nic-oliver.com

I’m often asked how do bloggers keep blogging during the holiday season when family commitments can often find you away from home without a regular internet connection. The answer, of course, is that we are so committed to writing that we always take a laptop with us, with an internet dongle, and post from the beach! (Pauses for mental picture of Chris Brogan in Speedos, with laptop, on beach. Not a pretty sight!) Read more…

The Media is Different, the Message Stays the Same.

Facebook, LinkedIn, ecademy, Social Media Tribes are all new. Even if you look at their ancestors, the Compuserve Groups, it’s all a phenomenon that has emerged only in the last 20 years.

As ever when something new arrives and survives long enough to be more than a 5 minute wonder, some of the early adopters become perceived as, or actively seek the role of, experts. But experts of what? Read more…

Like many people with Socia Media sites, I use WordPress extensively. It’s simple to install, infinitely customiseable and very user friendly. However, since WordPress 2007 there has been a problem with scheduling posts – they often miss their scheduled time and sit unpublished on your admin page. Read more…

Social Networking has become the communication medium for the 21^st century, social media the means for communicating. But so what? Read more…

Are we too reliant on Google and Microsoft? When social networking, I’m aware that I rely heavily on Google Reader, Gmail and Google Search and on Microsoft Word for drafting articles.  But should we be happy to leave all of our data “in the cloud” with Google? Google relies upon you using their services as much as possible so that they can refine the advertising that appears on the right side of your browser. There are conspiracy theorists who will tell you that they use the information for a lot more insidious purposes.

Whether there is truth in that view or not I’ve become increasingly uncomfortable about putting all of my eggs in just these two baskets and have been looking at alternatives. Whilst change for change sake is silly, it’s sensible to at least look and see what’s available. Read more…

I’ve just taken a couple of weeks away from Social Media. In part this was dictated by a manic workload and in part to see how I felt about it all. I believe that one of the keys to personal development and growth is to listen to your heart, and I had picked up that something was not quite right, so a break was a useful way to sort out my thoughts. Read more…

Have you ever thought about taking a social media sabbatical? What would you do with the time you would free up if you were to take time out?

I am seriously thinking about taking a week off from all internet interaction except to answer emails to clients (I have little choice, being self-employed). I’m intrigued about the possibilities; I could spend the time I use on-line on reading, writing, meditation and personal development.

The internet and social networking take up a fair amount of my time, time I could use productively elsewhere. I know it sounds crazy, having worked hard to build this blog but I’m curious to revert, albeit temporarily, to an existence that is free of social media and non-client e-mail.

Has anyone else tried it recently, and if so, with what results?

When you sit down to write an article, what are the key things you keep in mind?  Carrying on from the article on Social Media – Building Successful Relationships, I want to show those who are afraid of writing on-line, that the skills of effective writing  are the same whatever the media. Another demonstration that on-line and off-line are not two different worlds – the first is just an extension of the second. Read more…

I often find myself talking with those who went to school before PCs and calculators were invented and they tell me they are hesitant to get involved in the world of Social Media. They fear that time has passed them by and that they don’t have the necessary skills. But as you’ll see, there’s nothing required of on-line relationships that isn’t required off-line. Sooner or later, as Nick Tadd keeps reminding us, people will realise that there is no clear distinction between life on-line and off-line. The skills required if you are to succeed are the same for both. Read more…

Social Media Rockstar

Do you want to be an overnight success? It’s easy – all you have to do is put in a lot of time, effort, persistence and possibly money and the chances are you’ll succeed!  I read somewhere, and I’m sure he’ll correct me if I’m wrong, that Chris Brogan took 6 years to  be an “overnight success” and a social media rockstar!

Read more…