Image via Wikipedia We’re all part of a team. Our communities are our fellow players and our thought-leaders are our coaches and managers. Our blog readers and our followers on Twitter are our supporters (and we’re theirs). The mediums we use are our playing fields. There are eleven players in a soccer team with (usually) four different tasks. Who would they be in a social media soccer team? Goalkeeper. The guy that can decide whether your team wins, draws or…

Image by Matt Hamm via Flickr I saw something interesting today. There’s a website that offers “social media certification”. Its blurb mentions that for only $1495, you will receive the following benefits: Intensive CSMMC (Certified Social Media Marketing Coach/Consultant) 12-week certification program 12 one-hour high-impact interactive classes and 1 bonus session An intensive content-rich training manual Links and resources “worth thousands” A web-based interactive forum Sounds great – a certification that will allow you to become a social media consultant/expert…

They’re a privilege, not a right. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t mean that in an elitist or dictator-type way. After all, comments are the passengers to the bus driver that is the blog author. They’re what makes the trip so enjoyable. Yet it’s still at the discretion of the bus driver whether it’s a private journey or an open one. Which is why you’ll see some blogs requiring you to register before commenting; some with no comment options…

Image by woody1778a via Flickr About two weeks ago, I started to get the Toronto Star delivered to my doorstep. Which confused me a little, since I get all my news online, and I didn’t sign up for a subscription. Being the good soul I am, I took it indoors from the cold and warmed it up by reading it. Since it was the weekend when this happened, I thought it might be a one-off Saturday promotion to attract new…

Brian Carter, a guy I admire immensely, raised an interesting question on Twitter today. He asked: My own answer was, “It’s a moot point. If I like something enough to endorse it, I’d do it anyway for free. I wouldn’t sell my trust away.” Yet even as I said that, I wondered if I was looking at Brian’s question properly. Is an endorsement any different from a recommendation, or sponsorship? Looking at the answers that Brian received, there was a…

This is a guest post from PR professional David Mullen, whose insights into the industry always intrigue me. I read his blog often and ask why many of his suggestions on how PR can evolve aren’t standard practice yet, and I’m delighted he’s sharing his views here today. You remember those days. You would run straight to your favorite diversion and play with reckless abandon until the bell rang. Or you’d start there and then visit two or three other…

One of the things I’ve been toying with over the last few months is adding video posts. Well, today sees me jumping in (though I don’t think Chris Brogan, Gary Vaynerchuk or Amber MacArthur have anything to worry about). It’s scary – hopefully I don’t scare you too much! Two things: Yes, I have bad teeth. What can I say? I’m British and I had a bad accident when I was young – great combination! Yes, that is my cat…

Image by magia3e via Flickr Should I have a blog? It’s one of the questions I’m asked most frequently when I sit down with a new client to discuss their online presence. They’ve seen other blogs – personal and professional – and they’re wondering if they should be part of the party. The answer isn’t always what they expect. Are you ready to blog? Okay, so I cheat and ask another question instead of giving them an immediate answer –…

Ever wonder where the news of tomorrow will come from? Particularly now that “traditional media” seems to be on the decline? This excellent video from Albino Blacksheep may just offer some answers. My thanks to Mark Horvath for sharing this with me. If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment and subscribe to my RSS feed or via email to ensure you can enjoy the latest post(s).

Image by presta via Flickr For regular readers of this blog, you’ve probably noticed the change in design. Again. Despite the previous one being in use for less than a month. So my apologies for any confusion – I swear I’m not going through an identity crisis! Unfortunately, while I did like the design of the previous theme, there were some compatibility issues with some of the plug-ins that I use. These couldn’t be worked around, so the result is…