Internet Geek Girl

Social media has the power to heal. From the Frozen Pea Fund to the stories of support and friendship that pop up on Twitter - I see daily examples of how important this medium has become to our social fabric.

Lance Armstrong and The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) team have long used the Internet to drive grassroots support for their charitable efforts. Many of you know that I’m all about LIVESTRONG. Well - Lance is on the road again, and he and his team of awesome volunteers will be in New Orleans on January 29th and 30th, helping to build new homes for cancer survivors and their families. Working with Habitat for Humanity (HFH), the LAF team will relocate New Orleans-area families who have faced the twin challenges of fighting cancer and displacement by Hurricane Katrina.

Can you believe it’s been almost two and a half years since Hurricane Katrina and there are still so many people lacking basic shelter? To use a favorite geek phrase: WTF?!? This is truly one of the great tragedies of our collective journey these last few years. I hope that our country elects a President that can start showing true leadership and unite us in efforts to improve ourselves and the world. Let’s not wait until November. Let’s start using our energy, skills, resources and talent TODAY to help those around us and send out positive vibes every where we go. Please make a donation to help Lance, LAF and HFH build homes for cancer survivors in New Orleans. Even $10 makes a difference.

There is no question that social media has the power to transform markets, communities, culture, and news. And let’s not forget the impact it has had on plain old socializing. Like all powerful tools, it can be used to harm and to heal. I choose HEAL. I hope you join me in the effort to make things just a little bit better. I realize we all don’t have time and resources to give of ourselves every day, but every little bit counts so please give something, no matter how small. Your support can come in many ways. The LiveStrong Facebook App (which Scott and Jeff Rozic developed) has over 80,000 users! That’s 80,000 small acts that have added value and support to hundreds of thousands of REAL PEOPLE. Please do whatever you can: yes, give some $, but also consider adding a social cause app on your facebook profile, telling a friend about your favorite charity, putting frozen peas in your avatar, VOTING, smiling at a stranger, bringing food to a food bank, hugging your family! Spread the LOVE.

Lance, Susan, Chris B (my house buildin’ pal), and all the cancer survivors out there that are using the Internet to help others HEAL - we are with you!!

Happy New Year friends. May 2008 be filled with good karma and many blessings. And may we all be new and improved every year.

I realize it’s a bit late into the year here for New Year greetings (or is it)? I was chilling in Florida for a bit, and I’m just getting back into the groove. But I couldn’t be more excited for 2008. Stayed tuned for many exciting announcements in the coming weeks.

But let’s start here, with Karma - Twitter Karma to be exact.

Let me explain because this is truly great social media story.

Dossy is my Twitter friend, he’s also a rad developer who lives here in New Jersey (go Jersey!). Back in December I was musing on Twitter about how I wish I had a tool that easily allowed me to figure out who is a reciprocal twitter friend and add followers to my list. As many of you know, I really love Twitter and more and more, I find it to be the most satisfying of all social networks. [Facebook is getting spammy - let's fix that people]. And surprise, surprise, Dossy made it happen. He built the thing!! I’m honored to have helped select the name btw. How very cool. Here’s the full announcement on Dossy’s blog.

I am amazed by the inspiration I find on Twitter, and the swirl of ideas that live in the petri dish of our online social networks. One person’s 140 character phrase is another’s software feature. Give to receive my friends, and please go give Twitter Karma a WHACK!

Peace Out!

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!

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.

By Jay Levan (www.JayLevan.com). Left to Right: Jim Kukral, George Nemeth (holding the sign Jim made) and Thomas Mulready. Not pictured: Eric Olsen of BlogCritics.org

I am at the convention center here in Vegas, listening to the insightful Shel Israel and Mike Prosceno. It is fascinating to think about how SAP has incorporated social media into “the conversation.” Their company has seen the power of blogging and social media. It may be early in the game, but I can tell you this - it will make all the difference in the marketing mix!

Lots more to come this week. Just wanted to let you know that I too will blog for attention!!

Twitter me @stephagresta if you are here.

