SEATTLE SOCIAL MEDIA THOUGHTS

We have lots of brilliant social media people in here in Seattle and luckily they like to write about it.

• Ethan Yarbrough: Random Thought: Everything I Needed to Know About the Importance of Social Networking In Business I Learned In Kindergarten
• Tac Anderson: What Does the Future of Marketing Organizations Look Like?
• Kathy E. Gill: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (It Will Be Live, And On Your Phone)
• Randy Stewart: What Do You Do With All Those Photos?
• Jessica Randazza: Did You Forget How To Be Social?
• Marty Collins: Benchmarking Social Media Programs
• Warren Sukernek: Can I Catch Happiness From My Twitter Community?
• Filiberto Selvas: Get Them To Wear Your Brand With Pride
• Heidi Miller: Fun Facebook Facts

USEFUL SOCIAL MEDIA BLOGS, NEWS AND INFO

With so many social media bloggers, it can be easy to miss valuable articles – We make sure you don’t miss them.

• Adam Cohen: The Basics of Social Media ROI
• Jeff Bullas: 5 Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media
• Marc Mayer: Social Media is Free… But I’m Not
• Jason Falls: Smart Targeting: Influencers Or Fans?
• Jeremiah Owyang: Want A Corporate Social Media Job? Demonstrate These Essential Qualities
• Greg Verdino: Social Media Marketers Are A Shallow Bunch
• Smashing Magazine: Effective Twitter Backgrounds: Examples and Best Practices
• Seth Godin: Things To Ask Before You Redo Your Website
• MakeUseOf.com: 10 Solid Tips to Safeguard Your Facebook Privacy
• CNET: Voice Chat Coming To Facebook

EVERYTHING ELSE

Here you can find some of the interesting, insightful, or funny stories that were floating down the tweet-stream.

• 16 Wicked Easy Word-of-Mouth Marketing Tactics
• Scobleizer: Our online lives slowly leak away
• MNN: The 15 Most Toxic Places To Live
• NewScientist: Better world: Eat more plants
• LifeHacker: Five Features We Want to See in iTunes
• Kanye Being Kanye
• Politico: Obama Calls Kanye ‘Jackass’
• MSNBC: Bad Behavior? Blame the Internet!
• FOR A.tv: Steve Wozniak: How I Invented the Personal Computer
• PHOTO: Must. Not. Freak. Out.
• Six Revisions: Popular Search Engines in the 90’s: Then and Now

*** HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE! ***

It’s time for another Friday Link Dump where we try to pick out and highlight some of the more interesting, relevant, or funny information floating around this week.

Do you think we’re missing something?

We accept submissions for all areas of this feature, so if you see something that you would like share with everyone, pass it to us and we’ll post it. And of course, the more local it is, the better. Unfortunately, we won’t be able post everything, but we would love it if this section of the blog were built by the Seattle social media community.

Please send submissions to kenjionozawa@hotmail.com.

Enjoy!

SM THOUGHTS OUT OF SEATTLE

We have lots of brilliant social media people in here in Seattle and, luckily, they like to write about it.

• Social Media for Social Good: Key Takeaways from SMCSeattle Education Session
• Social Media Prohibition versus Education

USEFUL SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG POSTS

With so many social media bloggers, it can be easy to miss valuable articles—we make sure you don’t miss them.

• 28 Reason Why The CEO Is Afraid of Social Media
• Facebook’s Click-Through Rates Flourish… for Wall Posts
• If This Headline Doesn’t Catch Your Attention, I Failed
• The Evolution of Blogging
• 19 Things Social Media Consultants or Agencies Can’t Teach You
• Where Is Your Organization in the Twitter Life Cycle
• Project Retweet: The End of RTs as We Know Them?
• How to: Use Facebook for Professional Networking
• Social media boosts brick and mortar business
• Friending and Reputation
• How can ANYONE follow 10,000 or more?
• Building Community
• Facebook Lite Just Isn’t Twitter
• A Comprehensive Guide to StumbleUpon How to Build Massive Traffic to Your Website

NEWLY DISCOVERED SM SERVICES

Social media platforms by themselves can be overwhelming, unorganized, and a mess. Thankfully, there are some people trying to help us out.

