I HAVE just spent an entertaining few hours talking about all things internet and blogging as part of an event hosted by How-Do.
The talk, titled Managing Reputations Online, aimed to look at how to track and be involved with online networks and communities.
Opening the event was Martin Cozens, of search marketing agency Latitude, who gave an overarching view of how companies can be found online as well some of the tools to track comments and messages left by bloggers.
Next up was Keely Flint, chief information architect at BUPA, who spoke on the initial steps they are taking to use blogs internally to try and share information around such a massive organisation.
I was third up, but after me was Gareth Robinson, whose Carrentals.co.uk website has become one of the most popular online car hire services, he spoke on the importance of analysing how people interacted with the site, but also how being involved in online conversations proved successful.
My own presentation was nearly brought to a shuddering halt as I like to prepare a page with links to websites so I can offer a few pointers on what was happening out on the internet now.
Thankfully the old, 'unplug it and plug it back in' trick worked (thanks Martin) and we were back up and running.
Here is the page I prepared, which was designed to show where conversations are taking place, how easy it is to be involved and a thought or two on where we might be heading.
I highlighted how easy it was to set up a site via Blogger, how people share information and links via sites such as del.icio.us and Twitter, as well as the advantages of being creative in places such as Flickr and YouTube.
This then allows other websites to use elements of your content in their own reports and stories, with links back to your site for readers to explore further and this will slowly create an online presence.
I stressed the importance of using at least a handful of these tools and websites so that you not only learn how they work, but to pick up the ethos and connectedness that develops when involved with social networks.
This openness should come out through your own blog-style website, as your name is alongside articles, you answer comments left by others and other sites quote you and link across to you.
Being a name, being a face online is already important and I feel will become more so, especially as information and services begin to work together and the requirement to have a myriad of online entities diminishes.
Not being transparent, or even being hostile to these social environments, will only make people wonder what you are trying to hide and such silence is loaded against you.
Comments