Cluetrain's 95 Theses Response

Not long after the Internet begins to go mainstream, the writers of the Cluetrain Manifesto post their 95 Theses in 1999 about how information and communication accessible to anyone with an internet connection will change the future of how people and companies interact. 8 years later, we can we still learn something by getting back to basics.

2. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors.
3. Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice.
22. Getting a sense of humor does not mean putting some jokes on the corporate web site. Rather, it requires big values, a little humility, straight talk, and a genuine point of view.

I think this is the crux of what web 2.0 should mean for PR and marketing professionals. No matter how you're trying to engage with customers, sounding like an actual person counts for a lot. Aren't blogs more interesting when the writer is easy to understand with a bit of humor and personality? In practice, it might be more advisable to have a group of employees blogging rather than a CEO - multiple, down-to-earth voices are going to be more interesting and provide more frequently-updated content.

10. As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally.

This is something I've learned particularly from this class - once you start particpating in discussions, reading blogs and listening to podcasts, it's hard to stop! Suddenly the Internet becomes more than Google and Facebook and it becomes a way to learn, stay on top of your industry and your interests and even get involved.

39. The community of discourse is the market.

This reflects the idea about how non-CEO company bloggers may be a better solution because they'll get updates posted more timely and frequently. I'd rather read a blog that's contributed to by multiple employees for this reason - unless your CEO is really good about posting in a reliable time-frame. What could be worse than a CEO blog only updated rarely and randomly? Most would say they shouldn't even bother.

40. As with networked markets, people are also talking to each other directly inside the company—and not just about rules and regulations, boardroom directives, bottom lines.

Again, what a great resource employees can be- they are knowledgeable about their company and industry, and those who can write will come off more humane and real should they become bloggers or podcasters. Employees have ideas and recommendations, and they need to be tuned into.

64. We want access to your corporate information, to your plans and strategies, your best thinking, your genuine knowledge. We will not settle for the 4-color brochure, for web sites chock-a-block with eye candy but lacking any substance.

If I'm going to read a company blog, it should be a bit more substantial than posts of press releases. Let's talk about hot topics, innovations, events, etc. Ever seen an amazing website with sparse content? What's the point of dazzling me with your website if it isn't substantial? That's the key to the Cluetrain, I think: say something, and make it substantial.

74. We are immune to advertising. Just forget it.

This one I don't know about. Advertising still fascinates us - especially when it's memorable, like being unique or really funny. How often have I gone into dorms and seen the student's favorite magazine ads, movie posters, etc used as decor? I don't think we're immune completely, but rather extremely tolerant to what's been done to death. For advertising to work, it's going to need to be innovative to grab our attention.

78. You want us to pay? We want you to pay attention.

Cluetrain in a nutshell. I'm not going to invest in some expensive product if I don't respect the company that made it. Dell is a good example of a company trying to turn their image around. Apple learned how to turn a new, greener leaf. They listened: the company is better for it and their customers made a difference using the internet as their vehicle for change.

Web Video Class Project: Religious Tolerance

For our final group project of the semester, each group had to make a video about a social issue they were passionate about. We used Flickr images to make a video collage about religious tolerance by showing different religions' takes on "the golden rule". Even though each religion practices differently - the message of respect is the same.

The song is "Wisdom" by Delerium.

Religions in order of appearance: Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Native American Spirituality, Islam, Wicca, and Christianity.

BuzzDash: Snapshot of the American internet user?

This post recommended by Dustin Harris, fellow helpdesk co-worker.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend :)

Yesterday, Dustin showed me the website BuzzDash, which came about a little over a year ago in September 2006. Here's a bit more about them in their words:

BuzzDash is a site and tool for gauging popular opinion on a wide range of topics - from sports, movies and politics to relationships and philosophy. Built upon individual polling modules called buzzbites™, BuzzDash provides a real-time forum where people can solicit, measure and share opinions on nearly any issue. - "About" page

So for example, here's one that I made (you do have to register with the site to create polls - see the lengths that I go to for you guys?):

Student Beware: is it time for you to do an internet audit before job searching?

While surfing Ars Technica, I found an article posted earlier this year called "Job Candidates Gone Wild: be careful what you post online," which I find extremely relevant as I draw closer to graduation. This is something all students should consider as they prepare to seek professional jobs and opportunities: if a hiring manager Googles you only to find your ridiculous Myspace page or your serial drinking binges and intoxicated escapades on Facebook, this is probably not going to help you (unless that's what your job calls for and in that case, good job!)

Be careful what you post online if you want to be able to get a job in the future. Your blog, web site, Facebook, MySpace, online dating profile, or even forum postings might "out" your salacious activities to a potential employer. According to a survey conducted by business social networking site Viadeo, one-fifth of hiring managers have used the Internet to find personal information about potential job candidates, and a quarter of those have rejected candidates based on what they found. - Jacqui Cheng, "Job Candidates Gone Wild"

So is this fair? This is an argument about public domain: if your crazy photos and epic rants are put out for all to see and read on a publicly accessible site, you should assume that this content is fair game when being considered for a job.

A good place to start would be to see what information you put out there on any social networking sites: if your Facebook page talks about your favorite books and movies that's probably not an issue (unless your employer HATES that movie :P ), but pictures and notes posted that detail your Friday night drunken debauchery may not be what they're looking for.

Another tip would also be to Google your name. Sure many people probably share your name (gosh, look at me - how many Megan Garzas are there!?), but see what comes up that may pertain to you. Example: Google "Megan Garza" and the first hit will be a link to my LinkedIn page that features resume-type facts and shows my list of connections of professionals that I know. This is definitely a preferable result when I think of a manager looking me up on the web.

I think that conducting an "internet audit" to see what pages feature you is an important step for those active on the internet. I took this to heart when I completely overhauled my former MySpace page. For years I had the typical layout but I realized over the summer that if someone searched for me on MySpace they would pull up my crappy page. I then found a clean, professional div-overlay to construct a simple yet very attractive page with minimal information - my page did not show my friends or the comments they left me. I was very proud of it until I recently found out that my account had been phished for the second time which finally convinced me to delete my account.

The moral of the story is that students should consider what they put on the internet in terms of how it will look to others who are considering you. If a resume and a nice suit for the interview is all a part of impression management, so are the pictures you post and the forums you participate in publicly on the web.

What about you all, my fellow classmates and readers? Any great examples?

10/4 Update: Hoi Polloi posted an entry today about investigations targeting employees who have posted ill-advised pictures on Facebook. A 20-year-old RA at OSU lost his job and had to move dorms because of some pictures that surfaced on Facebook featuring under-age drinking. Thanks for putting these examples together, Angelo.