I’m not even going to try and play this cool. About an hour ago, FlackRabbit was added to the PR page of Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop.com. OMG, I KNOW!

If you’re unfamiliar with Alltop, it is a content aggregation site that describes itself as an “online magazine rack” of the Web. You can view featured blogs by topics like babies, LinkedIn, recycling and social media. Or view every topic alphabetically on one page. Besides being a freakin’ big deal for me personally, this is also a great opportunity for FlackRabbit guest bloggers. Alltop gets a boat-load of relevant traffic; it will be great exposure. Read More…

Blogging might not be your day job, but your posts are reaching folks from 9 – 5 and beyond. Traffic is picking up, referral links are rolling in. Heck, folks are actually using your contact form. Looks like you’re gonna need a blog content disclaimer.

A good disclaimer doesn’t require a lawyer, you simply need to post some thoughtful language that conveys your blog’s purpose, content ownership and what you intend to do with the information you’re collecting on your readers. Blog Herald provides some great samples here.

For about two years now, I’ve had in my footer a disclaimer that reads:  This is the personal blog of Margie Maddux Newman. The opinions, random thoughts, industry rants and emotions expressed here belong to her alone and are not those of her employer, husband, family or tea-cup poodle.

Today, with FlackRabbit’s rising traffic, the addition of guest bloggers, and due to the fact that more of you are using the contact form, this site now has a full legal page. On that page, you’ll find: Read More…

After my most recent nagging about how you should be blogging, a few folks have asked what platform I recommend.

For those of you wanting to start a blog quickly, cheaply and on completely on your own, hop over to Wordpress.com or Blogger. Sign up, find an available name, choose a theme and get crankin’. I think Wordpress.com is better, but there are many who would disagree. They would be wrong. You’ll then have something like www.blogname.wordpress.com or www.blogname.blogspot.com, which is what I use for my Picalicious blog.

If you have a domain name (FlackRabbit.com, etc.) and want it turned into a blog, I recommend self hosted Wordpress. I’ve used self hosted Wordpress since 2006. FlackRabbit has known three different looks during this time. The most recent was unveiled a few weeks ago when hubby installed a new theme for me. Read More…

I’d like to offer up FlackRabbit as platform for those of you without blogs to publish your public relations and communications expertise. You’re incredibly smart and I’d love to see your thoughts in pixels; why not do it here?

I often harp on PR folks for not blogging. It’s hard for me to understand why one would not want the writing practice and a published account of their knowledge.

It’s a lot of work though. A blog is like a dog. If you don’t feed, water and bathe it, and take it for frequent walks, it will die. Some folks would rather not bother with the maintenance; maybe you’re more of a cat person. In any case, I urge you to seek out the opportunity to pen a guest post for a relevant industry blog–be it on FlackRabbit or somewhere else. You’ll get all the benefits of a published piece, without the actual blogging part.

How do you get started? Think of it as a pitch for a client. Read More…

Sneak peek of the new Brazen Careerist!

I’ve shared with you my excitement about the online GenY community, Brazen Careerist, before. Well, in a few hours, they’ll launch a new site in just about every way: new look, new vision, new reason for you to care – and maybe – for me to move on.

Since I read mostly PR, writing and geek blogs, I dig Brazen because it allows me to follow posts about journeys I don’t usually read about, like paying your dues in the workplace, searching for ultimate purpose, frustration with non-techy boomers, whether or not to get your masters degree, etc.

Even though I’m on the almost-too-old-to-really-be-Gen-Y side of the Brazen Careerist spectrum, I still routinely get a lot out of the site – including meeting new folks (Hi, Nisha!), learning new things, and a steady amount of blog traffic.

The “old” site was billed as a true online community, with contributors “bold enough to explore divisive topics, but sensible enough to admit that they don???t have all the answers.”

The new site is touted as “the career management tool for next-generation professionals.” It’s intended to showcase you – twenty-something newbie – and your vast potential. It understands that lack of experience doesn’t mean not smart or capable. It gets you. It gets what you will be.

I LOVE that new vision, that business niche. I love the fact that Brazen will now be a place where smart and proactive grads will gather to take over the world.

There’s just one problem: I guess that kinda means I’m out.

I turn 30 in three weeks. With eight years of public relations and reputation management experience, I’m no longer your gal if you are targeting our future workforce. I may be young, but I am currently a professional. I love my career and can articulate my desired path. I wear a suit every day and have Manager in my title. Worse, heart excel sheets and regularly lead task forces.

Maybe it’s time for me to find the online community for the “not-quite-running-the-world-but-nearly-there professionals”? Did I just describe Twitter?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m thrilled for Brazen – and Penelope and the Ryans. If you liked the “old” Brazen, you’ll love the new site. I’ll still surf it and (hopefully) contribute.

Their strategic move to target and empower the next gen of pros is spot on; sadly, it’s just no longer the spot I’m in.

It’s not that I agree with everything Devin Coldewey says today in his TechCrunch post; but I gotta say, it’s so nice to (for once) read a smart and different (and negative) take on Twitter.

