Author: TechCommGeekMom

I believe I found this via Darin L. Hammond’s Twitter feed today. These are some essential things to keep in mind when creating a blog–it’s the follow-through. I know I certainly try to keep up these things as best as I can!  This article provides some thought-provoking concepts around what it is to be a successful blogger. I know I’m working at it!

–techcommgeekmom

Charlie Southwell is a good friend of mine that I met at the Intelligent Content Conference. Part of the reason we connected at that conference was that we are both bloggers, and had some similar ideas when it came to blogging. We also learned to ride Segways together in San Francisco, that is a bonding experience in itself! But back to the point–Charlie has some excellent suggestions here on how to promote one’s blog. I would say that I have used most of these same points myself, having figured them out the hard way on my own. Make your life easier, and read this great article! Great pointers here, and they are easy to do!
–techcommgeekmom 

Yay for the Smithsonian! They are making available files to reproduce historical items on 3D printers for teaching purposes. Excellent use of 3D printing! 

–techcommgeekmom

Like so many other aspects of technical communications, I think what will need to happen–and I think the author of this article is basically saying this–is that we can’t be separating the role of "social media manager" and "marketer" for much longer. We can’t keep those roles in silos. This is the kind of things where these two professions will end up merging more and more often in companies, I tend to think. So it’s one thing for the social media managers to have to learn more about marketing strategy (yes, I hear a lot more buzz about content marketers these days), but similarly marketers need to learn to better embrace and manage how to use social media outlets. So, I don’t get the impression that the social media manager is (almost) dead, but rather it’s evolving instead. 

It seems that tech comm, in general, is in so much flux these days–it’s hard to keep up! But the more skills and flexibility you can bring to the table, the more marketable you will be. 

–techcommgeekmom

I saw this article by Mashable via Google +. This guy is totally missing the boat. I can understand his feeling that anyone can say anything on social media, and the public could deem it true. He’s implying that it’s propoganda by the masses. Fair enough. But instead of trying to shut it down (thus shutting down freedom of speech or freedom of press, which I will admit that I don’t know if that’s considered a human right in Turkey), he should be embracing social media. Put out your own message for yourself! Add your own propoganda to the mix! Start a valid conversation with those online who are "problematic" to resolve issues and find a happy medium. Use Twitter and social media as a platform and means of diplomacy. It’s really a missed opportunity on his part. 

–techcommgeekmom