Category — Lists

Recently, I visited an office and was asked for some thoughts on MediaWiki’s value as a tool for collaborative editing. Surprised by the question, because I had been thinking about it recently, I probed a little bit more to discover his project’s requirements.

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Wikipedia propelled the term “wiki” into the public consciousness, however, wiki is internet slang for software that allows for online collaborative editing. Whether or not you know it, you’ve used MediaWiki every day (I’d be shocked if you didn’t). MediaWiki is the software originally developed to power Wikipedia, but has since been released as free, open source software for anyone to use and customize. The major drawback for “the rest of us” is that we don’t often have access to our own server to self-host, or we don’t have the patience to learn how to implement the software. If PHP, CSS, MySQL, and FTP intimidate or bore you, then self-hosting a wiki is probably not your best option.

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So let’s assume you’re like this person who’s working on an extensive project (multi-faceted document, a virtual binder, whatever), that needs to be kept secret, but multiple people need to be editing it. And, you don’t have the capacity to deploy your own MediaWiki (despite how familiar it is, it probably is overkill, too).

• What kinds of hosted Wiki software are available?
• What are their benefits and drawbacks to this project?
• How much do they really cost?

1. Writeboard

• Benefits: Simple. Password protected access. Easy to invite other participants. If project requirements grow, can integrate with other 37 Signals apps (like Basecamp, Highrise, or Backpack)
• Drawbacks: Not thoroughly exhaustive enough for enterprise deployments. Limiting formatting options, and you can’t upload or manage documents. Can’t self-host/integrate with an intranet.
• True Cost: 100% Free. 100% Hosted.

2. Google Sites

• Benefits: Gives users the ability to make password-protected/invite-only sites that are completely customizable with a suite of Google widgets. When you need to do more than just edit a document, and create a hosted company “intranet” or handbook, this is for you.
• Drawbacks: Editing Google Sites is a bit cumbersome, and allows you to edit probably more than you should. Almost like a glorified homepage editor (e.g. the late GeoCities).
• True Cost: 100% Free. 100% Hosted.

3. PBworks

• Benefits: Full suite of options. Different editions for different needs (legal edition gets you an audit trail). Very professional. Most of the pay-to-play options are things that make sense for enterprises but maybe not individuals or small organizations.
• Drawbacks: It’s difficult to find which edition works for you, and hard to find the “free” version. Once you do, you realize that all the features you might need or were counting on, like access control, cost you something. Basic users will have their wikis visible to the world, if that’s what they want.
• True Cost: “Basic” edition is free (and is very basic). The version comparable to Google Sites or some of the features on Writeboard costs you $96/user (and it isn’t clear if this is per month or year).

4. Etherpad

• Benefits: Good for the basic user, who just wants to create a no-frills reference document. Interface is clean and easy to understand. Like the upcoming Google Wave, all updates to the document are shown in real-time. Pretty slick if you and your team are working on a deadline, and don’t want to step on each other’s toes.
• Drawbacks: Only gives you basic email formatting (bold, italic, lists, colors, and sizes). Again, access control costs you something, so all your free wikis are naked.
• True Cost: $8/user per month (after 3 users). The free version only gives you a randomized URL to control access, providing the opportunity for anyone to edit.

5. WikiSpaces

• Benefits: A ton of features. Embeddable widgets like Google Calendars, file management (up to 2 GB), page histories, and email or RSS notifications make this a pretty full featured application.
• Drawbacks: Security and wiki customization, however, come at a price ($5/user per month or $50/year). Cheaper than most, this still makes it difficult to do your work in private, or without the distraction of banner/text ads.
• True Cost: $50/year sans eavesdroppers. Free if you don’t mind banner ads and visitors.

What am I missing? What do you use?

I’m not going to start this post by indicating how Twitter is the new __, or espousing its wonders. Even in Twitter’s unattractiveness, I have to acknowledge its relevance from my background in community health and social marketing: it allows you to meet your audience (or target population) where they are.

