January 2010

How useful is Twitter?

by Marian Schembari on January 22, 2010

If I read a blog and can’t find a Twitter link or hear of a business not on Twitter I automatically dismiss them. They obviously haven’t done their homework, don’t understand the yet untapped potential of 140 characters and couldn’t possibly have a blog worth following. In this day and age, in this internet world where everyone is scrambling to reach people, Twitter is the number one way to gain blog fame. Or is it?

Pick the networks on which you want to focus

There are so many tools now available to us that we can’t possibly devote time to them all. To really gain momentum bloggers should pick a few sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Digg, Technorati, whatever) to spend time on and immerse themselves in that community. With that in mind, maybe it’s not necessary for one of those networks to be Twitter.

I’m a Twitter fanatic. I love the people, the short bursts of information, the (usual) sense of community where people mutually share interesting tidbits within that community. But it’s time consuming. And when your followers follow lots of people, well, your tweets get lost in the abyss. About a third of my blog traffic is generated through Twitter, so I wouldn’t give that up for anything. But Twitter is also the one place where I devote most of my time. I occasionally post links of Facebook, spend about an hour a day on Brazen Careerist and recently joined 20 Something Bloggers. The other hours of my day are spent reaching out to people one-on-one via email and commenting on other people’s blogs. But what if I spent another hour on LinkedIn? Or really took advantage of StumbleUpon? Would I generate the same traffic? Or would I fail miserably without Twitter?

Twitter isn’t for everyone

Twitter is absolutely positively NOT for everyone. My mom is one of those people who can’t stand to even look at her Facebook News Feed because she doesn’t give a crap what’s going on with other people. When I tell her to “just ignore it” she would rather delete the whole thing altogether (is that even an option? I don’t know). Meaning the Twitter homepage makes her want to tear her hair out.


Can anyone leverage Twitter?

And I can’t tell you how useful Twitter is when not regarding a blog. Gary Vaynerchuk wrote in his book, Crush It!, that when he tweeted a free shipping code for his website he received significantly more orders than buying a billboard or taking out radio ads. So Twitter rocks in the free department. But how do I leverage that for my own blog? I’m not selling a product. I just recently tweeted that the first five schools to contact me would receive a free 2-hour workshop in social media as a job hunting tool. We’ll see if that works.

What do you think? Do you feel like you’re wasting your time or how has Twitter helped you?

{ 16 comments }

Do people understand the “social” part of “social media”?

by Marian Schembari on January 21, 2010

I got this email yesterday:

Hey my name is Harry.
After watching such shows such as Californication and Entourage and reading such books like Happy Hour is for Amateurs and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, I figured why not write and become famous? Well I made a blog about some of my exploits and ran across your site on that 20 something bollocks n’ blogs site. Maybe if I could interest you in reading my shit (that is of course if you like it and dont find it too offensive …) I would love to work with you and network. Interested? Let me know cause I already find what your doing quite commendable – like, no shit. This is where the douche bag links to his ridiculous blog. This particular link goes to my Twitter feed because I’m significantly more awesome. You’re welcome.
take it easy
harry

My response:

Hey Harry,

Thanks so much for getting in touch. Do you know what’s really funny? The cut and paste function. You know, like that control c thing one does when they’re too lazy to type. Or find out someone’s name. Or read someone’s blog to find out if it’s relevant. Like, no shit.

My very best,
Marian

Now, you know my love of all words filthy. I like the f-bomb as much as the next classy lady. But when you want something from someone and have obviously made no effort whatsoever to get to know said person before asking something, maybe don’t swear. Or direct me to a filthy blog (to which I’m refusing to link). Take that Henry Harry (that’s how much I care, wanker).

Example number two of Things That Piss Me Off Online: People on Twitter who repeat the same thing over and over and over again and do nothing but link to their own crap. Some idiot in the publishing Twitterverse started following me, so I followed them back. Until I realized that every tweet said something along these lines:
  • Did you know: We at XYZ Books can design your whole novel?
  • Did you know: It only costs $2 to write a book?
  • Did you know: This is really boring and a bad way to get business?
Did YOU know social media is an awesome way to connect with people and promote your brand? But that you can’t do it if all you do is promote yourself? Gosh darn it people! Every blog on social media says this over and over again. Why do so many people not listen? Why do PR people send me press releases on shit I could care less about? Why is some ass wipe sending me a link to his pervy site without even checking out my blog? It takes 1 minute to personalize an email, children. Listen to your Uncle Billy (that one’s for you, Muffin). Click here for my all-time favorite example of talking back to the idiots who spam us (via The Bloggess).

{ 23 comments }

Maybe Niche Isn’t Everything. But please stop calling your blog a “musing”

by Marian Schembari on January 20, 2010

The most successful bloggers on the web will tell you this: to be The Best Blog you need a niche. You need to assert your authority and establish a following and be super specific. Sometimes the posts we work hardest on are the ones no one gives a crap about. My own blog has slowly started to focus more and more on what other people find interesting, and not the ones I have the most fun writing.

This is my long-winded way of saying I’m a little bored of writing about social media and the job hunt. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s all valuable information and I love sharing what I’ve learned, but at the same time I don’t feel it truly expresses me. Except I don’t want to lose readers. So how to I stay “true to myself” (I’m aware I’m causing you all to vomit up rainbows so that’s the only time I’ll be cheesey) without sacrificing what my blog has become?

I posed this question on a Brazen Careerist network, Blogging Ideas and I got some really wonderful responses that hopefully will help me (and you!) develop my blog the way I want without losing whatever niche I’ve developed.

