Fools Rush In ... to new Social Media Sites

For BlogHer this year, I am just going to keep open one blog post on quotes and comments that resonate with me. When I, um, remember to type them out and not just listen (hence, the post not as long as it could be).

Why? Well, it is easier than live blogging each session, and streams of consciousness are just fun.

And, well, BlogHer is such a community event, there are tons of posts on the BlogHer site itself and via the BlogHer07 tag.

The Life Stages of Community:

Companies need to let go a little and allow consumers to talk about what is wrong and good with the products.

There are sites that are over-moderated. But there are also sites that are silent death moderated - and just don't post comments that are off target.

Forced moderation for legal reasons - is it worth while to note why I have to moderate in a post, but it is about transparency.

Being able to give up, and let go, and allow the community to grow. It may not be what you expected in the beginning, but it can turn into a wonderful thing. You have to know when it's time to let go.

When you give people the power to build with you, you also give them the power to destroy. That's the curse of what can happen with a social community.

The State of the Momosphere

Went from feeling like I had no friends out there, from having hundreds of friends through blogs and blogging.

I orgasm while walking on my treadmill.

The difference between blogging and the real world is that there is a casual intimacy that people develop on blogs, where you share information you wouldn't necessarily share with your neighbor.

The event has made it possible to meet the people that we have read, to experience the person and to get excited meeting the people, and finding new blogs.

There is the problem with the community continuing to grow, and yet still feel like a close-knit community. The momosphere is going to split, but it is natural that there will be further divisions. There is always discussion, and how we all feel.

It's hard not to take something personal in the blogosphere - we are writing about ourselves, and it IS personal.

With outreach to bloggers, why such the concentration on white bloggers, with ignoring the minority blogs - the Asian blogs, the African-American blogs? We do laundry, we use products.

We are empowered when we write about our children, and we empower those that don't have voices - such as special needs children - when we write about the issues.

Keynote Breakfast: What Humans Do with Artificial Intelligence

Is the blogosphere still navel-gazing, or has it moved on? It is permeating beyond what it was three years ago, it is much larger way for expression.

The Art of Foodblogging

The culinary profession is not very technology oriented - we know that there's this Internet thing, but we are not using it much. Blogging has gotten me a different audience that shares my views and love for minutiae in cooking.

The surprising thing about my blog is that I have people reaching out to me for authentic Indian food to cook for their adopted children; it's touching, and it makes me tear up thinking how the power of blogging has touched other people.

Only you control your blog, only you control the content. And with that comes responsibility. Guard yourself, guard your blog, guard you readers.

I have found my blog posts and photos used on a corporate site, used as marketing. You have to be vigilant on what you write, and where it may end up.

Have a review policy for PR people - what you do, what you will look at, what you will receive. [Jasmine of Cardamom Addict has a great Blogger 101 guideline here.]

We have power - we have way more power than we think we do. We have power. If you chose to use it to close a restaurant, or slam or uplift somebody, we have that power. There are too many restaurant/food bloggers that are just snarky and cruel for no other reason to be snarky, and hurt the restaurant.

Don't ask for reciprocal links - these are my recommendations, and I put trust in those blogroll.

The Art of Crafts

Organically, more and more people find something similar to what they see online. One post will have more connections, and other people will want to follow and try the same. It's about making things, and tips.

You charge for your talent, not the costs of the goods. For crafts, it is about the talent and work you put into the product, not just the materials.

Stick googly-eyes on everything.

There are no fail-safes to keep your designs from being copied, but you have to be vigilant to make sure that your stuff is safe. Creative Commons is one way to go, for some protection.

The money for the cupcakes go to my rabbit's allowance.

It's your passion, not size, that matters

The benefits and upside of staying small -what is the value that you get from just one blogger reading, so what is it that knowing that someone can read this, that is enriching.

Do people write for their children - do you tell it all, full disclosure on what your family is really like. Or do you tell the most loving positive side of your kids?

You can get addicted to the Sitemeter / traffic stats, and it can alter your voice. If you see one topic gets traffic, you start to write about one topic. It's more about writing for passion.

Train of thought - shit, I'm pregnant. Wait, oh, I remember.

At the end of the day, it's okay just to sit back and look at what you have done.

Don't undervalue inspiring other people.

Tags: BlogHer07, Public Relations, PR, Communications, Marketing Communications, Marketing