More from the twittersphere…

On Wednesday night, I’m giving a free Twitter 101 workshop at the Pemberton and District Library at 7pm.  (Please register by calling 604-894-6916, dropping in or emailing library@pemberton.bclibrary.ca.)

To help articulate what it’s about, I was interviewed on Choose Pemberton. Here’s an extract from that Q+A, which I answered in 140 character bursts, just to show how easy tweeting is.

How did you get to be a self-proclaimed social media expert?

I just proclaimed it in social media. SoMe is new enough you only need 5 years experience to be established in the field. #ninja

Seriously, do you have any actual skills in social media beyond blatant self-promotion?

Verbal diarrhea, easily distracted attention span and clients @wssf @whistlerwriters #slowfoodcycle @originvoice @winds4change.

What’s with all the @ signs?

Oh. That signifies someone’s twitter account or identity.

Right. Like you’re @pembygrl.

Uh-huh. I was doing a big project to promote Pemberton when I first created my personal account. And “Lisa Richardson” is tragically common.

Pity you don’t have a more original name.

I told my dad that recently and he said I could rename myself Bodhi PowderPuff.

Is a unique online identity important?

SoMe helps you be more findable, which is a good thing if you’re a freelancer with an undistinctive name.

Who else is it good for?

Community groups looking for low-cost ways of getting their message out. Municipalities committed to engagement. Brands. Businesses. Any size.

Anyone with an individual brand (realtor, consultant, pro athlete, artist.)

People looking for a creative outlet or a niche or like-minded folk with similar interests/concerns. Or change agents and influencers who want to contribute ideas.

Isn’t twitter a bit like talking really loudly on public transit so people can hear how cool you are?

Feels like it, sometimes. But unlike that loud-mouthed douche on his cell phone, on twitter you can turn douchebags off with a simple unfollow.

To be honest, I’m a skeptic. I worry about erosion of privacy, time-wasting, getting addicted to being “on”, and not having anything to say.

I too have a tinfoil cap and am a cellphone refusenik. Everything has pros + cons. But there are tools and tactics to address those concerns

Why not just ignore Social Media and all the hype? #fingersinears #lalala

Because the revolution has happened. These channels are changing pop culture, media, marketing and childhood. Denial ain’t a strategy.

Plus, the point of social, putting media in the hands of the people, is a radical and empowering shift that puts us in charge of the story.

I still worry I won’t have anything to say.

Switch to receive. Twitter is as good as a personal news feed, as a “broadcast” channel. & We’ll cover “what should I say?” in our sessions.

Who should be on twitter?

Currently I follow 100 Pembertonians on twitter. I think everyone can benefit.

If I have questions, can I ask them at the seminars?

Of course. Or DM @pembygrl or put them in comments in the blog here, and we’ll cover them off.

 

This video about the current state of social media might make you worry for the world and where we’re heading… but it’s important to understand how the tools work, in order to manage their impacts – another reason that even anti-twitterati types can benefit from knowing about Twitter.