• Social Media Monitoring Wiki – 30 Top Monitoring Tools

EVERYTHING ELSE

Here, you can find some of the interesting, insightful, or funny stories that were floating down the tweet stream.

• What If Cartoons Were Real?
• Donkey Kong Shelves
• Shyness can prevent people from getting the maximum out of life
• Air Traffic
• ACT-letes: Sports stars who’ve hit the big screen
• Space Shuttle Launce As Seen From Air Canada Flight
• 30 Essential Pieces of Free (and Open) Software for Windows

EVENTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

This week is over, but what’s coming up next? Find out!

• SMC Seattle’s August Event – Tuesday, August 18
• UWTwtrBook Open House – Wednesday, August 19

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

It’s amazing that these gems are just 140 characters long.

• SeanDeButts @foleymo I tell people that in the future, going without social media will be like going without a telephone.
• lisa_dawsonTo my kids this AM: “Don’t hit people with lightsabers, only other lightsabers” #thingsineverthoughtidsay
• tacandersonIf Facebook were a country it would be the second largest dictatorship. #Facebooktopia
• WeaveIt’s up to us to sell skeptical clients & mgmt on the efficacy of social channels. Analytics won’t save us. Yet.
• @Kristy You can deceive without saying a word. To be truly ‘honest’ actions should match intentions, thoughts and feelings.

#SeaSMFOLLOW – Seattle SM Folks to Follow!

Have a local social media person you want to recommend everyone follow? Send it in a tweet with a reason why and I’ll post it next Friday! @Kenji_Onozawa or @SeaSMProfiles. Sorry, only one submission will be accepted.

• @tacanderson – Smart, friendly, and when it comes to social media, he knows his stuff. Good guy to follow.
• @manningsmith – Dave is one of the most helpful guys I know and is very active in this space.
• @heidimiller – Incredibly friendly and funny—like Tac, she knows social media.
• @ethany – Need to know more about E2.0? Ethan is your man.
• @kristy – Really enjoy talking with Kristy—she’s good people and is part of a solid social media team at Real.
• @Shih_Wei – Involved, passionate, and a big part of the glue of the community.
• @ThinkMaya –  Combining social media, education, and kindness—she is awesome.
• @IdeaGiant – My brother-in-law who’s attempting to change how we think about the world.
• @Weave – So what if he’s up in Vancouver? He’s still involved down here and is absolutely brilliant.

Profile written by Joshua Wong (@columnbreak).

You make it to an SMC Seattle event or maybe an Eastside tweetup, scan the room, and recognize half of the people there. Strange… you’ve never met some of them before, but you know how they use social media, how they talk, and even their favorite places for lunch. Our next profile is the man responsible for bringing that knowledge to you here on Seattle Social Media Profiles.

Waist-high in Seattle’s social media scene is Kenji Onozawa. He’s the kind of guy who’s not afraid to wave to you across a crowded room. In April 2009, he recognized that Seattle’s growing social media community needed a place to learn about the folks who host, plan, and attend local events. Within only a few months, Kenji has created an impressive library consisting of video profiles and written content that attracts active, local social media folks as well as people who are looking at what Seattle has to offer in the social media universe.

Kenji is active on more than just his own creation. As an SMC Seattle board member, he focuses his efforts on video production, including pre-recorded and live streaming sessions, for the club’s events.

Get to know Kenji on the other side of the camera. 

The Basics:

1. What is your name?
Kenji Onozawa

2. E-mail?
kenjionozawa at hotmail dot com

3. What is your occupation/company?
Currently in between gigs, very hireable—looking for an Online Community Manager position. Love me some social media!

4. What is the best part of your job?
The commute? Lol.

5. Originally from? When and how did you end up in the Greater Seattle area?
Born in Japan, moved to Chicago when I was two because my father got a new job. We stayed there for two more years and then moved to Seattle and have been here since.

