True! In addition to three hours of relevant and timely  “real life” explanations about foundation social media topics, at this Saturday’s class we’ll pass out six pages of everything we covered, PLUS how to get into a special collection of links to information I put together. These links not only support what you’ll learn in class, they also include advance topics not covered that are written by the most knowledgeable  social media professionals on the Web.

Here is what Melissa and Michelle (your friendly Long Lunch PDX teachers) will be talking about:

• Using free (or nearly free) online tools to connect with potential clients and find like-minded folks
• Unique cultures and usefulness of social media sites such as LinkedIn Flickr, Twitter, Delicious and Facebook
• Writing compelling content, how much and how often you should write, and where to get great ideas that will entertain your readers
• Difference between keywords and hashtags
• Tracking blog visitors
• Using RSS feeds to syndicate blogs

Still not signed up yet?

Did I mention that delicious, homemade muffins will be served? (We know learning minds need fuel.)

Please join us!

$65 (three-hour class) taught by Michelle Anderson and Melissa Lion.

Register for class: March 21st, 10am-1pm

Social Media in Real Life - March 21

With all that Internet noise, how will you know when the Web sites that you love to visit have updates? One option is to bookmark (or save) your favorites in your browser, so you’ll have the links readily available for when you want to go back again. The problem with this idea is that have to keep going to the Web sites to see if anything has changed. You will also have to remember what it looked like the last time you visited, so you will noticed what’s different.

But what if you were able to go to one place on the Internet to see if this week’s image of adorable ninja fuzziness had been uploaded? (Of course kitty is featured executing a mid-air roundhouse and sporting a terrycloth headband.) And what if, while you were in this one place where you could see that the ninja kitties Web site had uploaded a new image, you also saw that your sister updated the family history database, and that the local skeeball club won the regional championships last weekend.

Not only is that a better idea than managing links in bookmarks, it’s entirely do-able and totally free.

One of the easiest, time-saving online tools available today now makes it possible to know immediately when new content is uploaded to the Internet. All that is required is two things:

1. A Web feed reader. Readers act like electronic newspapers that double as your own personal Web site. Examples of feed readers are Google Reader, Bloglines, and FeedDemon. They keep track of all the latest content from the Web sites you subscribe to and manage the feeds you’re subscribed to.
2. Web feeds to subscribe to. Web feeds are just files on the Internet that update whenever a Web site it tracks updates. They are usually called RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication) but actually can be many other file formats, such as Atom or XML.

No technical knowledge is required to take advantage of Web feeds and feed reader tools. However, in order to subscribe to a Web site’s content, the site must be feed-enabled.

To see if a site is enabled and has an RSS feed to subscribe to, look for a square feed graphic that you can click on (usually next to the words “subscribe” or “RSS feed” or “share this” or the like). It should be somewhere on the Web page, but if all else fails be sure to look at the right end of address bar. (The address bar where you’d type the Web site address you want to visit.)

I’ll talk more about Web feeds in the next Social Media in Real Life class on March 21st. For example, how to search for like-minded folks and information using feeds and what things to do to promote your feed. I hope to see you there learning about feeds and other online tools and how they apply in real life.

By the way, the (usually) orange feed graphic shown here is called a chicklet even though they’re not teeny white squares of gum or an indie rock band from Toronto or baby chickens. Weird, huh?

Regardless of what subscription feeds are called, or the technology that makes them work, I find that RSS feeds have been very valuable in helping me not missing anything important on the Internet.

Although personally, I’ve tired of the ninja kittie fad. Can we please move on to kittie solid gold dancers?

You could say I was a wee nervous.

So, I decided to begin the next three hours sharing relevant social media information by asking a question about a topic I can talk all day about. Show of hands, I asked. Who has a Twitter account?

Six people in the room had accounts, two of them being Melissa (@melissalion) and myself (@mediaChick). Although they had heard of Twitter, most attendees had not signed up for that odd 140-character-limited microblogging service. The popular reason for hesitation in joining Twitter? What is the appeal in hearing the boring minutiae of a stranger’s day? What’s the benefit to ME?

This was my perfect segue into explaining the benefits of using social media in real life, with Twitter as a starting point.

