Jason Preston: New Media Director @ The Parnassus Group

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June 12, 2009

In the world of social media, if it seems like Jason Preston is in a lot of places, it is because, simply put, he is. He was at the 140 Twitter Conference, Ignite, Social Media for Businesses Conference, Podcamp Seattle—the list goes on. The point is, Jason is a guy in high demand. It’s for good reason too; he is considered to be an expert on all things blogging, Twitter, Facebook, publishing, and beyond.

To be honest, whenever I see Jason, I can’t help but call him the LeBron James of social media…

Okay, so I’ve never actually called him that, but the next time I see him, I will, just to make that statement true.

But for now, I think it’s a legit comparison; Jason is a charismatic guy who, although only in his mid-20s, is already considered an authority on all things in the social media landscape. He’s speaks at major conferences, has been quoted in publications, and can slam dunk a basketball—he may or may not need a trampoline.

Seriously, though, Jason is a very cool guy who adds a lot to the ever-growing social media community here in Seattle. Get to know him. He’s good people.

Note: The video was shot over a month ago, thus may be a bit dated.

The Basics:

1. What is your name?
Jason Preston

2. E-mail?
jason@parnassusgroup.com

3. What is your occupation/company?
I’m the Director of New Media at The Parnassus Group.

4. Originally from? When and how did you end up in the Greater Seattle area? (if applicable)
I was born in Houston and moved up to the Seattle area when I was seven. I’ve been around pretty much ever since, although I took a few years to go to college at Occidental in Los Angeles.

5. How can people find you on the web?
Look for “Jasonp107” on pretty much any web service, like Twitter. I also run Eat Sleep Publish (dot com) and keep a personal blog at jason-preston.com.

Social Media:

6. Why do you like social media?
That’s a pretty broad question.

7. How do you utilize social media?
Social media tools more or less permeate my job. I use Twitter almost constantly to share cool links, images, or thoughts. I keep a close eye on the development of Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, WordPress, and other social tools so that when I work with clients to shape social media strategies, I can be sure I know what I’m talking about. Beyond that, one of the main services we offer is the measurement of social media tools, especially with Sentiment. So I also spend a fair amount of time assessing blog posts, tweets, Facebook notes, LiveJournal comments, and so on, for their content and importance.

8. What is one thing that mainstream population should know about social media?
Social media tools can be used for business, and it’s not the end of the world when they are.

9. If people follow you on Twitter, what can they expect?
A fair mix of personal and professional tweets. Some people use Twitter primarily or even exclusively for business purposes (which is fine), but I like to think of Twitter as a way to connect frequently and easily with friends. If that’s not your thing, that’s fine. I’m not offended when people don’t follow me back; Twitter is about making your own experience.

10. How would you describe the social media scene in Seattle?
In a word, “lively.” For a town that’s nowhere near San Francisco or New York, there’s a whole lot of activity up here. A lot of cool people who really get social media live and work up here, and it’s a fun city to live in.

11. Do you have a good social media success story or “wow” moment?
My most recent favorite “wow” moment demonstration is the classic “call me” tweet. The idea is pretty straightforward: Twitter, although pretty easy to understand, is not obviously useful. So one of the first hurdles when you’re talking to someone about Twitter is getting them to realize how powerful a tool it is.

One good way to do this, if you have enough followers, is to tweet “Someone call me: 206-235-8981. Showing Twitter to a friend.” It’s a pretty stunning demonstration when you get a call from a random follower.

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?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a solid date to share at this moment, but I can tell you that before 2009 is out, we’ll be putting on another 140 | The Twitter Conference. Stay tuned for the announcement at thetwitterconference.com

Just For Fun:

13. What are your hobbies?
Luckily enough (or maybe not) my hobbies are pretty digital. I enjoy designing and building websites, so I do that in my spare time. When I’m not doing that, I’m probably playing video games or reading science fiction.

14. Favorite vacation spot? Thing to do there?
If someone said “Here’s a zillion dollars, take a vacation,” I’d hop on a plane and head to Hawaii. I’ve only been there twice before, but to me, nothing says vacation like sitting on a giant, sandy beach in 85-90 degree weather with absolutely nothing to do except eat sometime before tomorrow.

15. Favorite restaurant in Seattle? Favorite food?
My favorite restaurant in Seattle is probably Burgermaster. I know, I know, I’m low class. My favorite food, though, is the spaghetti my mom makes.

16. Favorite things to do in Seattle in the summer?
I love to play disc golf when the weather is nice. It’s a lot of fun to make up courses around schools and public parks. My friends and I have a couple favorite courses (full 18 holes!) plotted out around the eastside that are just fantastic.

17. Most embarrassing CD you own?
Pretty much any physical CD is embarrassing nowadays, right?

18. Any hidden talents?
Nothing that I’d call a talent…

19. What would you like everyone to know about you?
My record lap time for Wario Stadium in Mario Kart 64 is under four seconds.