6. How can people find you on the web?
If you “Bing” my name, I think you’ll find a lot of stuff there, as well as on:

• Twitter: @kenji_onozawa
• Facebook.com/kenjionozawa

Social Media:

7. What is it about social media that attracts you?
There are so many reasons to like social media, but for me, the bottom line is it connects people. Online conversations are more and more turning into relationships, and with each of those relationships, a deeper and more meaningful community is built in the process. It’s the human connection at the core of social media that interests me and continues to bring me back.

8. How do you utilize social media?
At the moment, I use Twitter to keep in touch with the various communities I’m in; Facebook is used to keep in touch with friends, family, and colleagues; I have a blog (Seattle Social Media Profiles); I use YouTube for various reasons, but most recently, it’s been used as the medium for my interview; I use Yelp because I like to share my opinions about the local food scene here in Seattle—I like to eat.

9. What is one thing that mainstream population should know about social media?
I would want the mainstream to know that when you look past all of the technology fueling the mediums involved, whether it’s a blog, a podcast, or a video, at the very end of the day, social media is about people. If used correctly, you will create fulfilling relationships with people you never otherwise would have met in real life. It’s remarkable.

10. If people follow you on Twitter, what can they expect?
I try to tweet things that I both have a passion for and that add value in the communities in which I’m involved, whether that be about current events, technology, social media, or more. On my personal account (@kenji_onozawa), I often find I’ll tweet random thoughts and humor probably only found funny to myself. It’s good to know that I like to joke a lot and sometimes it doesn’t exactly translate to Twitter as well as I would like—I try to keep this in mind. I do have a few other Twitter accounts I use as a way of connecting to a specific community whether it’s about Seahawks football or MMA or what have you. I even have the @SeattleSonics account because I’m still a bit in the process of getting over the fact that we’ve lost them to Oklahoma. Bring back the Supes!

11. How would you describe the social media scene in Seattle?
Simply put, it is passionate, involved, and hungry. We have an amazing assortment of people from all walks of life within our community who are utilizing social media both personally or professionally. Some people are in charge of their company’s social media efforts, others may be blogging about their hobbies, and few folks are even creating the technology used to keep the medium moving forward. Regardless of their use of social media, it’s this passion for it that is ultimately having a great impact upon all of our communities in which we are involved.

12. Do you remember your social media “wow” moment? What was it?
My social media “wow” moment occurred when I met TJ Sopher (@tj_sopher) for the first time at Chris Pirillo’s tweetup (and, unfortunately, it has nothing to do with his white-boy shuffle). I started using Twitter with a lot of skepticism as I didn’t see the value or point. However, it was my curiosity that ultimately pushed me to giving it a trial run. I quickly started conversing with some people via Twitter and one of those people was TJ. Well, long story short, I ended up going to one of Chris Pirillo’s Issaquah tweetups and TJ was there. My “wow” moment was when I realized in talking with him that the same conversations and the relationship we had online translated perfectly to real life. It was an eye-opening experience.

13. What is one piece of advice you give to new users of social media?
Social media isn’t about popularity. If you’re in it just to increase the number of friends or followers you have, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.

14. Are you currently working on any projects that involve the use of social media?
I’m currently working on SeattleSocialMediaProfiles.com. This is a site dedicated to further nurturing our great community of social media folks here in Seattle.

15. Are there any social media events or conferences in the future you would like to let people know about?
Gnomedex, MindCamp, and Twestival Seattle are all in the works. I’m only involved directly with Twestival Seattle, but Gnomedex and MindCamp are must-attend events.

Just For Fun:

16. What are your hobbies?
I love watching sports, being involved with fantasy sports, playing video games, a good beer, and reading. Oh, and eating.

17. Favorite vacation spot? Thing to do there?
I love visiting Japan in the springtime as the cherry blossoms are blooming. Most of all, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, and the sushi there can’t be beat. And we’re back onto food. Shocking.

18. Favorite restaurant in Seattle?
Heeey, more food. My favorite restaurant in Seattle, as of right now, is Tsukunshinbo. Good, well-priced Japanese food.