By virtue of its large audience, celebrity pull, and public “timelines”, Twitter has become an incredible asset to veteran brands and fledgling start-ups. One key feature of Twitter is its built-in compatibility with SMS text messaging. For a very low cost (free), you can issue mass texts to your constituents, members, and future members.

The steps to get there are relatively few, and quick. In short order, you’ll be on your way to becoming a Twitter pro.

Step 0 – Get Real

The most important step in getting started, is getting real and asking the tough questions:

• What does my organization gain from establishing a Twitter presence?
• Who is my existing audience? Who is the new audience that I hope to reach?
• What information do I hope to disseminate? How often will I tweet?

Step 1 – Pick a name

Twitter limits your username to 20 characters (letters and numbers). This is so that the username and tweet can fit into a single SMS message. Once you decide your “call-sign” or screenname, you’re ready to sign up.

This was a difficult step for my organization, because our full name runs long, and we weren’t quite sure how we wanted to shorten our name without misrepresenting who we are; Commonwealth North then became cwnorth.

Step 2 – Follow your organization’s contacts

Export your email addresses into a comma-delimited file, or manually copy-and-paste each one into the field. If that person’s email address is already on file, they’ll be added to who you’re following. If they’re not on Twitter, they will also receive an invitation to join.

Step 3 – Tweet

You already made a plan of what content you plan on tweeting. The beauty of Twitter is its brevity and immediacy. Limit your posts to single ideas that can be said in 140 characters or less. Initially this seems restrictive, though, eventually it will feel daunting

And now for something completely different:

More resources:

• YouTube: Celebrity Twitter overkill – Supernews!
• Marketing Vox – The Twuth About Twitter: Its Impact on Businesses and Communications
• ObjectiveMarketer – On Twitter: Experiment with a Strategy

Two weeks ago, I helped coordinate the Alaska eHealth Workshop: a discussion on the need for, and concerns regarding Alaska’s implementation of an eHealth system. Some of the other facilitators thought it would be an interesting exercise to find out what social media each of the 13 participants were using.

In this post, I look at what and how well social media is being used in Alaska, and how it could be improved. For your consideration, and improvement, I present the top six Alaskan uses of social media. For each technology, I’ve described an anonymous, composite “worst” scenario, and showcased one or two best cases that you can check out today.

1. Email
   • Worst case: You’re at a networking event and you gave someone your business card, they added you to their email blast list. Your requests to opt-out haven’t been taken into consideration. You get blasted more than once a day, with badly formatted emails that make it difficult to find relevant content, or act on the content. Think fax spam.
     • Are you acting like the networking leech?
     • Have you been subject to email blasts like this?
     • What could you do to improve your email newsletters?
   • Best of:
   • Spenard Roadhouse (via Snow City Cafe): I get their emails about once a month, or every time they start running a new special. Albeit, since the Roadhouse is a new joint-venture from Snow City and Sack’s, the first email I got from the roadhouse was through Snow City, and it felt like they had poached my email. But I had an opt-out option, their emails weren’t too long, and they didn’t clog my inbox.
2. Facebook
   • Worst case scenario: It can go one of two ways. You become an organization’s fan: they smother you with attention, or don’t post anything, ever. When you’re smothered, you get 2-5 updates a day from the group, in addition to status updates, and invitations to events in Anchorage when you live in Fairbanks. When you’re ignored, no pictures are posted, a smattering of events go up, and all the links shared are strictly self-promotional. Dull.
     • How can your organization find the happy medium?
     • What would it take to build the momentum that your “fan base” wants?
   • Best case:
     • Anchorage Won’t Discriminate. Any local organization should be so lucky as to grow and earn over 2,000 fans in the first two months of creating a new profile. AWD has also maintained their growth momentum the right way. They respect the spirit and transparency of the web, and only use the profile to communicate items of value to their constituency. Frequent (but not overly so) updates that include events, pictures, videos, links, and clippings from local media on their campaign give supporters what they want and need to stay connected to this cause.
3. Twitter
   • Worst case scenario (in 140 characters or less): Posting too frequently or too much. Followers have 120 other tweets competing for their attention. Respect the noise.
   • Best case:
     • Anchorage Daily News. The ADN knows how to make their content viral, and give readers multiple avenues to get the content that they want. If you like a specific columnist, perhaps Julia O’Malley, you have the option to follow her feeds, get advance notification of her new content. You can get breaking local news updates, especially important when a student pilot is having issues with landing gear. Furthermore, the ADN tweeple understand that social media are value-added conversations, engaging readers in polls, and re-tweeting highlights from their readers (Twitter’s ultimate form of flattery).

