A larger, much more readable version of the above is here.
Yesterday during my keynote on the future of Twitter at the TWTRCON conference in San Francisco I decided to do something different. For one day, at least, I put away PowerPoint and fired up a mind mapping program (in my case I use Mind Node for the Mac).
I really enjoyed the experience and, anecdotally from what others told me, so did the audience. For one, It made the session more interactive. Second, because it was different, it seemed to capture people's attention more than a deck would have. (Hmm, is PowerPoint making us blind and deaf?) Still, since this was my first time out mind mapping with the audience I know much can be improved.
To build the mind map I started (conceptually) with a framework that built off of Brian Solis' great Twiiterverse diagram.
Then, I divided the map in half - Twitter as an OS (think "Twitter Inside") and Twitter and the Ecosystem (think Twitter and others). Then, for the next 25 minutes, I took the audience through my initial thinking but opened it up to more feedback and input so that we grow it. Now it's your turn.
I have published the mind map on Flickr. In addition, you can download it here in PDF and OPML format. The OPML file should open up in any mind mapping application like MindManager for Mac or Windows or Mindmeister (a web app).
Let's see if we can take this concept to the next level and perhaps use it to bring Twitter new ideas, which they seem quite open to - at least that's what they said during the session that preceded mine. Leave comments here or on Twitter with the hash #futureoftwitter and let's see where we can take this.
Technorati Tags:
Twitter, TWTRCON
Edelman's Digital Public Affairs team in DC has authored an awesome white paper that takes you inside the Obama campaign. You can download it here (PDF). The white paper imparts several lessons: start early, build to scale, innovate where necessary and more. You can find other Edelman white papers on our site. This includes 9 on 9 - key consumer trends for 2009 (also in PDF format).
A lot of people are writing about personal branding, particularly as the economy shrivels and concerns about jobs mount. There's no doubt that a powerful personal brand, especially if it is backed up with a track record, can help you weather the storm. More importantly, it can also serve as a door opener for new business either for you personally or your company.
You can find lots of great advice online on how to use social media to build your personal brand. One of the better ways, though, is to study how big companies leverage their brands. No one is better at it than the Walt Disney Company.
I have long been fascinated with Disney and how year after year they are able to captivate audiences around the globe through content franchises. (In fact, my fascination with Disney lead me to work for them when I was in my early 20s.)
What Disney does really well is build content franchises and then leverage them across all of its different platforms. Pirates of the Caribbean, for example, started with a ride but has become three successful movies, plus video games and more. High School Musical started with a single Disney Channel film. Now there are two sequels, albums, merchandise and more. It's contributing millions in revenues.
The Disney approach to content franchises is formulaic: 1) innovate/lead, 2) find your hits, 3) leverage them across all your channels and 4) be choosy. The last one is key. Forbes explains how CEO Bob Iger lands on which franchises they build (Cars, for example) and those they forgo (Ratatouille).
In my case, over the last two years my big content franchise was The Attention Crash. I have written many blog posts on the subject, Twittered about it extensively and curated links on Delicious. Of course, I have also featured it front and center in speaking engagements and in many media interviews. If you Google it, I own "the shelf" around this concept.
Success here is simple. I followed the Disney model. I built a content franchise and leveraged it across every community and channel I participate in, including traditional ones like PR and speaking. Anyone can emulate this approach - including brands that want to maximize their use of social media.
I am now in the process of planning my content franchises for 2009. I am becoming more strategic in how I align these with my role at Edelman, my expertise and what I think readers and Google searchers want. I am thinking about having a few of these next year instead of just one.
Other influencers do the same. Dave Armano is Mr Infographic. Peter Kim is the de facto curator of social media marketing examples. Chris Brogan? He knows personal branding and even wrote an ebook on it. If you think this is happenstance, think again. It's strategic branding.
Finally, if you're a Disney fan and you're curious about the image on top, check out this clever video. It connects my personal brand with Disney's and it's easy to create your own and share them too!
TypePad this week rolled out a new commenting platform that can be integrated into virtually any blog. They also added profiles. I have incorporated both here. This now brings threaded discussions to the blog and also - if you're registered with TypePad - the ability to reply by email. This will allow me to respond to your comments more frequently than I have in the past.
Marketing Age magazine, which is published in Ireland, ran a profile of me in their July/August issue where I talk about my role within Edelman Digital, how I use RSS to keep in the know and trends in social networking - including Friendfeed. The article is not online. However, If you're interested, they have graciously given me permission to share it here. The full PDF is here or you can simply click through each of the images below, which are up on Flickr.
Lifehacker is one of my favorite blogs. So when editor Gina Trapani invited me to guest blog about how to be productive with social media, I jumped at the opportunity. Here's the intro and summary. The full essay is here.
Social media is the equivalent of digital food. It's nourishing, tasty and, for many of us, necessary. However, consume too much and you can get sidetracked and create larger consequences. The good news is you can participate in social media in a way that adds value to your life. You just need to know how to manage it so so that it does not devour your attention—the most valuable commodity of the digital age. Here are three simple steps I take.
Photo credit: "A-Rod taking a practice cut" by Dog Company
Recently, I was interviewed by Kellie Kass from Simply Communicate for an in-depth business profile called "How Did I Get Here." In the article, I share something I don't think I have ever talked about before: how I apply deliberate practice in my never-ending quest for insights into digital media, marketing and online culture. I decided to write about it now because I became more aware of my habits and because I believe it can help anyone become more successful.
Deliberate practice - at least as a concept - is relatively new to me. However, little did I know it's something I have been at for years. Perhaps the same is true for you. Regardless of your passion, it's something that - when applied - is surefire road to success.
The basic idea isn't rocket science. Basically, anyone with just even a little bit of natural talent in a given domain can master it in about 10 years by methodically practicing the essence of their craft two hours daily (including weekends) and measuring their progress from one day to the next.
The concept was developed by Dr. K. Anders Ericsson at Florida State University. It's becoming popular in sports and business. It's a big reason why Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez and Warren Buffet continually get better. They practice on building their strengths every day in a meticulous way. (The links on their names cite relevant stories. The best piece I have read on the subject is this one from Fortune.)
In my case, I've actually been applying deliberate practice in my work for at least five years now, perhaps longer. I have been an online junkie going back 20 years. However, I only started deliberately practicing my study of the web and online culture in 2003. It just didn't dawn on me until 2008.
Every day for five years I have spent at least two hours a day, seven days a week (usually early mornings and evenings) trolling through 500+ RSS feeds on business, marketing, culture and technology. I then parse these observations into insights that I share here but also through other venues you don't see - like content for clients and our staff. Here's my trend graph from Google Reader.
In the last few months I have become a lot better at focusing my attention and measuring my progress. For example, I often look back at my posts from the last four years to see where I was right or wrong so I can get better at what I do. Two emerging influentials who I believe take this approach are Louis Gray and Chris Brogan. I reference them both in my interview with Kellie.
The takeaway here for you is this: if you want to be an expert at something (anything really), you can! It just takes time. Here's the formula: a) follow your passion, b) practice the essence of your craft in a meticulous, measurable way for two hours daily (for years), c) learn from data and adjust as you need to.
