Look Before You Leap
Web Strategy by Jeremiah
The correct way to conduct PR outreach to bloggers (or if you even should at all) continues to be a hot topic in the PR blogosphere, and Jeremiah Owyang offers some simple, common-sense tips to anyone looking to get into the game. Aiming his post towards entrepreneurs and startup companies (from whom he’s been receiving a number of pitches lately), Jeremiah boils down the keys to pitching bloggers as simply taking the time to listen, target an audience, and engaging in dialogue. “It still amazes me that even after books like Naked Conversations and Cluetrain have come out that people haven’t figured out how to join the conversation. Sure, a very overused term the ‘conversation’ still is about dialog between two or more individuals. Want to prove your worth as a vendor or consultant? Leave savvy comments on blogs (joining existing conversations) that add to what’s already been said, and start a blog (lead your own conversation).”

Does Anyone Really Care About Privacy?
The Buzz Bin
It was a pleasure to meet Geoff Livingston in person this morning at the fourth Social Media Breakfast; he gave a great talk about the differences between audiences and communities, and a keen participant asked about whether social media enthusiasts can honestly expect privacy. Geoff directed us to this post, regarding the recent Pew study that shows Americans aren’t as vigilant about keeping tabs on their online privacy as one might think. The study reveals that while 47 percent of Americans are checking on their online footprints, they aren’t doing so with nearly enough regularity. “Technology marketers must be thrilled about this now proven lack of concern on privacy.  This eases the adoption of data intense applications like location based services, new semantic web technologies as well as initiatives like open identity. They keys to success for companies using identity data is to clearly communicate information usage, garner permission, and follow through on their commitments.”

Stealth Social Network
Chris Brogan
I officially admit that I’ve been linking to Chris Brogan too much lately, but his “100 Posts” series has been yielding such great fruit I’ve been unable to help myself. Perhaps I will place an official Brogan embargo on the rest of this week—right after today’s Jots. Today he points out the clever nature of what appears to be a new social networking platform from Google. They’ve been slowly adding features to their various popular applications, all of which just might add up to a social network you’re already automatically using, and some potential competition for the closed garden of Facebook. “When Facebook started to make a difference over 2007, and people started hiding inside the very closed walls, Google came up with this, a way to do a lot of the same social features without making us dig up our Orkut account IDs.  In fact, think about it, your social network is your contact list. No invitations necessary. That’s the coup de grace. You’re already bought in, at least insofar as Google can help you convert your friends to your new social network: your inbox.”