Catch Up Lady

Snowcial Media: Tales from Snowmageddon 2010

 Snowmageddon.  Snowpocolypse. Kaiser Snowze.  The 2009/2010 winter season in DC has gone by a lot of names.  One of the most notable side stories in my (social media crazed) mind is the role that social media (or should I say snowcial media?) has played in everything from storm tracking, to commiserating, to clean up efforts.  Particularly noteworthy is the way "traditional" players got in on the action.

The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang

A blog at its core, the Weather Gang blog became my go-to for all things weather related.  They give insightful, accurate forecasts with a personality, and take advantage of the rest of the social Web (Twitter, Facebook) to promote the site, its content, and its conversations.  What's great is that this is run by the Washington Post - it's great to see such integrated use of social media across a traditional media site.

Washington, DC Department of Transportation

Despite apparently having like three plows to service the entire city, DDOT DC has taken a proactive role in communicating its snow removal plans to the community.  A Twitter handle DDOTDC is collecting reports of unplowed streets and sending them to the Snow Command Center (which is probably in Cheney's secret bunker...) - so while huge swaths of the city remain unserviced, there is a sense that someone is out there listening.  Notably, DDOTDC is even going one step further that listening and has launched Snow Map DC which allows you to type in your address/crossstreet/block and see what service its received and what the current road conditions are. 

(Personal side note - all those dots don't necessarily translate to clear streets, as they would commonly be defined.  Here is Wisconsin Ave between M and K Street last night - doth those green flags lie??)

Of course Twitter and Facebook also played pivotal roles in keeping the DC community together.  Twitter did what it does best and became a real time focal point for discussion -  hashtags, twit pics, and live updates dominated  in the days leading up and during the storm.  Facebook played to its community organizing strengths - The Official Dupont Circle Snowball Fight group has over 6,000 fans - 2,000+ of whom showed up for the actual event last weekend.

I've written this post in the past tense - which is ironic, seeing as how we're about to get another 10 - 16" tonight and tomorrow... snowcial media may have more gas left in the tank.  Stay tuned!

When do Social Networks Lose Their Social?

There was a great article in WIRED this month, In Praise of Obscurity, talking about social networks and scale. 

The premise is that social networks work the way they ought to – facilitating connections, conversations and content – as long as your network stays small.  The article claims that once someone’s social network (Twitter is the main example) grows to a certain size it can "shut down."  Essentially that somewhere around 10,000+ followers you become microfamous.  You may start self-censoring what you say, and others may cease to interact with you because they are intimidated or don't feel they could add value to a dialogue.  The article ultimately praises the obscurity that smaller networks bring, "Sure we'd be connected with fewer people, but we'd be communicating with them, and not just talking at them."

Let’s make one thing clear before I go on – I definitely don’t have this problem.  I’m not beating away followers or blog commenters with a stick or anything.  However, I’m willing to stick my nose out there and call shenanigans on this theory.  

Blogs first.  The best part of the most popular blogs I read is the comments.  They’re vibrant and interesting, and pull from the wisdom of the crowds – often eclipsing the original post in terms of creative thinking.  In this case, the community is chomping at the bit to engage and the only thing limiting a blogger from getting involved is his/her own willingness to take the time to read and react (which for the record, most good bloggers do automatically.)

Twitter follows the same logic.  Most of the prolific Twitterers I follow have a solid @reply ratio and certainly don’t seem above engagement.  Though I think it’s worth nothing that these people are true social media believers (versus, let’s say @Oprah) and use Twitter as its intended – as a way to facilitate dialogue, not as a channel to push out their latest and greatest Deep Thought. 

I believe that the fastest and easiest way to “lose the social” in your social network is to let it happen to yourself.  To get overwhelmed with Tweets, comments, emails and just start broadcasting instead of interacting.  I think that your community only becomes as small as you let it. 

But, perhaps we should look beyond my (relatively) microscopic social graph.  I decided to ask some of my favorite social media super stars their thoughts on this topic.  I’ll update with their responses as they come in.

Weddings Going Social FTW

In July, I blogged that the bar for incorporating bad R&B into weddings was at an all time high.  We had the Brubaker's First Dance, as well as the JK Wedding Entrance Dance video - and let's face it, who knew where we could go from there.  Barring a wedding announcement montage set to a Keith Sweat video, I'm not sure what else could possible emerge to eclipse these two front runners.

Then came.... Jeff & Erin's EPIC Wedding Trailer.  I mean, shit.  I'm at a total loss for how my future wedding (to my future finace at an undetermined date and time)  is going to stand out in the social media world. Damn you Jeff and Erin.  Damn you.

The State of My Shows: Edition #Whatever

Holy hell, I haven’t blogged in about a 1,000 years – but as you may have noticed I’m aggressively back on Twitter and my podcast That Social Media Show, so the blog is naturally following.   I think the last State of My Shows entry involved Tila Tequila to give you a sense of the timing.  So much to report – some oldies and some new goodies to be sure.

• Brothers and Sisters: One of my new faves in the last year or so involving a widow (Sally Field) and her brood of five kids who – shock of shock – actually act like real families do.  Squabbles, boozing, drama, love, the whole nine.  I just wish it was on cable so they could swear.  The Walkers would drop more F bomb then the Wilkins no doubt.
• Flash Forward:  First of all, we now know where everyone on Lost goes when they leave the island.  This JJ Abrams creation as more castaway castoffs than you can shake a stick at.  Second of all, is it coming back?  It went on hiatus for the holidays and has not been heard from since.  Maybe I’m just blacked out…
• How I Met Your Mother:  I think I say the same thing every State of My Shows – could this show get ANY better?   Seriously. No really.  Oh, ok.  Thanks.
• Keeping up with the Kardashins:  Total guilty pleasure.  Though, is it my imagination or is Kris getting more and more crazy as this show goes on? I mean really – before she was just kind of out there, now it’s like – step off crazy lady.
• 90210:  Duh na na na.  Du na na na.  Cha cha!  Yeah, that’s right!  I watch the new 90210 bitches!  And I LIKE it!  Don’t be scared!  Join me on this journey, we’ll make it there together. 
• LOST:  Is back for its final season.  I totally respect that they drew a line in the sand (haha) and set an end date for this show instead of letting it wither on the vine.  Can’t wait to see how this thing resolves, then watch all the episodes back to back to see all the crazy stuff I’ve missed.  (In other hilarious news, I saw a great tweet from someone whose relative in EST texts fake spoilers like, “I can’t believe their killed of Kate so early in the season”.  That got a for real LOL.)

That is all.