Open The Dialogue

From Rex Hammock, in response to a question from Josh Hallett:

If an event wants presentation slides a month in advance, send them something you did a year ago. That’s where the audience is.

We’ve been a little silent here for a while and for that I apologize. As we ramp back up the OTD engine grab a cup liquid caffeine and enjoy the LOTD while pondering just how hard the new Indiana Jones movie is going to rock. (CT)

• No, social networking and online applications aren’t going to be big income earners. That’s for much the same reason playground parks aren’t big revenue sources. They’re community places.
• This Search Engine Watch post says public relations people have been involved in search engine optimization efforts for five years or so now. Huh. Could have sworn this was a new concept.
• Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li have unveiled a new look to their Groundswell Blog in anticipation of the release of their book of the same name.
• Sarah at RW/W has an interesting post on how to keep up with the conversation as it becomes less centralized on blogs and more diffused to social networks, microblogging and other platforms.
• Geoff Livingston makes the case for a renewed adherence to bottom-line-impact by social media PR specifically and PR in general as well as a way to ride out the tough economic times we’re in for a while.
• The fallout from some blogger relations gone horribly, horribly wrong continues to escalate, with Queen of Spain providing a good recap of the SNAFU.
• While the full usage of Starbucks’ new MyStarbucksIdea community conversation site still remains to be seen, I agree with Mack that it’s a great move in the right direction.
• LinkedIn now lets you create company profiles, which makes so much sense it’s kind of ridiculous.
• Interesting dovetailing between Lee Odden’s post asking what your social media strategy is and Jennifer Slegg’s on why social media marketing is important to your business.
• Yes, reporter blogs make those reporters more human in the eyes of the audience. But they’re real power, I think, is that because of the power of links and comments they also become more conversational, bringing the previously aloof journalist into the community discussion pool.
• At the same time Starbucks is launching an open community to solicit feedback on its stores from customers and others, Chrysler is launching a closed, private online initiative of just a couple thousand people to elicit the same sort of feedback. Both approaches are completely valid depending on the goals. Whatever the case, it’s good to see that listening is the new black.

• The Deal covers the complaint by the shareholder of 1.4% of Audible’s shares, Red Oak Partners LLC, against Amazon.com’s offer to purchase the audio purveyor. (TB)
• I’d missed covering this a few days ago, but here are Dave Coustan’s comments on people who use hashtags (you know, the #whatever you see from time to time) in their Twitter posts, and why he chooses to unfollow them. (TB)
• This week, I had received an announcement about Pingology, which claims that at launch in June, it’ll offer a “skill based alternative to costly pay-per-click” marketing efforts. I’m curious to see what this looks and feels like, but perhaps it’s a new way people will look to do business online. (TB)
• John Gruber points out a great quote from Steve Jobs’ comments to the media this week about apps on the iPhone, and I can’t help but agree. Why exactly should carriers benefit more from the sale of the apps? Isn’t a data plan enough? (TB)

• BusinessWeek has an interesting to read point/counterpoint on why widgets may or may not be good things for your marketing efforts. I tend to come down on the “may” side of things, but with the realization that like all tools they’re not going to be the best for everyone and even those that can make them work need to approach them carefully. (CT)
• A new Zogby poll says the news audience is increasingly dissatisfied with traditional media efforts and is turning to online sources for their news. (CT)
• Some offices are cracking down on online video watching by employees both because of the productivity that’s seen as being lost and the bandwidth it sucks up. Personally I’d rather have people take a little stress relief by enjoying a little Ask A Ninja then have them just sit there and be miserable. (CT)
• Read/Write Web covers the Graphing Social Patterns conference keynote by Forrester’s Charlene Li on the present and future of the social graph. (CT)
• And speaking of Forrester, Jeremiah Owyang mentions that while a number of major brands have launched their own online communities the discussion of whether to join or create is still an important one to have. I think there is value in both approaches depending on the intent of the company (You do know why you’re doing something, right?) and what outcome you’re looking for. (CT)
• WordPress may be moving to become the foundation of a social network of sites. Not sure what this might look like but it seems intriguing. (CT)
• Congrats to Julia Hood and Keith O’Brien, both of whom got promotions at PR Week to publishing director and editor-in-chief, respectively. (CT)

• Via the fine folks at Ranchero, there’s an AppleScript you can download from Stefan Seiz that allows you to play enclosures within NetNewsWire, rather than needing to copy files out into QuickTime. (TB)
• While we’re on the tip parade, Nick Bradbury has published 10 more “tiny” tips for using FeedDemon. (TB)
• As far as positive PR goes, this one’s pretty good. Tellme founder Mike McCue says that Yahoo! management shouldn’t fret about possibly becoming a Microsoft acquisition. (TB)
• Viaspire notes that CBS has launched the Official Tournament Brackets application on Facebook. Now *that* is a perfect use of Facebook apps, IMHO. (TB)
• Doug Karr provides a solid primer on what a new Website should contain. Sure, there are a ton of people who’ve written this up, but based on how I’ve seen random Websites crop up (and back down), it’s always good to review this kind of material. (TB)
• Dear PR people, actually find out how to contact the blogs you’re pitching. Again.
• Rex @ Fimoculous points to an essay, “The Charms of Wikipedia,” that provides details on just what it says. A good weekend read, especially if you’re into the whole Wikipedia thing. (TB)