Tag: twitter

  • Adam’s Rules for Twitter

    twitter-rules

    You’ve seen my rules for blogging. With many people using the social media 360—  blogging, Facebook, and Twitter simultaneously– I thought it would be helpful to share my Twitter rules. These guide my use of the site and I think would act as a good primer for those getting into it.

    Rule #1: Don’t forget the question. The primary use of Twitter is to tell people what you are doing. It’s easy to get lost in conversation and treat Twitter like a chat room. With that in mind I try not to @reply the same person back and forth in conversation. I am quick to take the conversation to a phone call, email, or direct message. The power of Twitter is seeing that all of our lives are fascinatingly mundane. Focus on that and you’ll be fine.

    Rule #2: It’s not about the numbers. There’s a lot of locker room-styled comparisons going on with who has the biggest following. Just like in real life, it’s not size that’s important. (See rule #1) If you are interesting to people you will attract a larger following. Joining a website that promises 10,000 followers or endlessly participating in #followfriday in hopes that you’ll add just 3 more followers is only going to make your use of Twitter less enjoyable and you more annoying to follow. I allow anyone to follow me. But for my personal account I only follow back who I want to follow back. I read every profile when someone follows me… and I follow back just those whom look interesting. For business accounts I follow everyone back who follows those accounts.

    Rule #3: Don’t follow then unfollow just to build a following. Follow only who you want to follow. It is rude to follow someone so they will follow you back only to then go and unfollow them. That’s rude. I can’t tell you how many people do that to me. And they probably think I’m rude because I don’t play along.

    Rule #4: Retweet, @reply, and compliment often. It’s good form to reply to every @reply. On my personal account, I do my best to @reply to everyone who @replies to me. Remember, Twitter can be a fun place for networking, idea sharing, and community. Be aware that @replies help your followers meet and get to know one another.

    Rule #5: Pimp your content, but pimp it lightly. In the early days of Twitter there was backlash when you’d post links to your blog or other content. I don’t think it’s a big deal to Tweet links to your content, just do it lightly. (Mention it once, then move on.) Then again, if all you use Twitter for is posting links to your content… that won’t be interesting enough to draw a following.

    Rule #6: Keep private stuff private. Avoid the social fax paux of over-sharing on Twitter. No one wants to know that you are taking a dump, getting drunk with friends, or just made out with your girlfriend. Sharing where you are eating, who you are out with, or TwitPic’s of your best friend passed out while taking a dump… perfectly fine though. That’s for the public interest.

    Rule #7: It’s OK to have multiple accounts. I know people who have public accounts and private accounts. I have personal accounts, work accounts, and special interest accounts. All of this is fine. It helps people follow only the stuff that they actually want.

    Rule #8: Hashtags are for tracking stuff. It’s OK to use them just for fun or sarcasm. I do it all the time. But if you aren’t at an event or a concert and you use their hashtag just because everyone else is, you look stupid. Even if you are at the event make sure you only tag tweets that are relevant to the event.

    Rule #9: Don’t be a whore. I teach people how to tactfully self-promote themselves. I think that is fine. But don’t sell your account for marketing tweets and don’t use twitter to enter marketing promotions. Since Twitter won’t do anything about this and has allowed bots to create squatting accounts, this is why I think Twitter is the next Myspace.

  • Top 5 iPhone Apps I Use

    As they say, my dock is full. Kristen and I have been iPhone users for a couple of months now. So far we love it! One unintended consequence of using iPhone is that our monthly cell phone bill actually went down. Never expected that.

    Like most users, I actually use the phone part of the iPhone very little. That said, I use the iPod and wireless device parts all day. As of right now, here are the 5 apps I use the most.

    tweetieTweetie. I should clarify. Up until last night my most used app was Twitterfon. But Twitterfon was stupid and decided to drop a bunch of ads on their latest upgrade. I hate silent upgrades that dump in ads. I mean, I get it that they need revenue and all, but don’t ruin an app to do it! Anyway, Tweetie is a great Twitter app. It allows me to manage all my various accounts.

    yelp-icon100x100Yelp. I already use Yelp to post quick reviews of stuff as well as read up on places I want to visit. Now when I’m on the go I can use Yelp’s community driven review sites to chose places to eat… and even find addresses to places that are hard to find. (I like stuff that’s way off the beaten path!)

    mint-iphone-iconMint. Kristen and I use Mint to track all of our finances. So having a Mint iPhone app is a total bonus. This allows me to keep an eye on our accounts, spending, budget, and investments anywhere I am. If you are a an iPhone user but don’t use Mint… you should really think about checking it out. It is pretty powerful.

    google-reader-iphoneGoogle Reader. Technically, I don’t think this is an app. But if you bookmark it in Safari it becomes this sweet little app on your dock. I use Google Reader all day, everyday for my job. So being able to scan through endless vanity searches, twitter searches, and of course blog posts is essential. I love being able to read, share, and comment on stuff no matter where I am. As a few friends have pointed out… they can tell when I’m on the trolley because I’m sharing a lot!

    facebook-iconFacebook. What social media person wouldn’t love to have a mobile Facebook that is, in some ways, better than the web version? I love posting pictures and changing my status with my iPhone. So much less clutter.

