Goofing Off With WordPress
A few weeks ago when we were flying back from our family vacation, I managed to get my hands on the March 31st issue of Fortune Magazine. One of the articles I read came from the Technology section, and was titled Web 2.0 Gets Over Its Goofing-Off Phase.
I thought that was a pretty catchy title, but the subtitle (and its truth) amazed me even more: Business people find ways to save time and make money from social software pioneered by their kids.
The article focused on some of the most common, mainstream networking services such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Dopplr.
We have a tendency to think that social networking sites are only for high school kids, and I suppose we owe that thinking to places such as MySpace and Live Journal.
But I was amazed when I stumbled across something that I found very interesting. The article shared a story about Blip.tv, which is a New York-based video startup, and how they used Twitter to eavesdrop on its customers. Supposedly they came across some complaints about their service from people using Twitter, and they were able to quickly remedy the issues.
I still find it amazing how many business people are using online networking resources - you would think that they’d be too busy with appointments and train rides to “goof off” on the internet. However, I am slowly beginning to see that the “goofing off” is really a strategy that many businesses and entrepreneurs are beginning to use.
The internet and Web 2.0 craze really fascinates me, and makes me realize how much potential there is to accomplish online. Since my life is now built around WordPress, it begs the question, “How do I goof off with it?” Not in a sense of wasting time, or doing things that aren’t productive. With their acquisition of BuddyPress, and their WordPress MU platform, I find myself daydreaming a lot about ways that I can take my skills and develop something one of a kind.
Stay tuned, as the natives are restless…
Comments
10 Responses to “Goofing Off With WordPress”
I find this post to be very interesting and yet true. Something happened with our software a couple of days ago and because I frequent Twitter we saw a few of the concerns regarding this there. I personally love social networking - it’s a cool way to find out what people really want to know.
Twitter, Facebook, et. al for some time have been fertile ground for news leads. Little wonder, then that general business sees some advantage to the online “toys” created by their kids.
Regina - I don’t know what we all used to do before the internet and email. Seems like the communication we have access to nowadays is just unreal compared to the good old days.
Ed - It kills me that there are hard working adults, in the same era that 20 somethings like Mark Zuckerberg and Max Levchin can come up with startups from their college dorm room that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
I have been reading out these networks (and websites) used by people with customer service issues to release their frustration.
ComcastMustDie.com was created because Comcast frosted a journalist enough for him to post his problem online and now there are HUNDREDS of complaints listed. The thing is Comcast is actually using that site to contact unhappy customers to make amends. Now they suggest you post your customer number along with your name.
Another guy used a social networking site to blast Apple for not honoring the warranty and he filmed his frustration and posted it for the world. Apple contact him and gave him a new computer (but I think the video is still out there).
Obviously it is in the interest of companies to “Google” their name and see what’ being said about them.
Is Twitter some kind of a bird?
Brian: as one of those people who’ve worked for years without stumbling onto a million-dollar idea, it can be frustrating. But one of the key advantages 20-somethings had were they were closer to the Internet’s first market: young, school-age people. If you are in the corporate world, those ideas just don’t occur.
However, we’re entering an interesting phase online. The ideas that began with young people, are being directed and funded by older, more traditional business people. The result will be for young people to stay on top of the Internet, they’ll constantly need to be hatching startups.
How do you upload your photo to this message section?
Howie - you need to have a WordPress.com account - here’s the global gravatar site to sign up: http://gravatar.com/
Ed - yes, I totally agree in that older people are funding, and now getting involved. I look around Starbucks nowadays, and it’s not just 20 somethings that I see on their macbooks and iphones!
The executives all probably read David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR.
So I’m not the most HTML savvy individual in the world so don’t laugh about this question, but I’m having a hard time changing the header title of the Vertigo 3-column to the name of my blog - hip2besquare.net. Right now I’m using Blue Zinfandel but I want to give Vertigo a shot. Is there anything specific I need to do to the html code to have the blog name appear instead of Vertigo?
Interesting read…It never fails to astonish me how social sites are used for buisnesses… I believe I read an article some time ago about how the directors of Fox had their kids/grandkids give them the good and bad points about myspce before it’s aquisition.
I’ll be interested to see how you get on Goofing off with wordpress!