Sandy Wilson, Public Relations, Media Relations, Communications in Jacksonville, Florida

One of the best things about having my own business is having the luxury to choose where I spend my time.

Since April 2009, I've had a lot of fun partnering with the Jacksonville Public Library in providing several art exhibitions with themes that highlight our beautiful St. Johns River. The Library is a downtown gem and Alisha has been fabulous!

Our next exhibition is the River Response 2 art exhibition at the JPL Main Branch on 303 N. Laura Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32202.

Stop by during the opening on February 3 during the Downtown ArtWalk from 5-8. This exhibiton features some of the most talented artists in our region:
Joanelle Mulrain, Allison Watson, Meredith Fordham, Mary St. Germain, Sydney McKenna, Jo Sinclair, Tim Hamilton, Brian Edmond

See you there!

I've noticed a trend on Twitter lately where folks post an article link that supposedly drives readers to an article but the link actually drives readers through a Facebook page that only displays the article "teaser"and where the reader finally accesses a link to the article in question.

I'm tired just writing that. What in the world are you thinking? Are you actually trying to use Facebook as an aggregator?

If you want to drive folks to your Facebook page, then DRIVE FOLKS TO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE and let folks know that you're driving them there.  Most folks use FB to drive folks to their content pages not the other way around. Which social media genius sold you this bill of goods?

It's extremely annoying to land on a basically useless page to finally access an article that may have been interesting. It's a virtual bait and switch and is not good for your business because regular old folks like me eventually quit clicking on your links.  More important, folks like me quit trusting you.

I'm not a ranter, but consider this a rant.

I remember when the New York Times tried to charge for access to online content several years ago.

Well, that failed.  Like most, I wouldn't pay for online content back then, but the times are a changin'.

For a while now, the news industry has been trying to figure out how to survive.  As actual newsPAPERS disappear and the reality that businesses won't pay big bucks for online ads, it makes sense that media outlets should charge for quality content generated by paid professional journalists.

I'll (re)consider paying for online content that offers true value - fair, objective relevent articles written by smart journalists who present information that benefits the general public and has links to additional resources.

The New York Times is (once again) setting a precedent for the news industry and it will be interesting to see how they determine what online content will be paid and what will be free. In a world where everyone is an expert at some/thing and search engine rankings determine what's read, quality content with a solid SEO infrastructure becomes the key that opens the $ door.

So, the questions of the "Times" are:
~ Where do you go for your online news? Which media outlets do you trust?
~ Which media outlets provide content that is so valuable that you wouldn't mind paying a subscription fee?
~ Which media outlets understand that it might be smarter to charge small subscription rates to gain larger audiences rather than lose them upfront?

I stumbled on this very cool Elon University website:  Imagining the Internet: A History and Forecast this past weekend.

"The Imagining the Internet Center's mission is to explore and provide insights into emerging network innovations, global development, dynamics, diffusion and governance. Its research holds a mirror to humanity's use of communications technologies, informs policy development, exposes potential futures and provides a historic record. It works to illuminate issues in order to serve the greater good, making its work public, free and open."

I especially enjoyed reading the 2008 Survey.  Air-typing, ever evolving mobile platforms, and virtual integrity and forgiveness?  (Read the survey.) We still have a lot of work to do to produce the 2008 Survey's anticipated results by 2020.

Communications professionals have been circling around virtual conversations for over a decade and three elements remain constant:  To communicate successfully online requires independent thinking, thoughtful action and the ability to write well.

On Twitter, I observe a ton of folks who seem to automatically Re-tweet posts and suspect they don't investigate the linked content contained therein.  Readers often click through those links to a sales/marketing landing page with an introduction to the article and another link that directs the reader to the actual article or web page.

I'm still forming my opinion of "content aggregators" and will Re-tweet posts from a variety of news sites because they offer free valuable resources for readers. That said, several "content aggregator" sites seem to be managed by folks whose main focus is to filter  readers through a website designed to sell something/anything and I do have an issue with *that* as my time - like yours, no doubt - is precious.  I often wonder how others feel about being manipulated in this way?

I guess this leads us back to Elon University's prediction of  virtual  integrity and forgiveness : )

We're back from our travels and happy to report good green planning all along our ho-ho-holiday way.

