Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Joe Manna My Perspective on Business, Social Media & Community ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://blog.joemanna.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Helpful Tools Entrepreneurs Need to Grow Their Businesses Faster](https://blog.joemanna.com/tools-for-entrepreneurs/) - A complete guide to the best tools for entrepreneurs to grow their side hustle into a successful small business. Expert-rated recommendations. - [How to Respond to Negative Reviews](https://blog.joemanna.com/handling-negative-reviews-techphx/) - Insights from Joe Manna on how to respond tactfully and strategically to critical negative reviews and critical statements found online. - [AOL Video Uploads Goes Dark (Shutdown)](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-video-uploads-goes-dark-shutdown/) - AOL's attempt to imitate the success of YouTube will be getting flushed down the Tubes in mid-December. AOL Video Uploads (previously known as "UnCut Video"). This is another online destination that AOL has successfully laid to rest. Although, I'll admit that the site itself had a shameful amount of page views. The AOL Video Uploads - [Pros and Cons of Using Unroll.me](https://blog.joemanna.com/pros-and-cons-of-using-unroll-me/) - For the past few months, I’ve been using Unroll.me, a new service that aims to reduce inbox clutter for Gmail and Google Apps users. Their biggest feature is the ability to unsubscribe from legitimate senders so they make one’s inbox a pleasant less stressful experience. Many people can identify with inbox overload. In fact, Gmail - [Email Marketing Essentials - PodCampAZ 2011](https://blog.joemanna.com/email-marketing-essentials-podcampaz-2011/) - I spoke at PodCampAZ (soon to be named TechPHX) about email marketing essentials. Realizing that most people who would likely attend would be entrepreneurs and small business owners, I explained practical examples and provided context to the state of email marketing given the current popularity of social media. Additionally, I provided helpful tips that people - [What I love about user conferences.](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-i-love-about-user-conferences/) - "User conferences." Blech! That’s such a corporate word. It belongs right up there with “synergy” and “efficiency.” But, what they should be called is something that accurately describes them and what I thoroughly enjoy about them. People meeting up with similar interests talking about topics they all more or less agree that they want and - [No Bullshit Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/no-bullshit-social-media/) - I recently received a copy of No Bullshit Social Media written by Jason Falls and Erik Deckers and I can say that it delivers what exactly what the title promises. It provocatively takes the assault on social media fluff and walks the reader through practical advice and backs it with numerous examples on how businesses - [Customer Service in 2011](https://blog.joemanna.com/customer-service-in-2011/) - In light of social media and consumers who are hyper-connected to their phones and email, why is good customer service so difficult to receive? There is absolutely no reason for it and I want to share a few thoughts I have on this topic. Consumers shouldn't be compelled to have to write letters to corporate. - [Customer Service Starts with Listening](https://blog.joemanna.com/customer-service-starts-with-listening/) - I see a lot of reports and discussion in the space of customer service, specifically how companies can improve their customer service. I want to show a very simple example of how simple it is to wow users in your business. Yesterday, I discovered a bug in Plancast. This service is something I’ve been using - [Conference Wifi Security Tips](https://blog.joemanna.com/conference-wifi-security-tips/) - If you're like me now, you discovered that the conference you're at right now has free wifi. Security over wireless internet is not only ideal, it's vital to protect your audience. I can't stress enough that security is an expectation that conference attendees need to expect. Pictured below is an example of 25 seconds of - [SEO Tips for Small Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/seo-tips-for-small-business/) - If you have a website, you will probably be interested in these tips that I wrote for Infusionsoft. It's considerably detailed and goes in depth with what really matters with search engine optimization and suggests best practices on what to do. 17 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Improve