       Check them out:

     • @adndotcom – ADN Breaking News
     • @adn_jomalley – Julia O’Malley
     • @ADNVillage – Kyle Hopkins
     • @playadn – Play Magazine
4. Blogs
   • Worst case scenario: Someone on your board said that you needed to have a blog. Everyone else who is important seems to have one: CEOs, the White House, and your grandmother. The problem is, you haven’t identified a strategy or set of topics that you want to address, let alone set aside the time each day to write a post. Blogging takes time, energy, and planning. Yes, anyone can do it, but do you really want to?
     • How is your organization leveraging this technology?
     • What kind of topics would you address?
     • Can you spend an hour a day to spend writing posts, managing comments, and planning the next day’s?
     • What resources do you have available? Would a volunteer blog be appropriate for your organization?
   • Best cases:
     • I had a hard time narrowing this down to one. I’ve been really impressed with how quickly the following blogs have built an online community in Alaska.
       • Social media expert Aliza Sherman’s Living in Tok, is a virtual hybrid of a small town newsletter, coffee shop bulletin board, and local newspaper. All published from Tok, the last bit of Alaskan civilization before the Yukon Territory.
       • While in Alaska is the online journal of two college students who decided to try an Alaskan adventure on for size. (Kind of like Christopher McCandless, except with wireless internet, and not on an abandoned bus).
       • The Mudflats has become the defacto online political gossip “watering hole” for Alaska. They dish dirt on elected officials, providing (partial) transcripts for (some) public events, and catalyzing local conversations. Each post nets over 100 comments. Wow!
5. MySpace
   • Worst case scenario: Your organization has done the bare minimum, and posted a link to its profile. Good first step, but you rarely post any events, you don’t really have a need to share music with your audience, an audience that doesn’t even use MySpace. Your profile looks empty, and you provide no value: it’s no wonder that Tom is your only friend.
   • Best case:
   • Chilkoot Charlies. When I use MySpace, it’s to check out an emerging artist’s songs, and upcoming events. Beyond that function, I don’t like using MySpace, thanks to the seizure-inducing, aesthetically disjointed tweenaged profiles that seem to be in excess.

     Koot’s takes advantage of MySpace at its best, providing a full event listing; just this week it has 11 events listed, not including next month’s. They have consistent branding and links between their multiple online profiles (web, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). Their blogs are kept active, and right above the blog is a link to buy presale tickets. No beating around the bush with what they want you to do. Directly under the blog is a VIP email list registration, giving you the opportunity to serve as an evangelist for their brand.

     While I don’t visit Koot’s, I can say from years of trudging through poorly implemented MySpace profiles, that this a venue that gets it.

6. LinkedIn
   • LinkedIn seems to me like Facebook meets Monster.com: you can upload and customize your résumé, while also networking. I’ll be honest. I haven’t used LinkedIn much beyond establishing my own profile. The group functions seem a bit restrictive at first, requiring me to wait for “manager” approval before I can see anything. It has some nifty app functionality, yet again, I haven’t used it much.
   • Do you use LinkedIn regularly?
   • What kind of apps do you use?
   • How have you made this useful in your workplace or for your organization?

What technologies do you use that aren’t listed? What are other good examples of Alaska putting the web to work? How can we use these to develop a fourth leg for the Alaskan economy: human capital?