    A few people have asked me to put together a list of apps for youth ministry. Give me a few weeks and I’ll definitely be posting about that.

  • Twitfail: The tinkering continues

    twitfailI suppose it’s no surprise to know that I like to play with things on the internet. A few months back I bought a domain on a whim, TwitFail. I am a fan of FailBlog.org and I thought it might be fun to capture some of the stupidity that people post on Twitter or it’s picture sharing friend, TwitPic.

    So, while I’m not done with this site by far… here’s the first serious shot at it.

  • How Not to Be a Jerk

    jerk-city

    I’ve noticed a crazy pattern. Help me understand it.

    Cause: A Christian leader will say or blog or tweet or Facebook something over-the-top. Hey, it happens. The way things are these days, an unfiltered moment can easily get recorded.

    Effect: Someone calls them on it. Maybe it’s a blog post or maybe it’s just a comment that says something like, “Um, that’s whack!”

    Cause: That blog post, comment, or tweet draws even more attention to the original outlandish thing.

    Effect: The once tiny statement, in context or out of context, starts getting mentioned to that leaders often enough where they think they have to respond. Maybe his co-workers mention it to him or maybe he’s gotten some emails or phone calls about it or maybe his statement ends up on a big name blog with a headline, “Christian leader thinks ______.”

    [Pause] This is where a critical choice is made. The leader, who now feels exposed, has to chose what to do next. The smartest thing to do is to either apologize for the stupid statement or at a minimum just move on. About 90% of people do this. But lately a new option has taken on popularity. The original offender goes on the offensive against the person who has called them out. It’s like a train wreck from here on out! [unpause]

    Cause: The Christian leader rallies his troops (friends, fans, staff) to defend him. It sounds noble, but it’s really throwing gasoline onto a smoldering fire. By taking a victims position these troops are poised to stand up and cry foul. Here comes the Christianese.

    Effect: The person who originally mentioned the statement is blind-sided by tons of comments and emails demanding that he stop attacking this leader. Typically, without a leg to stand on, these troops will go the politically correct angle and say, “Who are you to call this persons integrity into question” or “do you think this is glorifying to God to defame ____?” In effect, two wrongs don’t make a right. The person who called out the leader is now put on the defensive simply for bringing up that the leader said something outlandish.

    Cause: The Christian leader uses his platform (blog, Facebook, Twitter account, or even pulpit) to joke about how he has haters. Maybe he even makes fun of the person who brought it up in the first place? His aim in doing this is deflect the impact of his original offensive remark by pointing out how the person who called him out is a worse sinner than he is.

    Effect: The community of people who have observed this entire exchange are left with less respect for Christian leaders.

    My point? If you say something stupid, just acknowledge it, apologize for it, and move on. Taking it this far is buying a ticket for Jerk City. I really think that leaders who pursue the steps after the [pause] are just insecure in their position. In other words, you don’t see people who have been in visible positions for a long time getting tangled up in this sort of thing. They’ve learned that the best response is just to recognize their mistake and apologize as soon as possible.

    For the record, I’ve been on every side of this story! I just hope I’m growing up enough to buy a lot fewer tickets to Jerk City.

  • 5 Reasons I Love Social Networking

    The last 12 months has seen a major shift in how people view social networking. A year ago most adults (who weren’t in youth ministry) said the word “Myspace” with a suspicious scowl. If they used it they kept it on the downlow.

    Now everyone has Facebook. (150 million users and growing every second; it would be one of the largest countries in the world by population.) Now, most everyone is jumping on Twitter and getting completely addicted to that. The swarm of humanity has taken what was done in the margins and brought it to the mainstream. It’s a beautiful thing!

    As a person who “lives online” through my work, I thought I would share 5 things I love about social networking.

    1. Meeting new people. I’m pretty brave so I’ve taken to joining meet-up groups and showing up to meet people who share a special interest. It’s really not as creepy or as weird as I thought it’d be.