I am sitting here at BlogWorld Expo with Chris Brogan, Liz Strauss and Chris Heuer. We’re goin’ over our “friending” policies. These guys are so cool and all great examples of my theory: Friend and Let Friend! Let me ’splain…

First off - I believe in friends. I like friends, I am a social person. Always have been (my third grade teacher said: “Stephanie is a Social Butterfly!) Online social networking is a natural fit for me. Much has been written about what is appropriate behavior on Facebook and other social networks with regards to friending. The bottom line is - this is one area of social media that YOU CONTROL.

Everyone has a right to define their own level of comfort with regard to friend lists. Do not assume that everyone operates under the same rules. And don’t assume that the rules apply equally to every social network (my Facebook “policies” are quite different than my Flickr rules).

For me, my Facebook list is a marketing list. I seek to keep it very business / cool person focused. I review work history, and mutual connections. I must say, lately, perhaps a few others have gotten in. I will do a purge if necessary, and especially will purge anyone I think is acting inappropriately (meaning not cool). You need to create your own criteria for what works for you.

Someone recently contacted me and said that someone that was my friend, asked to friend her (she accepted) and then he friended her sister. OK - for me, that’s weird. But for others it may not be. I will tell you that I respond to any inquiries regarding inappropriate behavior. I take it seriously, and I will take action! In general - here’s what matters most to me:

#1 You must include your picture and your work history. It is very unlikely I will friend you without this, unless you are my sister. Also - If you made it through without either of these, I will be purging soon.

#2 I care about who we have in common. The more the merrier.

#3 If I reach out to you, it’s because I am seeking business synergy or general good karma. If I am reaching out to you for “friendship” – It is because we have someone in common and I think there is a BUSINESS reason for us to be on each other’s networks. Or I want you on my network so I can invite you to events and cool things that you will want to be invited to. If you don’t use Facebook that way - no problem. My intentions are always focused on value.

But what’s right for me is not necessarily right for you. Live and let live.. friend and let friend! You are in control!

(photo credit: Howard Greenstein)

Those of you that know me know how much I believe in the power of Social Media, Conversational Marketing, and the Relationship Economy. This past Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007, I saw that power in action at my Birthday 2.0 event.

People make a party (and a social network for that matter). We had a great crowd. It would be too hard to mention everyone, but big thanks to the following colleagues for joining in: Ted Shelton (my partner at The Conversation Group), Brian Shaler, Howard Greenstein, Steve Rosenbaum, Courtney Darling, Karen Jackie and Dana Rockel, Adam Broitman, David Berkowitz, David Blumstein, Allison Keisman, Bonnie Halper, Jay Bryant, Vidar Brekke, Marty Secada, and those that I can’t find URLs for: Sondra Stewart, Gerry Beyer, Cathy Campbell, Polly Lieberman, Swetal Petal, Yana Lyubovitsky, Keith Knight, Roma Sachar, Carrie Kaufman, Tim Keelan, and EVERYONE ELSE!

The early bird “unconference” discussion focused on usage patters on Facebook. Brian Shaler did a great job summarizing some key points. Read his blog here. I’ll be expounding on this topic in another post soon!

In addition to my party, I felt the web2.0 birthday love with almost 50 wall posts on my Facebook, many skypes, text messages and of course, the Twitter messages wishing me birthday greetings in under 140 characters. I also have to give a big shout out to all those that donated to my fund raising efforts for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and to Chris Brewer at LiveStrong for all his support. I am grateful for all my amazing friends, family and colleagues. Social media birthdays show us the power of this medium and ultimately the true power that comes from people connecting!

Featured Flickr pics are here: InternetGeekGirl and HowardGr!

One last post script. Julia Allison unfortunately did not make the party. She went wasted two hours at the Google event in NYC instead. I don’t know Julia personally. If I had known she was going to have such a bad time, I would have made sure she knew about Birthday 2.0! Julia - you have an open invitation to all future events with Stephanie Agresta and The Conversation Group!

10/2/1996. 11 years ago today. The day Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer. According to Lance, “The day I was diagnosed with cancer was the day I started to live.” I recently read Lance’s book, “It’s Not About The Bike” and I was inspired all over again. I don’t own a bike nor do I do triathlons. I make an effort to eat well and I go to the gym and walk outside every week. Lance has inspired me to run a different kind of marathon - the one where every day you try to appreciate all that you have and share positivity with others. It is a challenge at times, but well worth the effort. There’s no question that Lance’s physical achievements are commendable, but I have always appreciated Lance’s spiritual accomplishments - his commitment to positive thinking and the ability to heal oneself. More importantly, his ability to share this experience and energy with others. That’s what I digg!