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in beautiful Callaway Gardens and loved their natural decorations @ the Lodge and Spa.  Located on top of Pine Mountain, Georgia, Callaway Gardens is committed to eco-friendly living, environmental education and renewable energy year-round!

As we passed through nearby Atlanta on our way to Nashville, we learned that Atlanta  has also established forward thinking green initiatives.  In 2003, the city of Atlanta passed an ordinance requiring all city funded development to be LEED certified. That's thoughtful planning for the future. 

As we headed into good old country musical Nashville, we noticed a spectacularly clean downtown area and we were so pleased to discover a concerted city-wide effort to establish Nashville as a leader in green initiatives and livability.

We're back in Jacksonville now.  We're taking down the Christmas decor, and gearing up for Tree Hill Nature Center's Bring One For the Chipper event on January 9, 2010.  Bring your UNDECORATED  Christmas tree to Tree Hill on January 9 and take aromatic mulch home. Great way for the family to recycle.  (NOTE: Tree Hill is a client and the event is FREE.) 

I avoid paper.  Usually, at this time of year, I send an html greeting to my friends. 

Yesterday, however, I stumbled on these cool eco-friendly holiday cards soooo, last night, for the first time in years, I pulled out my snail mail address book and began some furious addressing.

o<|| : o} > Santa is real darn happy.

We switched to LED lights for our holiday tree last year.

Real or fake tree? We go real to support the local economy.

This year, we're recycling our year-round grapevine wreath and are using solar powered spotlights.  We also bought live plants from a local garden center that we'll replant after the holidays.  We're "wrapping" gifts with reusable shopping bags from PUBLIX.

We're going green gradually - eco baby steps are better than none, right?

More ways your family can go green/er this season:
Holiday Decorations for Green Geeks

Earth 911 Holiday Gift Guide

Wrap Art - how cool is this?

Today, I learned that another "Social Media Expert" held a workshop recently in Jacksonville, Florida where this expert advised her paying attendees to Twitter/Tweet at least three times a day if they want to be successful.

One young paying attendee of this "Social Media Expert's" workshop now sincerely believes that a company 's Twitter/micro-blog strategy MUST include three posts per day for that particular communications channel to be successful for that particular company. Simplistic Social Media Workshop take-away? Sure, but that's me, speaking for me, that's my opinion - for me and for my clients.

How do I put a positive spin on my reaction to this "expert's" workshop dictum of three posts per day for Twitter success? Ummm... I can't.

Social Media Rules" are evolving even as I type this little blog post and I'm sincerely appalled by these "Social Media Experts" who scare people into following whatever THEIR particular "Social Media Rules" happen to be at that particular moment. (I've posted about this subject and, undoubtedly, will post about this subject in the future.)

There's this "thing" called critical thinking, people. 

According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia built by real time, real live contributors, critical thinking is " the purposeful and reflective judgement about what to believe or what to do in response to observations, experience, verbal or written expressions, or arguments."

As you investigate Social Media channels to support your company's communication strategy, ask yourself: What works for you?  What works for your company?

In my experience, it's a huge mistake to ask yourself: What was I advised to do by that regional academic workshop expert?

 It's your choice, right?

I love Jacksonville.com - the Times-Union online paper.

They added me to their Twitter Business List.

What's not to love? 

OK, everyone knows I don't do paper business cards, right?

I've tried a few digi-card options but haven't been especially happy with the results. 

Well, I stumbled on a new digital business card "Dub Me Now" in my ongoing quest for cool online gadgets.  I love it!

Check it out - it's the best digital business card (on my horizon, anyway) & the locate button is way too easy.  When two people have downloaded the (free) DUB software on their PDAs, they can press the locate button, and both will be prompted to download each others contact information.  

If you live in another state from the person you'd like to add to your contact list, just add their email address or their cell phone number. The contact information can be downloaded in your Outlook as a V-card, as well.  

In addition, DUB's contact information stays current with automatic updates for all contacts who have downloaded the software.  Did I mention that this service is free? Did I mention that I love it?

If I know you IRL, shoot me your cell # or email if you want to see it in action.