So, what is Twitter anyway?

In the simplest terms, Twitter is a microblog that functions as a data depository. As a “microblog”, each post is limited to a certain length (in this case to 140 characters) with the words in each post indexed by various search engines (such as Google or Yahoo!) just like regular blogs. It’s a data depository because the words typed, the links shared, the opinions expressed, the “hashtags” used – anything at all that is posted – can be tracked for trending, keyword usage, news, insight, sharing, meeting like-minded folks, understanding, learning, teaching…and the list goes on.

There are an increasing number of Twitter mentions in media lately and, likewise, the number of new Twitter accounts is steadily growing. I’ve been using it for about two years and discovered very quickly that Twitter is unique among the other social media tools currently out there. For one thing, it doesn’t have much in the way of the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from our online experiences. It tends to break a lot. (See: The Story of the Fail Whale)

Still, the numbers of new users continue to climb. Why?

Because it’s very useful.

Twitter, despite its lack of shiny playthings, its specialized cultural language and nuances, and its arguably confusing “what now” feeling after signing up, can be very useful. It’s far more than a tool to keep tabs on who is having mac n’ cheese for dinner or the chance to be a voyeur on a rant about the weather/traffic/co-workers.

Twitter removes the gatekeeper to information that is relevant to YOU. This is because YOU choose the quality and quantity of Twitter noise you want to hear, by choosing who to follow. There are thousands of Twitter streams to choose to listen to. The famous the infamous are tweeting, the rich and the poor, too. Workers with specialized skills in untold numbers of industries are sending data into the Twitterphere every day. All you have to do is follow them on Twitter.

Here is the big point I want to make about Twitter’s usefulness: it is only as good as your use of it. Some people are bad at using it, because they are only interested in talking and not listening. They are so bad at it, inadvertently end up alienating the very attention they’re trying to attract.

Which is why when I got the email below from Christine Herman (@espressoarts) of Espresso Arts Catering, I thought about starting last week’s Social Media in Real Life class with a discussion on that much misunderstood microblogging tool, Twitter. Then, because I get a lot of emails with questions about social media in general all the time, I thought I’d start sharing some of them on this blog to help explain how social media works, in real life.

(We’ll call these question/answer posts “Quick Question About _____________” and I’ll try to do them on a fairly regular basis. Let’s get started, shall we?)

Hi Michelle,

What is up with these random folks new to Twitter who have little or no updates, no avatar or bio, and are following 250+ people, including me? Some of them seem to be trolling for people with variations of my first and last name, some seem to have no rhyme or reason for following me. Some link to junk websites like generic home mortgage companies. Why have they scouted me, and should I block them? It kinda creeps me out!

Thanks!

Christine Herman
Espresso Arts Catering

Hello, Christine!

What a great, timely question! I’m happy to clear up the confusion and put your fears of creepy Twitter followers at ease. The truth is, these people don’t know they’re acting creepy and not going to get very far in getting any benefit from Twitter.

“Following” someone on Twitter (subscribing to their Twitter stream) does not mean the same thing as being their “friend” as is traditionally understood on other social media networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. There are no friends on Twitter, only Twitter streams. Also, you are never under any obligation to follow in return. You have ultimate control over who’s tweets appear in your stream by choosing who to follow.

Those who sign up for Twitter and promptly follow hundreds of random Twitter streams don’t understand that the number of people they follow is not helping them get more followers. In fact, it’s hurting them. They are actually broadcasting their product/service/Web site into oblivion by getting their Twitter account flagged as spam, or worse: get themselves BLOCKED.

They also don’t understand that only the 14 people who agree to follow their noisy, self-centric tweets are hearing them. It’s very clear: no follow back = no eyeballs for their product/service/Web site. And that’s okay. We’re not “friends” on Twitter, remember? We’re following streams of data. Or not. Our choice.