Oh yeah - plus he has his own laptop!!

Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m having a big ‘ole party in NYC. More importantly, I created an opportunity to raise money for a cause I believe in. Give to receive! Please help me celebrate my birthday by making a donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. For those of you that attend, we’ll be passing around the “proverbial pickle jar” and handing out cool treats for all donors (big thanks to ChrisB at the Lance Armstrong Foundation).

See you @ 230-Fifth tomorrow at 6 pm (ish).

I am very excited to announce my participation in the founding of The Conversation Group, a new global communications agency devoted to the art and science of participatory media - blogs, social networks, and other environments where people openly converse. Be sure to also check out Ted Shelton’s post (Managing Partner) and the full press release here.

I am writing this from Santa Barbara, CA where Commission Junction is hosting CJU 2007. At all of the affiliate marketing events I have attended this year, there has been a strong emphasis on understanding how new marketing channels like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter can increase sales and exposure for advertisers. Monetization of niche traffic sources has long been a focus in affiliate marketing. The Conversation Group will provide clients with products and services that help advertisers scale their ability to discover, engage and interact with their constituents, wherever they may be.

In other affiliate marketing news - CJU 2007 is off to a great start. As Shawn Collins reports, Commission Junction is breaking records for 2007! I’ll blog more later on the advertisers and publishers I”m meeting here in Santa Barbara. In a “relationship economy,” events like this are vital for enhancing all of our marketing efforts.

Why is it that CJ is winning business? What is it that makes this organization #1 right now in the space? What should an advertiser think about when evaluating the value of CJ, Performics and LinkShare? How will social media trends impact online sales and relationships with customers?

Stay tuned. Answers to those questions and many more, coming soon!

This week proved to be quite exciting at the DoubleClick Performics Client Summit, hosted at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago. For two days, an intriguing mix of multi-channel retailers, emerging technology companies, affiliate publishers, search gurus, Performics staffers and industry leaders gathered to discuss the “Age of Ingenuity.” Regardless what you may think about web2.0, there is no denying that there is an abundance of ingenuity driving our industry right now. Kudos to DoubleClick Performics for leading by example, not just words.

David Rosenblatt, CEO of DoubleClick, and Stuart Frankel, President of DoubleClick Performics, both provided road maps and inspiration for the audience and emphasized their dedication to staying on the cutting edge. [Check out the DoubleClick Nerve Center to learn more about their year ahead and see some groovy video!]

In addition to panels on affiliate marketing, search optimization and mobile marketing, DoubleClick Performics had presentations from motivational speakers, academics, and authors, such as Lisa Fortini-Campbell, Steven Levitt of Freakonomics, and Robert Spector. The Second City troupe also stopped in to provide some comic relief. On a personal note, I really appreciated the 6:30 AM yoga session on Tuesday morning which I attended with a handful of other brave attendees. You know who you are.

One small note on being green. Those of you that know me know I care about our environment and do my best to live green (could be better, but I’m trying…). The Tuesday afternoon mid-day snack / networking break delighted both my environmental and aesthetic sensibilities — green food — ranging from melon and apples, edamame and broccoli, guacamole and spinach dip. A clever hat tip to the new performics logo.

In a recent Facebook Note, Dave McClure of 500 hats, reflected on his Gnomedex experience last week:

just reflecting on the past week & pleasantly realizing how much i’m impressed by technology & the people who make it happen, all the wonderful HUMAN things we have the potential to do with it. simply amazing. and, reassuring

really love the people & the world i’m living in. it’s a blast.

I couldn’t agree more. I love being in this industry and working with such cool, smart people. Last night in the President’s Club at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, surrounded by business travelers waiting for delayed flights, I reflected on the effort we put in to travel and meeting up with our colleagues across the country and the globe. Social media and online networking will never replace the knowledge, connection, and synergy that comes from real life conferences and events. Personally, I’m a big fan of both!

Big thanks to Chris Henger, Kristin Hall and their fine staff for the hospitality, inspiration, and for bringing us all together. Don’t forget to check out the “flicka” pics!