I have really been enjoying myself since becoming a “free agent” a few months ago. My topic today has to do with how I’ve created a personal subnet, interconnecting communities of interest to me, using really simple and mostly free tools.
This post is originating from Flickr. I’ll explain that later — but I write that up front so that you can understand this post will be edited in a couple of sittings… so keep your eyes pealed for additions in coming, well, minutes.
I’ve switched over to WordPress now, where the blog is hosted. I did a “blog this” from Flickr to get the ball rolling.
So let’s talk about the SWIRL. Since leaving gainful employment as CMO / Marketing VP, I’ve been getting my hands dirty with the tools of today’s worldwide web. I fiddled with Typepad, which still hosts my photo blog. I joined the Flickr community, as I had recently picked up the camera again and gotten to work taking photos. I started posting here more frequently, and back in March spent a few days putting together an e-book which hundreds of folks have now downloaded (I know them ain’t big numbers — David Scott has that game figured out for sure!).
I’m also on FaceBook, Twitter, and YouTube. Oh and Plaxo but my guess is that will fall by the wayside soon.
So what’s this SWIRL deal and why should you care?
When I started spending more time with these online tools, I was obsessed with having boundaries around my multiple personalities. I wanted the blog to be all business all the time. I didn’t think the Flickr community needed to know much about my professional life. Facebook was a little less clear… and perhaps what drove my decision to abandon this “many walled cities” approach.
Now I cultivate links across these online communities and tools intentionally, and the effect has been incredible. I use images from Flickr, when they are appropriate, front and center on the Elastic Brands blog. There is a link right back to Flickr up there, as you may have already noticed. I issue a tweet when I’ve published my “PAD4T” — Photo A Day For Today. I “tweet” when I post on the blog. I post my Flickr photos on my PhoBlo, synopshots.com, where I expand on the techniques a bit, and where I post hundreds of other photos which I don’t believe “fit” within my Flickr presence. I often take photos while on business trips, if I blog on that topic I put a link in the description on Flickr.
In other words, I am actively encouraging interconnectedness among domains which I have no reason to believe share much common interest.
But it works. And it works big time. Through Facebook, a former colleague started to notice my photos, and wanted some advice about getting started as she was raising young children and wanted pointers and tips. Later, she found the link for my e-book, Marketing Unbound, which she read with interest. Another colleague (mutual to us) was about to start as CEO at a new company, and was looking for seasoned advice as he ramped up. Bingo. From the photos, to an e-book, to a strategic advisory engagement in just a couple of days.
And of course the metrics on every property are growing — but that I attribute to simple, common sense SEO and good hard work, but I’ll take that too.
Comments on this entry are closed.