Tips for figuring out your blog’s niche:

  • “Write an entry that is direct with your audience that takes time to explain where you are at now in your career and the focus you would like to take with your blog.” ~ Jennifer Gleason
  • “I don’t see a problem straddling two or more topics; most blogs do this. To do it successfully, try tying it back to a larger theme.” ~ Rebecca Thorman
  • “The three topics you mentioned: publishing, job hunting, social media are already (or can be) integrated into one.  I am not sure if the best blogs niche themselves or just describe what they do. Penelope’s blog, the starting point for many of us including me, is her personal life account wrapped in career advice.” ~ Isao Kato

And my personal favorite….

  • “Your blog is turning into a compelling story of someone trying to get from point A to point B and finding some distractions in between. You can refocus yourself, but don’t lose the human touch that seems to be getting the most attention and comments. Start applying this job search/social media knowledge to publishing and freelancing.” ~ JR Moreau

I’m really starting to love the whole Brazen Careerist network. It’s surprisingly helpful and the people I’ve connected with so far are encouraging and lovely people. Hopefully I’ll be able to find my footing sooner rather than later so I can get this show on the road.

That being said, if I read one more blog with the words “musings”, “ramblings” or “rants” in the header or subtitle I might stab someone in the face. Just a warning.

{ 24 comments }

Meeting Blog Friends

by Marian Schembari on January 19, 2010

My dear friend Kelsey came over to our apartment the other night, talking about a conversation she overheard on the streets of Manhattan. Apparently two women were talking about their blogs, without really knowing what the other’s was about. My friends, while awesome and totally the most wonderful people ever, don’t really read my blog. It’s just not relevant or interesting to them. My shit doesn’t apply. Plus, we see each other every day and only random people who I haven’t talked to in forever (Hi Ginni! You’re not sketchy, don’t worry. Let’s hang out.) “catch up” with me via marianlibrarian.com.

Point being: my friends and my blog friends are two entirely different entities. Except sometimes I feel like my blog friends know just as much and know me just as well as the people I see every day. Why? Because we comment on one another’s blogs, pass along information, help each other out, make referrals and generally have this awesome and mutually beneficial relationship that’s built on similar interests.

Initially I would have thought this a little tacky. I mean, “real” relationships are built over time and – more importantly – in person. Except I love my blogger friends! They live all over the world and I actually care what they have to say. So maybe I don’t meet them for drinks every week or call them when I’m having a bad day, but after a few months I’ve managed to create this little community of fellow bloggers who I truly and genuinly like.

This whole love post is spurred on by the fact that in the past week I’ve met two blog friends. One of which started as a comment on the blog of Guy Gonzalez and ended in coffee and awesome news which I will announce later. We bonded over publishing, social media and the upcoming conference, Digital Book World. The second meet-up was just last night with Julia from Julia the Reader. To be perfectly honest, I can’t even remember how we met – but I’m 90% sure it was blog induced. Regardless, we’ve been pen pals and mutual blog commenters for months now and she was in NYC so we met at a local Starbucks (the blogger meet-up of choice, apparently) finally.

The coolest thing about these get-togethers is that I’m able to actually talk to someone about publishing and blogging and the job hunt without them wanting to slit their wrists. While enormously supportive, my friends are probably sick of hearing about my online doings and, since they could care less what happens in the publishing world, I try not to bore them with the particulars. On the other hand, my blog friends totally get my interests and I can learn from them instead of talking at them.

And sometimes, with the friends I haven’t met (yet), I feel like I’m connecting with someone famous. Like when Penelope Trunk and I had some fun email exchanges or when Jenny, The Bloggess, started following me on Twitter…  This is where social media makes up for its lack of personal connection. Though I’m sure if I actually meet any of these so-called famous bloggers, well, I might possibly turn in to a 12-year-old school girl seeing Miley in person. Totally awesome.

{ 11 comments }

Teaching at Barnard: How to get a job using social media

by Marian Schembari on January 18, 2010

On the 2nd of February I will be teaching my very first workshop in Barnard’s career services department. The subject? Using social media as a job hunting tool (I know, right? Apparently I need a hobby).  You all kind of know how I feel about “traditional” job search methods, and as I’ve mentioned before, schools don’t really do the best job of teaching us anything besides the basics. So I reached out to various colleges and universities in New York (Columbia, Sarah Lawrence, Hofstra, Barnard, etc etc) saying I was available to show soon-to-be-graduates the essential social media  tools like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as part of their job search.

Looking for work today is drastically different than it was a year ago. Yesterday, even. Here’s a very brief outline of what I will be teaching:

  • How to create an attractive and effective online resume
  • The three big social media platforms
  • The importance of personal branding and how to create a strong web presence

Through my research I’ve found that some schools have actually started programs that are keeping their students on top of their game (kind of). Gonzaga University hosted an event in October called: “Social Media: Friend or Foe“, but other than that I’ve had a hard time finding anyone even close to venturing into arena. Meaning part of me thinks I’m an utter genius for thinking of this brilliant way to earn some extra cash. Until, of course, I realize I’ve been doing my research wrong and every school has already hopped on the bandwagon. In the meantime…

It would be great to get some input before my initial presentation. What do you guys think would be useful? Anything you wish you knew before the ole job hunt? Anything you still want to know? You’re the best!

And this kind of goes without sayin,g but if you’re a school and would like me to speak (or know of a school, or went to school, or know a guy that goes to school)… shoot me an email or whatnot.

{ 11 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →