Internet Geek Girl

A lot of people don’t know this about me, but in addition to be a leading expert in online marketing, I am one of the most informed sports fans out there. I’m talking every sport – football, basketball, baseball and surfing. I know it all. Stats, the names of the players, the colors of the outfits, the cities they play in, everything! I’m a sports fanatic. Now – I made a big mistake by making a bet with Chris Brogan regarding who would win last night’s record-making game between the NY Giants and the NewEngland Patriotz. I should have known better b/c that Chris Brogan seems to have insider information on EVERYTHING.

The game was an exciting one. Twitter was a flitter! @geniune @jasoncalacanis @mackcollier @dogballs @trishussey @chelpixie and many more were all callin’ the game. Bryant Gumbel could barely keep up with the Twitter crowd.

Always a good time on the social media merry-go-round. The game was close. As a true blue Jerseygirl, I had to stop and wonder – why did my team LOSE? It’s just not fair. So I took all my deep knowledge and expertise about online marketing and football and put together a list of why the Giants lost to the Patriots:

#10 – The Patriots obviously spend more time practicing and less time working on their website. Check out the Giants homepage today – all updated and ready to roll with real-time data and shiznit! The Patriots homepage has an out-of-date record front and center and they haven’t even put up the score or recap from last nights game!! Those web slackers really know how to throw the ball.

#9- The Giants have a twitter account (or someone started one), and the Patriots don’t. come one now. Everyone knows that if you waste your time twittering all day, you won’t be very good at making touchdowns!!

#8 – Although the Patriots have some issues with their online presentation skills, I have to say – their fans seem to be more passionate and therefore they are sending more online good karma and winning wishes to the team!! The Facebook applications by Watercooler reveal quite a differential. The NY Giants app has 1283 daily active users, while the NE Patriots App has 5014 daily active users. Since everyone knows that NYC Metro (that includes Jersey btw) is much more fun and exciting than New England (wherever that is?), you can see why more fans sit around watching football and playing with silly online applications to support their team. Guess that’s why they are 16- 0!

#7, 6,5,4, 3,2 – I thought it would be better to make this a top 10 list, but since I’m swamped trying to get ready for my trip to Florida – this will have to do.

And the #1 reason why the Patriots won last night – Tom Brady is cuter than Eli Manning.

That’s right. Comes down to which Quarterback is cuter. Simple as that.

Ok, ok, if you haven’t guessed by now, I’m not really a sports expert. Actually, I have no clue, but I like watching exciting, fun “hyped” games. If you’re looking for women bloggers who really do know the deal, be sure to check out the Female Fan on iVillage. Kinda Kool!

Mr. Brogan – care to make a wager for the Super Bowl?

And what a year it has been. I am grateful for all my awesome friends and colleagues. Hope you enjoy these shots from the many industry conferences and networking events I attended this year. Thank you all for your support. Have an awesome holiday and successful 2008.

I look forward to seeing you next year!

Event: Affiliate Summit 2008 West

When: February 24-26, 2008

Location: Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV

For more information: http://www.affiliatesummit.com/ 

Last week Hugh Macleod used his cartoon defibrillator and his witty word smithing to revive blogging! Last December at this time, the analysts at Gartner made their predictions for 2007 and they said that blogging will peak next year and all the hype will fizzle out. They weren’t the only ones writing about the death of blogging. Hugh on the other hand has provided us with quite a different view on this (still emerging) media:

If you have something to say, then a blog offers a cheap, easy global medium in which to express yourself. This is as true now as it was three years ago, regardless of what the groovy cats in Silicon Valley may be up to.

Whether you have the time and the talent for it, “i.e. the skill and the will”, is another matter altogether. Also, whether other people will want to read it, is something one has little control over. But in both cases, the same is true for all other media.

This got me thinking – and truthfully – feeling quite guilty for not blogging lately. Blogging is not dead for me (as the title suggest, I’ve just been insanely busy). I suppose Twitter and Facebook serve as creative outlets for the time-deprived. [NOTE: I posted my 1000th Tweet on Nov. 5th, which means I did about 230 Tweets in a month.] Yum… metrics! Bottom line here is – in 2008, I commit to making more time for me and for blogging! (Are they one in the same?!?)

I think my Twitter, Flickr and Facebook are important tools that go hand and hand with this blog (not separate from it). In fact, I think all marketers would benefit from maximizing the cross-promotional synergies of blogs, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Magnify, Utterz, Seesmic, , and all the many social networks out there. Hey and let’s not forget off line expression. Be creative and build your micro brand (or macro one!)

If Marshal McLuhan is right and “the medium is the message,” the focus should be on the various ways human beings extend themselves, and how these extensions affect our relationships with others (and as a marketer I would add, with companies).

You may *prefer* one form of extension to another, but IMHO if you’re not making use of the depth and breadth of what’s out there, you’re not doing a good enough job. Fear not – there are lots of people out there to help you.

In addition to my (now relieved) guilt – the real message here is that Hugh’s work really cracks me up. I love his clever cartoons and bon mot. I know, so do lots of people (1840 Followers as of 10 pm EST on 12/7) . I’m just a fangirl! Oh yeah – I’m also just the cutey-pie you met in a bar.