19. Favorite things to do in Seattle in the summer?
Walk around downtown or on Alki. Love seeing all the people and soaking up the sun. Getting some fresh fish down at Pike Place and staying out late with a good bonfire.

20. Favorite quote?
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” – William Arthur Ward

21. Guilty pleasure?
Watching an old Godzilla movie… Grew up watching them and enjoy watching them in all of their cheesiness.

22. Favorite actor/actress?
I think my favorite actor is Don Cheadle, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, or Robert Downey Jr. My favorite actress is Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, or Halle Berry.

23. I really like it when…
I see strangers help each other.

24. One day I would love to…
Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.

25. If I could meet anyone, alive or dead, I would want to meet…
Jon Stewart. I think he’s brilliant.

26. What would you like everyone to know about you?
Everyone should know that I think the Seattle social media community is filled with amazing and generous people.

Kenji Onozawa Links:

• Kenji Onozawa on Twitter
• Kenji Onozawa on Facebook
• Kenji Onozawa on LinkedIn
• Kenji Onozawa on YouTube
• Kenji Onozawa on Q13: Social Media gives rise to “Tweetups”

Kenji Onozawa and Shauna Causey Host the SMC Seattle Live Stream

Ambush Interviews with Andru Edwards, Drea Avellan, and Kenji Onozawa

Rapid-Fire Questions with Kenji Onozawa

I need to mention before we get on to the good stuff. We’ve changed the name of our Friday feature from “This Week in Seattle Social Media” to “Caught in the #SeaTweetStream” because we didn’t want to give off the impression that we are the Seattle version of Mashable. *phew*

With that out of the way, just a reminder that if you have something you want to be posted on next Friday’s post of “Caught in the #SeaTweetStream,” just send it to me; I’ll give you credit and post it!

Note: From here on out, only one name will be accepted from each person for #SeaSMFollow. It’d get too crazy if I had to post 10 names from everyone. Plus, it’ll cut down on the echo chamber effect.

This section is still a work in progress and if you think we could improve it, I would love to hear your idea!

Here’s hoping you have an excellent Fourth of July weekend!

Enjoy!

USEFUL SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG POSTS

• Twitter: A River of Content or Garbage?
• Jeremiah Owyang: How Brands Are Buying and Earning Followers on Twitter
• BrianSolis.com: Social Media is Rife with Experts but Starved of Authorities
• Ploked: 5 Tips for Leveraging LinkedIn
• Invesp Consulting: Top Social Media Blogs
• Chris Brogan: 50 Ideas for Using Twitter for Business
• Mashable: 19 Twitter Desktop Apps Compared
• Mashable: 15 Ways to Use Social Media for #FindingTheGood
• John Chow: How I Make $40,000 a Month From a Blog
• Soshable: A Retweet is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
• Marketing Charts: Half of Twitter Has Never Tweeted
• Blog.OneRiot.com: The Whuffie Powered Search Engine

SEATTLE-BASED SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG POSTS

• Eat Sleep Publish: What the Michael Jackson / TMZ news timing teaches us about credibility
• Emergine Web Memo: Social Media ROI: Practical Suggestions
• Social Networking Lifestyle – There IS A Method To The Social Media Marketing Madness
• TwitterMaven.com: Camps do Social Media, sort of
• KristyBolsinger.com – Corporate Twitter Account: Logo vs. Person
• SMCSeattle.com: Never Been to a SMC Seattle event?

NEWLY DISCOVERED TWITTER SERVICES

• LIST: The Ultimate Twitter Reference, Resources, and over 380 tools for Twitter
• Twitr – Features popular tags and shows top Twitter users. The #1 Twitter directory.
• TwitterForBusyPeople – Provides an easy way to glance at what the people you follow have been saying.
• Social Collider – Reveals cross-connections between conversations on Twitter.
• TwitLonger – Offers a service that’s like Twitpic for text.
• BackTweets – Lets you search for links on Twitter.
• When Did You Join Twitter? - Shows when you joined Twitter.

