So there are a few new changes/tweaks/additions (delete where applicable) coming to this blog soon, and I’d love your help to decide on how it pans out. After all, you guys are the real stars around here – I just offer somewhere to hang.
The first change I’m thinking about is the design. I’m tempted to go for either a fairly minimalistic look – think something akin to Posterous – or a more magazine feel like this one.
I’ll still be using the Headway theme to make it customized to how I’d like it, I’m just not sure which way to go. Thoughts?
Secondly, I’m starting a new interview series on video using wetoku. This lets you have a split-screen chat on video which viewers can watch live then, once the chat is over, the video can be embedded directly onto your blog or website. I think it’s a really cool little app and one that could take blogging into a whole new sphere.
And I’d like you to choose the guests.
Let me know who you’d love to see, and why. Pretty much anyone in the social media, marketing, digital space, PR field or similar – I’ll do my best to get them on. I’m not promising I’ll be successful – I don’t hold that much sway – but I am stubborn if nothing else!
So, a couple of changes, and I’d love for you to help me one way or another, if that’s okay with you?
Leave your suggestions for either option – blog theme or wetoku – in the comments and I’ll take it from there. Cheers!
- Update October 25 – Going by comments on here and Twitter, it looks like minimal design is preferred – so, this is the new look that you’re seeing now. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Just checked out the Zen Habits blog – I likes
And yes, Mr Haydon would indeed be a pretty cool guest to have on – and one I actually think I can pull off as well. Result!
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RE: @FrankDickinson Just checked out the Zen Habits blog – I likes
And yes, Mr Haydon would indeed be a pretty c… http://disq.us/29w0b
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Ok I admit it – in full FTC disclosure ->John is my hero!
Zen Habits used to look a good deal different and then he changed things up related to simplifying everything – including websites.
I though you might like.
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RE: @DannyBrown Ok I admit it – in full FTC disclosure ->John is my hero!
Zen Habits used to look a good deal diffe… http://disq.us/29w88
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@dannybrown Looking forward to seeing the changes! Thinking of good guest recommendations… http://bit.ly/1ArJt7
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Yes, I second John Haydon – great guy.
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Have Your Say http://bit.ly/1rzH6W
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Have Your Say http://bit.ly/3PzCYh #news #socialmedia
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Have Your Say http://bit.ly/kMZQ2 #news #socialmedia
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New @dannybrown: Have Your Say http://bit.ly/1yU96V
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Have Your Say http://tinyurl.com/ygeanf9 #socialmedia #news
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RT @DannyBrown Have Your Say http://bit.ly/2gjEC8
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Have Your Say http://bit.ly/RWliY #sCRM #PR #CMO #MR
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Have Your Say http://ff.im/-apDOk
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I'd love to see you talking to Brett from socialmediarockstar.com, or Reg (@zaibatsu) or Muhammed Saleem. Maybe some others who are up and comers, not established yet, would give some insight from where they stand.
Hey Danny,
Thanks for the chance for input.
Don't really dig the magazine feel. Have you thought about something minimal like Leo does over at Zen Habits?
I'd love to see an in depth interview with our bud John Haydon. Multi talented guy who does great work and has a top notch blog.
My 2.5 cents.
Brett is an awesome choice, Derek – love the Social Media Rockstar blog (mainly because it's the antithesis of the title, which is cool)
I think Reg is a hard guy to pin down, but I'll certainly check out Muhammed. Cheers for the suggestions.
Just checked out the Zen Habits blog – I likes
And yes, Mr Haydon would indeed be a pretty cool guest to have on – and one I actually think I can pull off as well. Result!
Ok I admit it – in full FTC disclosure ->John is my hero!
Zen Habits used to look a good deal different and then he changed things up related to simplifying everything – including websites.
I though you might like.
Yes, I second John Haydon – great guy.
Hey there Mr. B. Happy Friday. I'd love to see a more minimalistic look and more of a focus on the content. I am quickly becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Posterous (have even considered taking my entire blog there), so you'd hear no complaints from me on a similar look and feel. As for the video content, I really enjoyed the BTR interview you did with Chris and look forward to seeing how that translates to video. Hope the cap will be making the occasional appearance. As for who to interview. There are so many interviews with the SM all-stars, I'd love to see more of the every day SM users who arent getting their due. Perhaps putting more of a face on the 12 for 12k folks. Would enjoy an interview with John as well, bet you two would be fun together.
Great idea Michael (your corporate mask didn't fool me!), and I agree – we all know the big guys. It's about time the new stars got to shine.
Twitter: CTK1
I see nothing wrong with your blog layout. It's clean, clear and to the point without any unnecessary fluff. Everything you need is right on the page which allows for a smooth read of what's important, the blog. Plus I appreciate, eyewise, that you keep links and everything to the right and not the left. And that you only have one column, not two or three like some.
You can always tell a person who has words to share by the width they create for their actual blog words. At least that's been my own observation. The skinnier the blog area, the less said.
In general. In general.
As for interviews, it'd be great to have variety. An eclectic collection of humans in and out of social media. However, maybe it'd be hard to generate interest in “regular joes & sues” but if the topic is based on community, which is your strong suit, I imagine merit there. Guess it all depends on the questions asked…
Have Your Say: This lets you have a split-screen chat on video which viewers can watch live then, once the chat.. http://bit.ly/1avcwz
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I like the Posterous direction, Danny.
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Posterous. Communicating shapes everything around us. As a positive influencer yourself Danny, my suggestion would be to keep that focus by interviewing real world people, that have real world solutions and input, that have accomplished real world results in whatever field or profession they serve and that desire to contribute a positive message intended to influence and empower your blog readers with useful, practical, thoughtful information that can enhance the lives of everyone that visits your blog. Just a suggestion…
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Have you had your say with @dannybrown over his desire to change the status quo? I did: http://bit.ly/346V9G (via @feedly)
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Twitter: justinparks
Hey Danny Boy. Not so sure about the mag style personally, I'm all for minimal, fast loading and clean styles so I am quite biased to that anyway (along with most of the other commenter's it seems!).