SEO Some might ask why the heck SEO - [Post-Event Burn (and Motivation)](https://blog.joemanna.com/post-event-burn-and-motivation/) - I love going to events. If not for the content, for the social interaction and hanging out with familiar and unfamiliar faces. But I have to confess something. Events are intense anytime when travel is involved. It doesn't bother me much before and during the event, but afterward I feel tired as hell and I - [Online Community Lessons for Small Business (Featured on the Helpstream Blog)](https://blog.joemanna.com/online-community-lessons-for-small-business-featured-on-the-helpstream-blog/) - I recently did an email interview with Helpstream, a provider of social CRM customer support, regarding a few lessons I've learned in the social media + small business + community space and I think it turned out pretty cool. The article is linked below. You can see my dry humor in it, too. Lessons from - [Social Media Influence](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-influence/) - There's been a bunch of talk about influence and how to measure it, what to do with it and how to work it within the space of social media, PR and marketing. For me, it's not that influence doesn't exist, I believe in some respects it does -- however -- I think taking business or - [Is Ubuntu Linux ready for small businesses?](https://blog.joemanna.com/ubuntu-linux-small-business-smb/) - Is Ubuntu Linux ideal for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)? Get the inside scoop on how it can help you save time and money. - [Simplicity over complexity](https://blog.joemanna.com/simplicity-over-complexity/) - Often, when I hear entrepreneurs speak about their products, they relish in the fact that it's complex, or in the very least, proprietary. Unless you want to achieve a record-breaking Weissman Score for file compression, complexity isn't sexy. Not to customers, not to investors, and not to the market. I think about the smartphones we - [How could Sony earn $180M from their $42M loss in 'The Interview'?](https://blog.joemanna.com/sony-earn-180m-42m-loss-interview/) - I originally published this post on Medium. I thought you might enjoy it. Sony Could Test Pay What You Want (PWYW) Pricing with ‘The Interview’ Undoubtedly, you probably have heard that North Korean hackers have compromised the network security of Sony in an effort to censor the release of the film “The Interview.” Sony appears - [Autonomous vehicles could solve a big problem: drunk driving](https://blog.joemanna.com/autonomous-vehicles-solve-big-problem-drunk-driving/) - Traditionally, St. Patrick’s Day in America is about wearing the color green and celebrating the Irish culture. But of course it doesn’t end there. Many people view St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to drink a lot more than normal, and sadly, many of these people get behind the wheel. The result? Preventable deaths, injuries, - [Here's how I approach WordPress troubleshooting](https://blog.joemanna.com/advice-troubleshoot-wordpress/) - In my earlier post, I shared why it’s important to be naturally curious when facing any problem you experience -- from cars to WordPress. WordPress is just like any mechanical system – it has a series of sub-systems that can be independently tested and fixed. For some people, using WordPress is difficult. When I speak to - [Two Verified Ways to Earn (Small) Amounts of Passive Income](https://blog.joemanna.com/verified-ways-earn-cash-online/) - For the past few months, I've used two online reward programs to generate modest amounts of passive income. I'll be honest, I know the phrase "passive income" has a negative connotation, but I'll show proof below that it actually works. It's based on the industry funded by advertising and affiliate traffic. Outlined below are a couple of companies that offer revenue-producing benefits - [Lessons Learned from AOL & Facebook on Unbundling](https://blog.joemanna.com/unbundling-aol-facebook/) - In 2001, we had email, chat, web browsing, instant messages and news bundled into one service. It was better known as America Online. With 35 million subscribers in October 2001, the online access empire faced the beginning of its end with customers rapidly churning out. While there are many reasons for the company’s decline, such - [Airplane Wi-Fi: Here's Why I Don't Use It](https://blog.joemanna.com/dont-use-airplane-wifi-security/) - ... Unless I use a VPN. I was recently on a wifi-enabled Southwest Airlines plane and before I was about to use it, I figured I'd look at how secure it actually was. To my disappointment, it