JUST FOR FUN

• Stephen Colbert: Jeff Goldblum Will Be Missed
• BBC: Ant mega-colony takes over world
• Ryan’s Well – How a 6-Year-Old Started Changing the World
• IMAGE: When you’re desperate to capture it on video
• First Person Shooter Disorder – I think I know a few people with this problem.
• Game: Theres 2 Wires
• Telegraph: Fat monkeys put on diet
• TED: Joshua Klein on the intelligence of crows
• A Turkey’s Letter to God
• Image: LOLHedgeHog?

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

• ideagiant My Mother was a nomad, roaming the Tibetan Plateau herding Yaks. I am twittering. Odd.
• chrispirillo On my gravestone, please print: “Fatal Exception Has Occurred.”
• TimothyCarter Conversations only turn into opportunities if you take part in them!
• ronschott is buying Razorfish. Do you think they’ll take a check?
• davidhoang What do I say? “Um, I was looking at ur crotch and noticed your fly is unzipped. Have a nice day!”
• heidimiller Had a lovely dinner at Anthony’s on Pier 66 with a colleague and friend. Watched the sunset. Life is delicious!
• howardcwu likes awkward people, since they have no choice but be genuine. Hard to be disingenuous when one lacks social grace. Lose some and win more!
• JessicaRandazza: My favorite @chrispirillo quote: “I’m a classic geek, like a princess-cut diamond. Those will never go out of style.”
• awoods a group of girls is on the street singing “livin on a prayer”. loudly. they must really love that song.
• Shih_Wei @Kenji_Onozawa There’s no shame in loving squid balls. I’ll say it. Loud and proud.
• d2k I hear a marching band playing Thriller at Seattle Center but can’t see them. Also 2 utilikilt sightings thus far.
  

Seattle SM Tweeple to Follow #SeaSMFollow

Have a local social media person you want to recommend everyone follow? Send it in a tweet with a reason why and I’ll post it next Friday! @Kenji_Onozawa or  @SeaSMProfiles – Sorry, from here on out only one submission will be accepted.

• @adnanmahmud + @NadiaMahmud. They’re the team behind @jolkona. Great local startup for young people and philanthropy. (via @Shih_Wei)

• For smart and savvy tweets follow @abfdc. (via @elliottp)

• @bcahill for sharing insight/interviews on the Visible Tech blog. (via @elliottp)

• I have to say @Kristy. She is the future of online strategy. Smart, funny accessible. (via @JAndrick)

• I recommend @Weave, one of our Seattle rock stars asked to speak in Mumbia after winning a nat’l brand award! (via @ShaunaCausey)

• Highly recommend @DanielleMORRILL @calbucci - superstars of Seattle’s startup culture. (via @shaunacausey)

• A few of Seattle’s media marvels: @WestSeattleBlog @MoniGuzman @JJTweets @KING5Seattle @KIRO7Seattle. (via @shaunacausey)

• Recommend @DowC, embracing social media & running for King County Executive. (via @shaunacausey)

• I nominate @dakini_3 for #SeattleSMFollow. She always has tons of energy & a positive attitude online & @ events. (via @columnbreak)

• @clutch_22 bc she’s really passionate abt social media and has garnered tons of mktg for her blog thru it, esp with Twitter. (via @jessestrada)

• I’d follow either @warrenss or @lauraporto. Both are smart agency types, looking at soc-med thru marketer eyes.  Both are also part of the original tweetups, pre-SMC, pre-anything else. (via @Weave)

• @ShaunaCausey A real rock star of the SM community. She’s proof that passion is contagious. (via @Kenji_Onozawa)

• Recommend @antseyeview. Smart guys who know how to help companies connect w/customers, also have a great blog. (via JoannJen)

• @LilyJang- She “gets” social media and I think a lot of people in television broadcast news could learn from her. She’s really personable too. Totally real. (via @Kenji_Onozawa)

• I recommend @volunteerkc- it’s THE place to find volunteer opps (for individuals and groups) in King County.  (via @JoannJen)

• Hey @Kenji_Onozawa I recommend @jessestrada for #SeaSMFollow because of her work at the Chamber on behalf of small business! (via @StevenMatsumoto)
  

Ah, traffic, the unavoidable part of our day that reminds us that we haven’t yet sprouted wings or invented teleporters.  To almost all of us around the Seattle area, it’s just an accepted part of living in our beautiful city. Thankfully, though, there are some great people at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) who are trying to help keep us out of long commutes and traffic jams. Not long ago, I spoke with Jeremy Bertrand, the man who heads the WSDOT’s social media program, about how the department uses social media.