    2. Learning stuff about people I already know. The “25 random things” meme on Facebook has reached legend status. I’ve been tagged on that thing probably 50 times and I don’t mind reading them all.

    3. Reconnecting with long lost friends. Sure, there is the occasional misfire as a person who was a jerk to you in 8th grade friend requests you or wants to follow you on Twitter. But over all, I’ve had amazing reconnections.

    4. Getting exposed to the good stuff. This is especially true on Twitter! If there is anything new and noteworthy, social networking sites are all over it way, way before it hits the mainstream media. I suppose that’s both good and bad as there is such a thing as being too current on stuff. Also, a danger to this is that it’s hard sometimes to distinguish right away what is actually newsworthy.

    5. Instant feedback. Who needs focus groups anymore? I can pop an idea on Twitter of my Facebook status and get 25-50 responses right away.

    What about you? What are things you love about social networking?

  • A Few Ways to Connect with Me

    Maybe you’re ready to take this relationship to the next level? Let’s say you come to Adam McLane’s site every day. And you’re thinking to yourself… “Adam, I dig what you have to say. What are some ways you can check out what else I do online?” Here are a few ways I suggest you do that.

    #1 Subscribe to my RSS feed. This will make sure you get every post delivered to your RSS reader, iGoogle homepage, or even by email.

    #2 Subscribe to the YS Podcast. You’ll see my pretty face each week on the weekly show that I host. Sure, it isn’t much… but it’s just enough Adam McLane to not feel like a total stalker. Don’t use iTunes? Subscribe via YouTube.

    #3 Join my delicious network. Now we’re getting serious. (Rounding 2nd base!) Each day I bookmark all sorts of things. Blog posts, news stories, adolescent research studies, new websites, and all manner of web goodness. Like the links in the YS newsletters? This is like the full monty of that.

    #4 Check out my shared items on Google Reader. These are blogs that I read on a daily basis and posts that I think are worth sharing. In other words, let me filter through the lame stuff for you.

    #5 Follow me on Twitter. If you’re curious what I’m up to 10-20 times per day, I post to this micro-blogging site in 140 characters or less.

    #6 Be my friend on Facebook. You won’t find me on Myspace anymore. I haven’t deleted my account, but I never ever go there. You will find me a lot on Facebook. Me likey Facebook.

    #7 Of course you can get to know Kristen too. It’s like getting to know our family 360 degrees. Kristen blogs a lot about family life, recipes, contests, and kids books.

    #8 Check out some of our new projects. Kristen and I have started some projects under the umbrella of McLane Creative. Our first project is a collaborative site giving real-world reviews of things to do in San Diego, called Beyond the Zoo.

    #9 Meet me in person. I know, that’s not a Web 2.0 way to get to know me. (What is wrong with me?) But it’s completely practical. If you’re ever in the San Diego area I’d love to get together for a cup of coffee and meet face-to-face. Drop me an email.

  • All about The Price is Right

    Here’s a random list of things I learned about my trip to The Price is Right.

    #1 It’s so clear that I’ve found a new tribe of people in the San Diego Tweet-up. Had a lot of fun and useful conversations who think about things I think about.

    #2 If you ever go to be a contestant, try to get a group. With a group of 15 or more you get guaranteed seating. That really means you don’t have to arrive around 5:00 AM to get into the taping at 12:30 PM. Instead you just all have to be there and check-in by 9. (8:30 would be better) Also, one person from your group is guaranteed to get called to “come on down!” If you’re in SoCal and want to get a group together please let me know. I definitely want to go again.

    #3 Getting qualified to be on the show is super simple. You just have to bring a picture ID, not work for Viacom, and be willing to show proof of your SSN if you win.

    #4 There will be lots of lines. There is a line-up to get into the line. Then there is a line where you just wait to fill out paperwork and get your magic nametag. Then a line to get your picture taken. Then a line to do your 10 second interview with the producer. Then a line to go through security. Then a line to go into the studio. Then after the taping, a line to get your cell phone back.

    #5 Read the instructions on the website. Everything will happen exactly as they say. There will be no exceptions. And they are very strict on the rules, in general. Polite and nice but firm. Park where they want you to park. Wear what they tell you to wear. On and on… just follow the rules!

    #6 They say you have to be obnoxious to get called down. I just think you need to be yourself. If you’re excited, be excited. If you are faking it “over the top” you won’t get called. The most obnoxious people in our audience did not get called.

    #7 The woman next to me got called to “Come on Down!” That was a ton of fun… from the moment she heard her name called to the moment she bid on her showcase. In her interview she talked about doing fundraising for AIDS research, I wonder if that helped?

