Search as an Interface ... wow at the command line.  We're still at the DOS prompt level here.  Waiting for Search 2.0.  This is a whole new why to consider this.  Search results  now are just like type dir or ls -a and getting a list of what's there.  Wow.

Browser battles, it's not who own's the window, it's who owns what's inside the window.  In the window is where the business is going on and the outer part doesn't really matter.

Lightweight business model with innovation as the assembly of new and interesting things into things we can really use.

Search rules. The cost of acquisition of paid search is $8.50.  A new business model that monetizes the declaration of intent not content.  Looking for a car ... search for the model you're looking for and ... well we all know what comes next, the ads.  It is because of this focus on search that fueled the explosion of social media.  Search is tied to the links and linkages within the media. A symbiosis between what people are looking for and those who can supply the information or the product.

John's keynote gave me a lot of ideas for things I'm going to have to blog about later ... and this post is a tad late because right after John spoke, I actually could share the stage with John and Dave on the SEO panel.  Which, has to be the highlight of my time here.  Thanks guys for letting me be a part of the panel.

Tags: John Battelle, search as interface, bbs, bbs06

In an earlier post today, I put in an Amazon affiliate link to buy Elements of Style.  I decided at lunch that any money earned from that link will go to the Pender Island Public Library.  Enough said.

Tags: BBS, BBS06, philanthropy

Interesting session, my only problem is that my ears seem to be having a post-cold stuffiness and I'm having a tad of trouble hearing people (making it hard to concentrate).  After listening and watching, here's the big take away.  Have a story to tell, start small (low investment in hardware), and just do it.

I haven't done a video blog post yet, but for podcasting I'm trying PodcastSpot (disclosure I've known the guys there for a while and as a beta tester I got an upgraded account for free).  And guess what!  I have been recording, just not mixing and uploading!  Well inspired by this talk, I did my mixing, edit (not much, I like the recordings to be pretty raw), and uploading during this session.

So ...

My thoughts on the Workshop sessions on Wednesday

Jason and I talking about blogging, stats and other random things at the cocktail party last night (that Parnassus and Bloggers For Hire sponsored).

And ... now it's lunch time.  Dave Taylor and I will be at the SEO table ... cause guess what?  Dave and I are doing the SEO panel discussion ... I'm actually subbing for John Battelle!  How cool is that?

Tags: BBS, BBS06, podcasting, video blogging

The straight dope from a couple of people who might have heard of in the blogosphere Maryam and Robert Scoble (I only wish Maryam blogged more).  The tips and ideas here are real, tried-and-true techniques that will make your blog and blogging.

• Don't bog if you don't want to -- If you aren't passionate (or interested in) what you're writing about ... don't
• Read other blogs
• Pick a niche you can own ... which is getting tougher and tougher to do.  For many people, the search box is the address bar.  People use one-three word search terms.  So ... people are always looking for something, if you content isn't focused, then people will probably miss you.  It's like a person searching on a particular day might be looking for info on RSS on the day you're writing about your dog.  Okay maybe not that bad, if you've written a lot on the topic they will probably still find you.
• Linking to other blogs is the lifeblood of blogging.  If you don't link, it just won't work.  Like getting a link from Scoble yesterday (heck getting a link from Scoble anytime) is great.  Beyond the traffic a link is an affirmation of your content.

Oooh the A-lister question (I don't think I'm an A-lister.  I'd like to be an A-lister, but I don't think I'm there, and might not ever be).  Robert says that you can become an A-lister in 20 mins.  Dave and I disagreed a bit ... if you get the exclusive, blogable Steve Jobs interview sure you're going to have massive traffic, but you might wind up being a one-hit-wonder.  There is a valid point, however, you can be an A-lister in the various niches (btw the word is pronounced neesh not nitch!).