After you’ve made your way through rush-hour traffic to get to a social media event in the Seattle area, be sure to look for Jeremy. Aside from providing vital information about traffic conditions in Washington, he is a great guy to chat with.

The Basics:

1. What is your name?
Jeremy Bertrand

2. E-mail?
Work: bertraj@wsdot.wa.gov
Personal: jbertrand@gmail.com

3. What is your occupation/company?
I manage the WSDOT website (wsdot.wa.gov) and the department’s Internet marketing.

4. Originally from? When and how did you end up in the Greater Seattle area? (if applicable)
Originally from Shelton, I was a small town kid who I moved to the “big city” of Olympia. I graduated from Evergreen State College and met my wife on my graduation night. Olympia is a great place to raise kids and has very little traffic to deal with.

5. How can people find you on the web?
I am most actively on my Twitter account, twitter.com/jbertrand, and twittering for work twitter.com/wsdot. I have a website at jeremybertrand.com (but don’t update it much) and manage the campaign “Bring Back Our Stubby” to bring the Olympia beer in a bottle back: bringbackourstubby.com (there’s also a page on Facebook).

Social Media:

6. Why do you like social media?
It reminds us that we are all connected.

7. How do you utilize social media?
Basically, we want to reach audiences with information that could be very valuable to them. We have also found it helps people gain a better understanding of how government works and what we do.

8. What is one thing that mainstream population should know about social media?
Social media is just the current buzzword for what the Internet has been providing for some time: a way to connect. I hear many folks concerned about risk, but they already took the first step into the pond by having a website; the next step is to start having the conversation. There has never been a better time on the web to start having this conversation. The amount of tools available and the success they are having are just astounding.

9. If people follow you on Twitter, what can they expect?
I am a Sounders and soccer fan. I love food, beer, movies, and enjoy conversations with others about current events or campaigns. I also pay close attention to how government agencies are being innovative on the Internet.

10. How would you describe the social media scene in Seattle?
Very smart, energetic, and growing. We have a very innovative culture in the Puget Sound area; it’s fantastic to be involved in it.

11. Do you have a good social media success story or “wow” moment?
The real “wow” moments for me came this past winter when we started updating Twitter with weather, storm, and road closure information. One Sunday evening, I put out a call for snow totals and received an amazing amount of feedback letting me know conditions all across the state. Within minutes, I knew the road conditions and weather for the entire Pacific Northwest. The power of the community was really incredible.

12. Are there any social media events or conferences in the future you would like to let people know about? Please include dates, locations, etc. Where can more information be found?
I have been talking with Sabra Schneider of King County and we are looking to put together a social media conference for government agencies this summer. We haven’t put anything together formally, but we will let you know through SMC Seattle once we do.

Just For Fun:

13. What are your hobbies?
Playing and watching soccer, playing chess, watching movies, reading, sampling beer, and spending time with my kids.

14. Favorite vacation spot? Thing to do there?
Grew up vacationing on the Oregon beaches. Love getting away and pondering the complexity of life while watching the ocean.

15. Favorite restaurant in Seattle? Favorite food?
For restaurants, I will have to go with my Olympia favorites. Lemon Grass has the best Thai food around. And for a sandwich, you can’t beat Meconi’s.

16. Favorite things to do in Seattle in the summer?
Because of some very clever marketing companies, I have been very lucky to see some of my favorite soccer teams come to the Pacific Northwest to play. Being a Sounders season ticket holder, this summer looks to be a great one for soccer with Chelsea and FC Barcelona coming to town. Other than sporting events and concerts, I usually stay away from Seattle. I am not a fan of the traffic.

