Category: Internet and web

Friday Five: pay it forward edition

Happy Friday! Why not take some time today to pay it forward in your social mediasphere? Here are five ways you can do that:

  1. Comment on a blog. Spend a few minutes surfing some of your favorite blogs (or better than that, read some not-so-familiar blogs) and then post a comment on a post that especially resonates with you. Since the idea here is to pay it forward, the comment should be positive or constructive, but sincere. And make it meaningful — something more than, “Great post, Johnny!” (Note: I’m not purposely trolling for comments here.)
  2. Retweet — sincerely. On Twitter, the practice of retweeting has become a big part of the experience and has become the Twitter version of paying it forward. People retweet articles and blog posts they like, so that other members of their networks can get in on the action. But as often as many people retweet (RT) posts, I get the feeling some folks aren’t really reading the contents; they’re just forwarding the links the way your Aunt Gracie forwards emails about Microsoft money giveaways or Neiman-Marcus cookie recipes. So, don’t be one of those people. Don’t gratuitously retweet. But do retweet those posts or articles you find worthy of the act.
  3. Give a Facebook friend the thumbs up. Use Facebook’s “like” application to let some of your Facebook connections know you like or appreciate their status post.
  4. Give props. If you’re on the popular music site blip.fm and hear a song you like, give that DJ props. Better yet, reblip the tune. (Reblipping is the musical version of retweeting.)
  5. Send an email. Remember email? OK, technically it doesn’t fall under the social networking rubric. But still, it’s a good way to connect with some folks. How about dropping a line to someone today to congratulate that person on a job well done, or even just let that person know he or she is in your thoughts?

Friday Five: places to go, people to see

It’s Friday Five time:

  1. As reported here earlier, Elizabeth Allen (@lizallen on Twitter) is now blogging. Huzzah! Liz’s blog is called Adaptivate, and it should be on everybody’s blogroll, RSS feed, delicious faves, whatever you use to manage your required reading resources. Liz is associate director of alumni relations at the Caltech Alumni Association and is one of the best around when it comes to integrating social media tools with traditional alumni relations practices. Her blog may be new, but Liz is no stranger to the craft of blogging. She’s guest-posted here a couple of times — first, about her lessons learned from a CASE conference we attended in April 2008, and more recently some good insights about working with unofficial Facebook groups.
  2. Another newcomer to the higher ed blog scene is Davina Gould (@davinagould), who started her graduate/professional school marketing blog in August. Davina is a marketer at a law school somewhere in Florida, and her blog (so far) offers practical and thoughtful insights on such topics as promoting social media on your campus, using Google Documents as a productivity tool and handling the death of a campus public figure. Welcome aboard, Davina!
  3. Have you tested Facebook Lite yet? It’s got a third less sidebar gunk than the regular Facebook. Great taste, less filling. Here’s a review of the new interface.
  4. The CASE website has a new look. The site also provides a nifty section to guide you through the changes.
  5. Remember what happened on this date eight years ago. Here’s a video to help you remember: 9/11: Stories of Survival and Loss, from the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. Or if music’s more your thing, listen to Bruce Springsteen’s Into the Fire, from his album in memory of 9/11, The Rising. I think I may listen to that entire album today.