• Thick skin
• Write good headlines ... yeah pithy is cute, but you do need to write descriptive headlines that people will find your post in search engines.
• Use other media ... pictures in posts rock!  They catch people's eye.  Video?  Podcast?  Yeah, but humans are pretty visual, so pictures are easiest.  Halley recommends Tony Pierce's BusBlog  for the pictures of hot women ... usually that don't match the content, but draw you in to read all of the content.
• Have a voice ... write like you talk might be talking with them.  I do this ... I am writing this thinking I'm trying to tell you (quickly) about this talk.  My better posts when I'm not trying to type at top speed, of course.
• Get outside of the blogosphere.  Meaning, have a life and friends who blog in real life.  Yes, Lorraine and I are friends with Maryam and Robert and Chris and Ponzi.  Really.  And the friends I've made blogging are some of my best friends even though I might only see them face to face with them once or twice a year.  Go to conferences.  Hang out with us.  Chat.  Sit with us at lunch.  Really we won't bite
• Market yourself.  Well, yeah.  We all love to do this, please read us, please link to us, please subscribe to our feeds.  Robert makes the key point ... put your blog on your business card!
• Write well.   Grammar, spelling, tone, and your state of mind.  Blogging mad or down, etc is a bad idea.  Trust me on this.  Experiment with different creative writing styles.  Make sure your first paragraph makes your point, or is catchy.  Even if you have to re-write it when you're "done" with the post.
• Expose yourself.  In terms of being vulnerable, be open, let people get into your head.  Sometimes, no often, taking a risk once and a while will make your blog much more interesting.  Maybe a post once and a while about your life or hobbies
• Help other people blog.  Mentor, help, teach just be the kind of person who makes helping part of your blogging
• Engage with commenters.  Visit your commenters' blogs, subscribe to them, and leave a comment on their posts.  You know that's how you meet great people and learn about a whole new perspective.
• Keep your integrity.  If you get it for free, disclose.  If you have a vested interest in something tell us.  Hey we're human we can handle it.  Be true, authentic, be you.

Yeah ... these are the good tips.  Do these and yes, you will be on the road to success.

Tags: bbs, bbs06, Robert Scoble, Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble, best blog tips

How has YouTube changed marketing, especially for large businesses?  The large business, the enterprise (not NCC1701-D), have such different perspectives than other business works.

Tools for enterprise to leverage power of Web 2.0:

• podcasting, IBM is getting into podcasting and video blogging (internally, esp) in a big way
• Wikis, project management, etc (sorry I still don't like wikis).

Social media:

• Not about the technology
• Not new channels ... huh?

Now that a brand can be created, or destroyed, in moments though online media, it is important to understand it.  This is, unfortunately, a rather heavy session for 9AM.  Two days of live blogging the conference is taking its toll on my gray matter.

How can I sage and wise about this?  Clearly brands matter.  Clearly IBM is a huge brand (understatement).

How is IBM changing, more podcasting, more video, but Ben is saying that there are great stories at IBM, but they need great storytellers and people to help.  Both things they are having trouble find.

"Large companies want to spend money on this, but don't know where to spend it" -- Ben Edwards

Tags: BBS, BBS06

Three (?) words: Jaso,n Calacanis, Techmeme.  Need I say more?  Maybe so, but yesterday was where the rubber hit the road.  Who's been covering this shindig?  Lots.  Best (and more accurate) thing is this Technorati search for BBS06 or BBS tags.

Tags: BBS, bbs06

Yesterday most speakers talked about RSS.  This morning Scott Niesen from Attensa is showing how the rubber meets the road.  I've been using Attensa since Gnomedex.  That was the 1.5 beta that then was launched as 2.0 and being given away for free.  Right now Attensa is my reader of choice.

Regardless, Scott is discussing all the benefits of using RSS, keeping up on news, searches (Attensa's built-in search feed wizard is pretty slick, btw), collaboration, delivery.

Since this a free product, I have no qualms recommending it.  Yes, I'm friends with guys at Attensa, mostly because I bugged them during the 1.5 beta with product suggestions ... a couple of which made it into 2.0.

Tags: BBS, BBS06, Attensa, RSS

In yesterday's small biz blogging session I mentioned the book by Strunk and White (E.B. White, the author of Charlotte's Web) Elements of Style.  This really is a must-have book on writing.  It's short, organized so you can look up a nuance of grammar, and it is revised often enough to stay current.

This is an Amazon affliate link so you can find and buy it.

Tags: BBS, BBS06, Elements of Style, Strunk and White

Jim and I were both in the making money from your blog talk at Blog Business Summit. While my take was more journalistic, Jim is wondering if the emperor has no clothes, or telling us all "let them eat cake". Jim does have some really valid points. Making good money from Adsense isn't really that easy. Were the speakers leading listeners down a primrose path?

You can Digg the article too ...

Tags: bbs, bbs06, monetizing blogs, Jim Turner