17. Most embarrassing CD you own?
Probably the Madonna Immaculate Collection.

18. Any hidden talents?
I can close one eye without squinting. It’s a terrible party trick.

19. What would you like everyone to know about you?
I am very fortunate to work at a public agency and surrounded by some great co-workers and management that provide a fantastic framework for innovation. Being a public servant is something that feels great at the end of the day, even if I am only helping folks get to their destination with a little less stress. State employees don’t get the credit that they deserve. Also, I like beer and bbq because they are both delicious.

Jeremy Bertrand Links

• Jeremy Bertrand on Twitter
• Jeremy Bertrand on Facebook
• Jeremy Bertrand on LinkedIn
• Jeremy Bertrand’s Blog
• WSDOT on Twitter
• WSDOT on YouTube
• VIDEO: Twitter delivers traffic alerts
• VIDEO: WSDOT joins Twitter revolution

Talking Social Media with Jeremy Bertrand, WSDOT

Meet Betsy Aoki, Program Manager on the Live Search team at Microsoft and all-around social media superstar. Recently, Veronica Sopher and I had the great opportunity to go talk with Betsy about social media and the upcoming “Will Code for Green” contest. We would like to thank Betsy again for letting us come out and chat with her. We had a fantastic time!

If you’re interested in meeting Betsy, she will be at tonight’s SMC Seattle event at the Lake Washington Rowing Club. Go say “Hello!”

The Basics:

1. What is your name?
Betsy Aoki

2. E-mail?
E-mail me via the link on my blog at blogs.msdn.com/betsya.

3. What is your occupation/company?
Program Manager, Microsoft

4. Originally from? When and how did you end up in the Greater Seattle area?
East Coast. I came to Seattle to do an MFA in Poetry. Then I discovered the Web.

5. How can people find you on the web?
twitter.com/baoki

Social Media:

6. Why do you like social media?
You have to dig back before the phrase “social media” was invented.

I was first working with online communities in 1995 when I founded the Seattle chapter of Webgrrls. I had fallen in love with creating Web sites during my graduate degree and wanted to connect with other women in the same field.

I’ve been working on creating Web applications and online communities ever since. When I fell in love with the Web, I fell in love with its connective powers and, certainly, my most recent projects for Microsoft reflect my obsession for Web and connection.

• As Microsoft’s “Blog Queen” – Launched blogs.msdn.com and blogs.technet.com, empowering employees to be the voice of Microsoft.
• Live QnA – Search’s question and answer site.
• Program manager for XNA’s Community Games Web site (Creators.xna.com) – Enabling developers to make games for the Xbox, having them peer reviewed, and then offering them for sale.

Now, I’m doing social media strategy and outreach for Live Search!

7. How do you utilize social media?
I go through phases, usually depending on what makes me feel less guilty if I’m spending time doing it at work.  I’m concentrating on Twitter and Facebook right now, but before that, I was all into the Xbox community forums and gaming sites—wherever the people that I want to listen to are hanging out.

8. What is one thing that mainstream population should know about social media?
Be really centered in who you are and, likewise, think ahead about how much you want to keep private before you begin using social media tools. There’s a balance between authenticity and too much information.

9. If people follow you on Twitter, what can they expect?
If they follow me at @baoki, they will get oddball and social media-related commentary. If they follow me as a @Live_Search team twitterer, they will see more focused customer support and Live Search info. I’m still figuring out frequency.

10. How would you describe the social media scene in Seattle?
Exploding with fabulousness but also I think finding itself. The Northwest as a whole is pretty unpretentious, which I think will help us forge a true community rather than a superficial one. I feel like I still have tons of people to meet and learn from, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and talking with folks.

11. Do you have a good social media success story or “wow” moment?
There’s a great archetypal reaction I’ve had throughout my five years at Microsoft, including Live Search, and it goes something like this: Through some community channel, a customer lets us know he/she is hopping mad and won’t take it anymore. Sometimes the f-bomb is thrown, sometimes not.