Most people searching for Twitter streams to listen to are looking for folks they have things in common with, who might say relevant things of interest which could potentially lead to a conversation. Web sites like twellow.com (a Twitter user name directory – here’s my profile there) and search.twitter.com allow for keyword searching to find Twitter users to listen to. This is why you’re getting followed by people with variations of your name. I suspect you’re also getting followed by people who live in your geographical area (found by looking at the information in your bio), those who love coffee (and noticed your Twitter user name), and those who are following the tweets of those you reply to (who find you have interesting things to say).

So, don’t worry about creepy Twitter followers. They’re not actually creepy, just listening to you at the moment. The really important question is this: what are you going to say to them?

This is a class on using social media in real life. We’ll cover what social media is and how to use free (or nearly free) online tools to connect with potential clients and find like-minded folks. The unique cultures and usefulness of social media sites such as Flickr, Twitter, Delicious and Facebook will be outlined. Focusing on blogs in particular, you will learn how to sit down and write compelling content, how much and how often you should write, and where to get great ideas that will entertain your readers. Storytelling basics will be shared. Find out who’s visiting your site and where they come from, what keywords and hashtags are, and how to manage the syndication of your blog posts, tweets and other online “lifestreams.”

$65. Three-hour class taught by Michelle Anderson and Melissa Lion.

Lunch provided by Silicon Florist.

Please register here.

February 21st, 10am-1pm

322 NW 6th Avenue, Suite 200
(between Everett + Flanders)
Portland, Oregon 97209
503.517.6900

Michelle Anderson (@mediaChick on Twitter) is a media switchboard operator. She listens to people and connects them with the tools they need to tell a story, enhance business relationships, or share an idea. In addition to managing and contributing to several social communities, she’s a media consultant, an author on many blogs, and bakes goodies so sinful they should be outlawed. She also writes deeply personal essays and too-short stories with abrupt endings.

Melissa Lion is a professional writer. Large multi-national corporations pay her to write novels, book reviews and blog content. She is very grateful to the global economy. She also stands in front of large groups of people and talks about narrative and social media. Buy her books, read her blog and sign up for her classes.

On Saturday, January 31st, learn narrative tools necessary to create your story for social media.

Register here.

A sneak peak at the topics covered:

This two-hour class is an introduction to crafting narrative for the internet from idea to execution, with some glamorous grammar thrown in. Writers will learn to use the elements of narrative for various social media sites, gain confidence and tap into latent creativity necessary to generate words daily. This class is geared toward people wanting to improve their web presence, gain an engaged audience and create compelling content.

Writers leave with a firm grasp of the language, narrative and social media tools with which to lift their voices above the noise of the internet.

$45. Two hour class taught by Melissa Lion.

Please register here.

January 31st, 10am-12pm

322 NW 6th Avenue, Suite 200
(between Everett + Flanders)
Portland, Oregon 97209
503.517.6900

Glamorous Grammar

Sure you’ve used spell check and that email has none of those pesky red squiggles beneath the words, but is the language really clean and correct? Is your your a you’re? What about that which? Is it making you loose or lose your mind? After this class you too will want to abolish the incorrect whom and myself won’t be a mystery.

Class includes a Long Lunch Grammar Cheat Sheet — no memorization (or sentence diagramming) required.

$25, includes Long Lunch Grammar Cheat Sheet. One hour class, taught by Melissa Lion. Bring your lunch!

From Idea to Execution

This is a five-week series dedicated to moving from a vague idea of wanting to write to actually putting words on the page. Class covers generating solid, reasonable ideas, developing the discipline to write, breaking through writer’s block, crafting a narrative and the nuts and bolts of getting published.

By the end, students will have a specific tool set to accomplish writing goals.

$125 for series. One-hour classes taught by Melissa Lion. Bring your lunch!

Crafting Narrative for the Internet

To rise above the slush pile of the internet, ones narrative, whether for a blog post, a Facebook page or the sum of ones tweets, must be cohesive, nimble and accessible to an audience. Narrative follows a simple structure of rising action and denouement. The protagonist, whether that person is you, a company or a fictional character all must experience conflict and resolution, and more conflict to maintain the audience’s attention.

This is a three-part class covering the craft of narrative for the internet and social media. It’s a step-by-step guide for establishing voice, creating story and maintaining that narrative in the long run.

Three-week series for $100.

One-hour classes taught by Melissa Lion.