A highlight of his rather long, thoughtful thesis: “…if someone is so regularly finding content of merit, why don???t they have a blog where the content can be given context, discussion, and perhaps a preview so people aren???t going in blind? I like reading interesting blogs. I don???t want to receive links every time someone find something they think everyone should see. Twitter just adds another layer to the equation ??? and I don???t like layers.”

READ IT HERE. It’s good stuff. Of course, any blog post with a good Hammer pants reference gets an A in my book.

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I fully realize that when you read that headline you IMMEDIATELY thought, “Oh sure, Margie, I’ll get right on that blog thing in my spare time.” Here’s the deal – I’m not telling you to start blogging because I think you are bored. I’m suggesting it because of its social, emotional and educational value. Plus, blogging is a skill you can add to your resume. Bonus!

Before you roll your eyes and mutter about what a nerd I am (A.T.) just read my argument. THEN you are free to roll your eyes:

Chic Geek | BLOG IT TO ME (March 2009)

If you are a woman with an opinion … about anything … I’d like to challenge you to start a blog. I’m serious. Read More…

Back in the day, I used to judge one’s geek savvy on her ability to capture a relevant image from the web and insert it into a blog post.  “Dang, that’s cool. How the heck do you just grab a screen shot of anything you want like that?” I always assumed these pixel posting peeps were using PhotoShop or some other photo editing tool. I mean, I always knew how to grab a screen shot, but how to cut one part out of that image was a foreign concept. And there were many, many times I just wanted to show people one specific thing – not the WHOLE thing.

Then, about four months ago, I discovered Apple Shift 4. My life will never be the same. Truly. I’m like a blogging rockstar now. And when I say “I discovered” it, I mean Dave told me to try it one day with an accompanying look that said, “Apple Shift 4 – duh.”

To be clear, I was like the last Mac user on Earth who didn’t know about this magic potion for image saving. If you Google “Apple Shift 4″ you’ll find 515,000 results. But I also know that many of you folks are Mac newbies and might not be married to a geek; therefore, you may not have been told about this yet.

So here’s how you use Apple Shift 4 on your Mac laptop and instantly add 50 Geek Points to your resume:

1. Find something on the internet you want to save as a jpeg
2. Press Apple (see above), Shift and the number 4
3. You’ll notice a little cross hair icon pop up
4. Hold down the mouse button with one hand and size the parameters with the other
   
5. When you have “drawn” your image area, release the mouse button
   
6. If your volume is turned up you’ll hear a camera shutter sound (cute! I know!)
7. That image is now saved to your desktop and is ready for your use!
   

Here’s a sample of one I just snagged from the Her Nashville masthead:

It’s totally empowering, right?! Now, go forth and capture!

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1. Why don???t people pick up after their dog???s poop? It’s not hard. You can even re-purpose your Kroger bags by doing it. So it’s good for the environment-ish. Whatever. If you don’t pick up your dog’s poop you are a crappy neighbor.

2. Why do morons egg people???s cars? See here. If I find out who you are I’m pressing charges, frat-tastic drunk dude. Just say’n.

3. Why do parents leave their babies in the car ???for a couple of minutes??? and why are they surprised when they come back four hours later and the police want to arrest them and their neighbors want to stone them? It’s not okay people. Not for 5 minutes, nor 30 minutes and CERTAINLY not while you make a little mall run.

4. Why does my dog Georgia think my husband Dave is a dog? So in love, those two.

5. What kind of PR person says out loud, in front of her client, ???Well, all media hates good news. They only want BAD news and you don???t have that???? This is really a topic worthy of it’s own blog post, but let me just say that if you are in public relations and you truly believe ALL MEDIA HATES good news you should find another day job. Just my two cents there.

6. Why do I  let others bad moods and outbursts get to me and completely ruin my day? I’ve really got to buck up and block it out. (sigh). Maybe I’ll add that to my New Year’s resolution list.

7. Why do I tilt my head to the right when I type? This one is just weird. I’m left-handed, so why do I always tilt my head to the right when I type. Maybe he’s correct!

Oh, how I long to attend BlogHer next year!

Why? Here’s why:

1. From everything I’ve read, BlogHer really is the best of both worlds: It’s fun and social (lotta parties) and offers up a great deal of tangible info about blog writing, marketing, upkeep and – more importantly – identity. That’s not only good for me and FlackRabbit here, it’s also great for my clients. I really do want to be knowledgeable about the blogosphere, not simply be obsessed with it.

2. I heart blogs.

3. I have ovaries.

4. I am still not completely over the fact that the Nashville BlogHer stop was canceled this year. I was so looking forward to dipping my toe in the local lady-blogger pool.

5. I’m obsessed with Dooce and would love nothing more than to keep watch in the hotel lobby in hopes of catching a glimpse of Heather walking by so I could Twitter my elation along with a picture of her from a distance and giggle uncontrollably for the next three hours.

Here’s a little more info from their announcement post:

Yes, BlogHer ‘09 will be at the The Chicago Sheraton and Towers from July 23-25, 2009. We will kick off on Thursday July 23rd with our 3rd annual BlogHer Business Conference, and will continue with the two-day 5th annual BlogHer Annual Conference on Friday and Saturday, July 24-25.

Are you going to BlogHer ‘09?