And you, as an employee, e-mail or post a forum post or comment directly back to the person (for Live Search it’s our Twitter account) and immediately when they realize Microsoft = real person listening, they calm down a bit and the dialogue begins. Sometimes, they even turn into fans from complete fury. It happens more often than you’d think,  and always feels like magic when it does.

Previous to my current job with Live Search, my biggest “wow” moment was seeing XNA’s Community Games launch and seeing the first 25 or so games speed through the system and go up for sale on Xbox LIVE marketplace and seeing people in the forums argue about what a good game was and how to peer review properly, all with huge pride, like, “This is OUR  gaming community and we don’t want to fill the marketplace with crap.” Like being in a rock band, making a video game is such a deep dream for people, and it was gratifying to realize I’d helped them do it.

12. Are there any social media events or conferences in the future you would like to let people know about?  Please include dates, locations, etc. Where can more information be found?
I, for sure, have to let folks know about Gnomedex, who are our partners for the Live Search contest “Will Code for Green.” I had the fortune of attending last year, and it really is a unique, intimate, yet streaming-live-on-the-Internet, connected adventure. August 20-22, 2009.  Information at Gnomedex.com.

Just For Fun:

13. What are your hobbies?
I am part of the “Urban Chicken” movement.

14. Favorite vacation spot? Thing to do there?
I love the U.K. and just listening to people talk while drinking tea and eating a cream scone.

15. Favorite restaurant in Seattle? Favorite food?
This is not about haute cuisine but about comfort food after a long day at work. When I need that Chinese food fix because I don’t want to cook, I get it at Chef at Wok (chefatwok.com).

16. Favorite things to do in Seattle in the summer?
Be anywhere there is sun! I’m not proud; at this point, I’ll take anything!

17. Most embarrassing CD you own?
Stevie Nicks: Bella Donna

18. Any hidden talents?
I can make decent homemade bath bombs/fizzies.

19. What would you like everyone to know about you?
I’m not as fat as I appear on this video. Really.

Just For Fun:

• Betsy Aoki on Twitter
• Betsy Aoki’s Blog
• Betsy Aoki on Facebook
• Betsy Aoki on LinkedIn
• Classic ScobleShow: Microsoft’s Betsy Aoki

Social Media in the Emerald City

With the relatively recent creation of SMC Seattle, the Seattle social media scene is abuzz with excitement. It seems every week, new social media events are popping up around our great city, and with each one, there are new people to meet, whether it be professionals handling their company’s social media efforts to personal enthusiasts who enjoy blogging about their hobbies. It’s clear that Seattle’s social media community is in a time of growth. This hasn’t gone unnoticed either, as recently Mashable.com, a blog fully committed to all things social media, wrote a great article about Seattle’s social media scene stating:

Seattle is at the forefront in setting cultural and social trends across the U.S. It’s the home of Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, and other incredible rock legends, as well as the unofficial coffee capital of the world. But hidden within The Emerald City is an active and bustling social media community that is growing with savvy tech professionals hailing from Microsoft, Alaska Air, Amazon, and companies all across the spectrum.

Why Seattle Social Media Profiles?

The community connected to social media in Seattle is growing each day. Currently, SMC Seattle’s Facebook group page has 816 members and an even more impressive 1,850 followers on Twitter. If this wasn’t enough, at a recent meeting on Capitol Hill, SMC Seattle had an estimated 160 people attend, which included a local news crew that covered the event. With the success of SMC Seattle, in addition to the fact that mainstream and corporate America are adopting social media into their communications arsenal, it is only logical that more new faces will be showing up at social media events around Seattle.

With that said, it seemed that the next practical step would be to create a blog dedicated to introducing  and connecting some of the movers and shakers in Seattle’s social media community. Ultimately, the idea is that this will serve as a tool to help facilitate relationship building and connect all the great personalities who attend SMC Seattle events, in addition to other events around Puget Sound.

Who Am I?

My name is Kenji Onozawa, and I’m a social media student and enthusiast. I can be found on Twitter @kenji_onozawa. I can also be reached via e-mail at kenjionozawa at hotmail dot com. Happy tweeting!