    #8 The studio isn’t that big. There are only a few hundred seats in the audience. The set is actually no where near as big as they make it seem on TV. It’s about the same size as a typical high school stage. Just with WAY more rigging in the ceiling and lots and lots of space behind and on the sides for moving stuff around.

    #9 The crew was amazing. I know they shoot this show twice a day and that they’ve done it for 30+ years. But the whole show was pretty much shot in “real time” and there was plenty of theatrical stuff going on. Such as, when they revealed the prizes, the audience had no idea what it would be. How they move a car into an a set completely silently is beyond me.

    #10 I grossly underestimated the showcase showdown. I think everyone did. There was a vacation in there that must have been 3x’s what everyone thought. Oops.

    #11 It’s loud during the taping! There is so much excitement and noise that it’s no wonder people make such bad bids. You can’t think straight and I’m pretty sure that is part of the psychological advantage.

    #12 Drew Carey is way cooler in person than I had thought he would be. He was a master of working the audience in a genuine and non-Hollywood kind of way. I didn’t hang around but the group we came with went out to eat. It turns out Drew was having lunch at the same spot. He came over and was very generous with his time. Rumor has it he was exceedingly generous with his tip as well! The only thing that really cracked me up was that he referred to himself as a celebrity. I am pretty sure no one has ever said that in front of me. “I’m a celebrity.” True statement, just funny to say. Made me wonder if he put that on his tax return.

    #13 I am only a little disappointed I didn’t get picked. I think I now know what I need to do for next time to get picked. But over all, it was a 9 out of 10 trip. Have I mentioned I want to do it again yet?

    #14 They shoot about 2 months in advance. So my show will air February 10th.

    #15 If you win, you fill out the paperwork on the spot. Like literally, you win, they go to commercial, and you start filling out paperwork as soon as they seat you.

    #16 CBS Pages are a unique breed of people. They wear these unsexy red jackets and walk you through the whole process of getting on the show. They are a lot like people who work at amusement parks. Permagrins, tired jokes, ugly outfits, and likely underpaid for what they do.

    #17 Drew Carey is up on his social media. Our group kind of hijacked the show with a twitter reference at the beginning. The contestant from our group, Peggy, who got on stage told him her shirt was her Twitter name. Then Drew explained what Twitter was to the camera. Then in the break he went on and on about Twitter. He asked Peggy what her favorite webapp was of the moment. (Addicto-o-matic… Not Twitter!) Then he mentioned it a few more times like “are you going to Tweet this?” Seriously, Peggy is going to have about 25,000 followers for being the first person to get Twitter mentioned on The Price is Right.

    #18 Not really a Price is Right comment. But this trip made me think it would be fun to go to LA for a week and just go to various TV show tapings. Did I mention the whole thing was free? Other than the cup of coffee and a snack I bought on the way home I didn’t spend a dime!

  • What a difference a letter makes

    One of the many funny things that happened in Nashville occurred Sunday night during our general session. As our bloggers are describing what our speaker, Danielle Strickland of the Salvation Army, is talking about I took it upon myself to head over to twitter to share a quick insight into what I was thinking.

    Danielle Strickland is taking us to the deep end of the poo tonight.

    Of course, I meant “pool” but the damage was done. It was one of those typos that you’re friends repeat often. I got “the poo” all cleaned up on twitter and the live blog, yet the joke wouldn’t die. Thankfully, everyone knew it was a typo so the poo never hit the fan… since we’re in the land of the pun.

    It just goes to show you. Every letter matters when communicating. You may be trying to take people to the deep end of the pool, but miss the “L” and they’ll head straight to 7th grade science class.

  • Is Twitter Killing Blogs?

    The youth ministry world has seen a decline in the quantity and quality of youth ministry blogs. I don’t have any research to back that statement up, but as a person who spends his life blogging the world of youth ministry I can say that I find it harder and harder to find great blog posts about youth ministry. The known bloggers have gotten better, and there are plenty of youth groups who have a blog as their groups website. But by and large I find it harder and harder to find the middle of the road youth worker who is just blogging about day-to-day challenges.

    The flip side is that I see a huge increase in the number of Facebook users and Twitter users in the youth ministry world.

    – Does this represent a change from the personal website to mass microblogging?

    – Is it that blogging, as a fad, is fading?

    – Is it that I’m just stuck up and I don’t see some new bloggers out there who are doing a great job?

    – Or has Twitter provided a more immediate outlet for youth workers to connect? Is it just faster and easier?

    p.s. If you’re not already a friend of mine on Facebook or following me on Twitter consider yourselves invited.

  • John Stewart & Stephen Colbert Speak My Language