogging...

Yep, I'm a newbie in the blogging world. Only five months ago I was a virgin. Unblemished. Unpublished.

And now, there's no going back. I've got the bug. Bad.

It's great fun. I'm learning all the time. And, importantly it's starting to feel more natural.

Getting to that point prompted me to have a think about what advice I would have loved to have received four or five months ago.

So, here are my 'five things to consider before you commit to blogging life.'

1. It is a commitment. And like any commitment, it needs to receive an appropriate amount of attention. So do just that. Don't go over the top, but don't neglect it - find some middle ground.

2. Be prepared to give yourself time to develop a style that suits you. There is loads of advice out there about how to engage your audience, but in my opinion the most engaging blogs are ones that have their own signature. But there's no rush, jump only when you're ready.

3. Work out why you want to be blogging. Is it to 'be part of the conversation'? Is it for professional gain? Is it simply a bit of fun? Whatever your reason, stick to it and make sure its reflected in what you produce.

4. Ask yourself whether or not you are willing to let your enthusiasm for your subject matter shine through. As Emerson so wonderfully put it: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Enthusiastic and energetic blogs encourage loyalty. With loyalty comes trust. Once trust is earned, anything is possible.

5.It's not about you. Well, it is from a personal perspective as far as fulfilment goes, but for your audience its about what you are giving them. If you're not prepared to give, don't get in the game.

Very basic stuff, common sense really.

But worth considering before you start, because once you're in you may not come out!

AV

Nike's Five Most Important Commercials...

My selections of Nike's five most important commercials...each conveying different messages but aiming for 'impact':

Google Wave

I've just received my Google Wave invitation and keen to have a play - if you're on it, feel free to add me at: RandomSideProjects@googlemail.com

Cheers
AV

There WOULDN'T be a 'President Obama' if... (Part 1 - Opening Remarks)

VIDEO: MJ TVC 25 Year Retrospective

It's been 12 months since Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States.

For me, the 'in office' element of his Presidency is far less interesting than how he got there.

Sorry more to the point, who got him there.

It's my belief that the marketing and positioning of Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest athlete of our generation, was one of the most significant elements in getting Obama elected.

In fact, I'd go as far to say that if Michael Jordan didn't exist; neither would 'President' Obama.

Why?

Michael Jordan was the first African American to be adored by all of America, endorsed by all of America, and believed in by all of America. Michael was mass-ive.

Race, background, status, financial situation - it didn't matter (nor should it) - Jordan embodied universal appeal and did what was never thought possible: He made all of America unite behind him.

People just wanted to ‘be like Mike’ (and still do).

Why is this significant to marketing and communications professionals?

It’s significant because his story is the ultimate case study. His carefully managed brand blazed a trail only a true pioneer could.

The commercials. The endorsements. The connection he had with the media. The sense of the dramatic. The humour. He had it all.

Where do we start then?

To answer this there’s only one place to start…at the start.

Brand Michael Jordan is like any good Hollywood movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, it twists, it turns and you experience the full gamut of emotions. But the star / lead character comes out on top. He pulls though. He does the amazing. He makes you believe.

Over the next weeks I'm going to track that story (and pull out the bits we can learn from).

My aim is simple: While I’ll happily acknowledging a million things contributed to there being a
‘President Obama’ (including the man himself), it is my argument that it was Air Jordan who cleared the runway for him.

Next post: Launching brand Jordan.

VIDEO: The most well-crafted brand of our generation

In the last few weeks I've been talking with people about Barack Obama and his impact on the world.

I truly believe that one person in particular (also with ties to Chicago) helped pave the way with his own ability to market himself in an incredibly diverse marketplace...here's an introduction to brand Michael Jordan...



If you liked these, here are some links to some other great commercials featuring Michael Jordan (10 minutes just isn't enough!):

Tell Me - Nike

23 vs 39 - Gatorade

Maybe - Nike / Jordan Brand

Look Me In The Eyes - Nike / Jordan Brand

Retirement In Reverse - Nike

NOTE: I'm in no way connected to any of the brands featured in this video. It is simply an educational look at marketing activity / best paractice.

A sneak peek at this week's major blog topic...

10 Top Twitter / Social Media Apps For Comms Folk (Nov Update)

By@AdamVincenzini

For the last few months I've compiled a list of '10 Top Twitter Apps For Comms Folk.' (September's list available here)

This month, I'm extending this a little bit to include some more generic applications / services that are handy for people working withing the marketing and communications industries.

1. Addictomatic - http://addictomatic.com - I love this site / service. Addictomatic allows you to create a custom page with the latest buzz on any topic. Once you've picked your topic it will spit out results from Twitter Search, Google Blogs, DIGG, YouTube, Flickr and loads more. Still a little raw but my most used service this month.

2. Twitter Lists - I wasn't sure about lists when they burst on to the scene recently, but if there is a group of influential Twitter users you'd like to keep a special eye on, it can come in very handy.

3. Twidroid Pro - http://twidroid.com/ - The intuitive, multi-account Twitter client for Android mobile phones i.e. HTC Hero, Motorola DEXT etc (one of the better search functions for a mobile device I've come across.)

4. Foursquare - http://www.foursquare.com/ - This might seem like an odd selection, but Foursquare (which is essentially a real-time venue tracker by user / location) has the ability to come in handy on the networking side of the game - it's not at mass levels yet, but could be one to get your head around sooner rather than later.

5. Monitter - http://www.monitter.com/ - always makes this list for the fact that it is the best way of monitoring key words / conversations relevant to you which you can then refine by location / radius.

6. Popurls - http://popurls.com/ - The 'aggregator of aggregators' - this bad boy is the easiest and quickest way to see what's popular online in real-time.

7. Lazy Tweet - http://www.lazytweet.com/ - Ever thrown a question out to the Twitterverse in the hope on for your followers will answer it? Well, this service posts your question to a board where anyone can see it and answer your query. Nice one.

8. Reddit - http://www.reddit.com/ - My favourite social news site purely for the fact that it has the most relevant tags / sections of all the ones out there...and for me seems to generate the most relevant traffic.

9. Alltop - http://alltop.com/ - the 'magazine rack for blogs.' Tailor by topic / interest area and let your RSS feed do the rest.

10. Flip Video - now, a controversial last selection as its not technically an app, but it does allow you to use one of the web's most powerful social media sources, YouTube, incredibly easily. Simply shoot, connect, use the in-built editor and you'll have a YouTube video ready in no time. Very worthwhile.

I'm always on the look ot for other apps that make life easier online so if you have any suggestions, flick them through.

If you found this post handy, feel free to donate to The Parat'ache Three - the lads at Paratus who are 'growing' all out for Movember to raise money for Prostate Cancer - to donate, click here.


Thanks

AV