As for someone to interview, I think you would enjoy speaking to Damien Mulley, Irish PR, Social media guy who runs the Irish web awards and various other events. Might be nice for some of your readers to get the perspective from across the pond on the whole scene as well.
Hes on twitter at http://twitter.com/damienmulley if you want to see about arranging something. Well worth checking him out.
Twitter: johnhaydon
I like the Posterous direction, Danny.
Twitter: johnhaydon
Damn – I turn my back and you guys are talking about me! Oh… it's positive… Proceed!
Danny – I have a great person for you to “interview” with Wetoku: Dan Croak (@Croaky). I only met him yesterday, but learned a lot about using social media for inbound marketing. He runs a Ruby development shop in Boston called “Thinkbot” and uses Blogging, and SEO to get clients. Very smart guy – and totally outside what one would expect in an interview candidate on your blog.
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RE: @DannyBrown Danny – I have a great person for you to "interview" with Wetoku: Dan Croak (@Croaky). I only met him … http://disq.us/2b1cz
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Hey there Justin, great suggestion re. Damien, and it'd be cool to have the Celtic connection over here – I'll check him out for sure, thanks.
I like your idea of moving it away from just the social media and related type, Christina – and yes, there's much more to community than just the usual suspects, as you rightly point out
Thanks for the comment re. the current set up; it's not that I'm averse to it, I guess I'm just really enjoying some designs around the web at the minute and thinking on how I can separate my style a little.
Maybe you can be the first guest poster on the new look?
Twitter: gacconsultants
Posterous. Communicating shapes everything around us. As a positive influencer yourself Danny, my suggestion would be to keep that focus by interviewing real world people, that have real world solutions and input, that have accomplished real world results in whatever field or profession they serve and that desire to contribute a positive message intended to influence and empower your blog readers with useful, practical, thoughtful information that can enhance the lives of everyone that visits your blog. Just a suggestion…
Twitter: ariherzog
I'm with CT. Why change a good thing? Moreover, you're not a follower, Danny; you're a leader. So why follow the likes of Steve Rubel and turn your blog into a Posterous look? I've used for Posterous for a year and I'd never write there exclusively; but that's me.
As to who to interview by video, how about busy people who would not be averse to a quickie? I'm thinking “celebrity” status who use and get this stuff and can increase your readership, e.g. Alyssa Milano, John Cleese, MC Hammer, Levar Burton. People who tweet and blog excessively and reply as often as they create.
Hey there Ari, cheers for the thoughts fella. RE. the Posterous look, it's not that I want that look per se, more just a “cleaner” feel. I should have offered a few more examples, definitely.
That's an interesting take on the interviewees – I would love John Cleese, comedy hero and awesome idea! Cheers!
Now that's one heck of a sentence, Mark!
Great idea and certainly one that makes a lot of sense – cheers!
Twitter: aflyonthewall
Danny – I like the idea of Posterous – I 've been playing with it myself and I agree, the minimal look is a perfect backdrop for words, pics or videos.
I would really like to see you talk to some of the Social Media doers the ones that are applying what they have learned within their specific niche. So if you have a mix of “this is what Social Media is…” from the leaders in the field and “this is one way to apply the Social Media lesson in …” from Michael Shechter and Ben Bridge Girl in the Jewelry industry – Neil Gaiman in the Books/Writing field – WholeFoods in the Grocery field – LiveStrong in Non-Profit.
Basically I want to see HOW these practices are being applied in the various industries…I think that we will all find there are lessons we can draw from each – and bottom line it could help us pitch an industry we have never considered.
Robyn Hawk
@aflyonthewall
Twitter: johnhaydon
Danny – I have a great person for you to “interview” with Wetoku: Dan Croak (@Croaky). I only met him yesterday, but learned a lot about using social media for inbound marketing. He runs a Ruby development shop in Boston called “Thinkbot” and uses Blogging, and SEO to get clients. Very smart guy – and totally outside what one would expect in an interview candidate on your blog.
Hey there Robyn,
Couldn't agree more – it's way to easy for folks to say “Why”, but what should be happening is the “How”. I'll keep that in mind and look for guests that can do just that – cheers!
Stephen Fry is another great celeb Tweeter
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Hi Danny,
thanks for reaching out to your readers – this is great social marketing!
So my opinion: I like the simple Posterous format – focuses me on what YOU are saying and that's really what I'm interested in. I do like and did follow links to other content that you embedded in your post so hopefully that will be a way to deal with sponsors, etc. Finally, the wetoku video app looks amazing and I look forward to seeing more of it.
Look forward to your future posts!
Julia
Stephen Fry is another great celeb Tweeter
I'm hoping you'll get some new gals as well as guys – some of my favorite tweeple are @barefoot_exec (Carrie Wilkerson), @sarahrobinson (Sarah Robinson – you know her well), @themetromom (Kim DeYoung), @drmolliemarti (Mollie Marti).
Nice selection, Julia, thanks – and there definitely won't be any sexism on here when it comes to guests!
Hi Julia,
With this blog being more about the community and how we can help grow each other, it'd be mad to not ask everyone's opinion. And the simpler design seems to be the preferred option (which I'm glad for!), so this is the new look that's currently being sported.
With regards sponsors, I very rarely have these – if anything, I may have an affiliate link for the Headway theme, but that's pretty much as far as I'll go. While I don't see anything wrong with blog advertising and sponsorship, it's not for me.
Thanks for being part of this, always appreciated!