Branding Your Microblogging

Join me on Twitter and Facebook

Here’s the reality—over this last year Twitter has taken social media marketing to a new level by making virtual conversations between people all over the world cool. Ever since the invention of the World Wide Web, people have been able to communicate with people in different rooms, different cities, and different countries. Twitter took that to the next level by making it as seamless for me to hold a virtual conversation with someone in Bangladesh as in Los Angeles. Well, that is assuming that person in LA doesn’t actually think the Raiders will win another game against the Chargers anytime soon.

Okay, back on topic. Recently, I discovered an open source online community software that allows webmasters to either upload this really cool microblogging platform onto their websites or sign up for a free hosted account. All for the price of spreading the word via other microblogging sites (i.e. Twitter) and blogs (i.e. this one) StatusNet gives you everything you need to create an online community for your business or maybe just for you and your friends.

So, let’s look at some of what StatusNet. On the home page, there are two large buttons right in the middle of the screen: “Download StatusNet now” and “Sign up for a hosted account.” Again . . . both . . . way free! (Raising hand) ‘Virtual Five.’ There are a couple of downsides to signing up for a free hosted account. If you sign up for a hosted account, you will have to answer a really tough Catcha question like, ‘4+0=__.’ That way StatusNet knows your somehow smarter than Googlebot, or at least that you’re not Googlebot. The other is that StatusNet is currently working on this feature, so they’re not yet ready for their site to become an online community manager for your company. If you want to know more about their downloaded vs. hosted versions, check them out here.

For those webmasters who want to help speed things along, at the top of their Website, you can click the Opensource tab and get involved by going to their HowToHelp Wiki page, DevNotes Wiki page, StatusNet-Dev info page, or joining their IRC channel (Check out Freenode). Inside of that section, you will find a link to Opensource Add-ons (or you can just click on my link). There are also web-apps (check out Ubiquity, FireStatus, and Twidroid), scripts, desktop applications, and even mobile applications. There is also a section for other cool stuff like BeTwittered Identica, LaConica Card, and Twidge. There’s a plethora of other cool features on their developer’s section, but I’m going to let you do the rest of the research on your own.

For those companies who want to create an online community via microblogging that will enhance consumer brand awarenes, and customer loyalty, StatusNet is a great site. You can also build an online private community by incorporating StatusNet into your company’s intranet, so your employees can interact with each other. Employees can create groups, share files, and check out popular topic within your company’s virtual conversation(s). You can also use it much like Twitter by engaging the world in your conversation. This includes a Social Network Interface that will allow you to update other social networking accounts via StatusNet. There are also mobile and desktop access, plug-ins, and a customizable interface.

Okay, I could talk about this all day, but that’s not going to happen. Check out StatusNet, ReTweet me, link to my blog, and link to my site (let me know, and I’ll reTweet you or link to you). Oh, and if you need assistance with your blogging, microblogging, social media marketing, or Web content needs, check out my services.

Stay Social (For now, that catch phrase works),

Erick