was very easy to monitor the wireless traffic and would be effortless to compromise any number of the - [7 Automotive Performance Mods that Actually Work](https://blog.joemanna.com/7-automotive-performance-mods-actually-work/) - Ever since I got my own set of wheels at the age of 16, I’ve always been obsessed with vehicle performance. It probably stems from my days of overclocking my computers – always in search of the best tweak, enhancement or other improvement that would improve my overall computing experience. Over the years, I’ve used - [How to Maintain Your Vehicle to Survive the Arizona Summer](https://blog.joemanna.com/survive-arizona-summer-vehicle-care/) - You're preparing to go on a road-trip to San Diego or Las Vegas from Phoenix, you get moving along the highway, then between Yuma and Calexico, you blow a tire. Your vacation becomes a disaster very quickly. With proper maintenance and care for your vehicle, you can improve the performance and reliability of your car - [What Every Driver Needs to Know about Progressive Snapshot](https://blog.joemanna.com/progressive-snapshot-review/) - My personal review of the Progressive Snapshot. What you don't know about the Snapshot may cost you. Details, data and charts included! - [11 Years of WordPress](https://blog.joemanna.com/eleven-years-wordpress/) - On May 27, 2003, WordPress was born. Since 2003, it has become the most popular content management system on the Web today. While I just wrote about securing your WordPress site, I wanted to take a moment to share what WordPress means to me and why I support the project. Wikipedia has a great overview - [Buying Fans and Followers: Faking It Doesn't Make It](https://blog.joemanna.com/buying-fans-followers-faking-doesnt-make/) - It may be tempting to buy fans and followers, but just don't do it. - [Beginner's Guide to Securing Your WordPress Website](https://blog.joemanna.com/guide-wordpress-security-tips/) - An A-to-Z guide to understanding and improving the security for your WordPress site. Contains advice on how not to get hacked and how to prevent attacks. - [Behind the Wheel of a Toyota Prius](https://blog.joemanna.com/behind-the-wheel-of-a-toyota-prius/) - A few weeks ago, I was able to spend about 900 miles behind the wheel of a third-generation Toyota Prius. To be honest, I always thought the Hybrid car was equipped with an underpowered engine that would automatically default the car to right-lane driving experiences. After 900 miles on highways, city and extreme desert climates, - [Politics, Browsers & Love](https://blog.joemanna.com/politics-browsers-love/) - This week, the online dating site OkCupid presented a message for visitors accessing their site from Mozilla Firefox. The message was criticizing the views of the newly-appointed CEO for holding anti-gay views and contributing to causes promoting California's infamous Proposition 8. Brenden Eich is known for creating Javascript, a scripting language used on nearly every - [Social Business Explained: Giving Up Control](https://blog.joemanna.com/giving-up-control-social-business/) - I don't like to see myself as a megalomaniac, but when it comes to community building, I have been one. It's not for selfish reasons. Often, when building communities, you need to act as the judge, jury and executioner. Social media programs don't differ too much from communities because they both involve rallying people around - [A Story: Facing Challenges with Optimism](https://blog.joemanna.com/a-story-facing-challenges-with-optimism/) - A few weeks ago, I took a vacation without a plan. Much of my life is planned, executed and analyzed. Going into something without a plan was indeed a vacation by itself. I took a week away from work, entrusted a co-worker with listening and caring for our users in addition to her current role - [Content isn't free, but neither is exposure.](https://blog.joemanna.com/content-isnt-free-but-neither-is-exposure/) - There’s an interesting legal battle going on between a Huffington Post independent contributor Jonathan Tasini and AOL. I have an insightful perspective on this, but I don’t think either party is totally right. In this case, AOL isn't doing anything sinister; both parties present some valid moral, ethical and legal arguments. More importantly, this presents - [Thoughts on the Proposed 'Do Not Track' Legislation](https://blog.joemanna.com/thoughts-on-the-proposed-do-not-track-legislation/) - I’ve been reading a lot about the so-called “Do Not Track” initiative the FTC is undertaking in an effort to combat aggressive targeted advertising on people. Coming from the stance of consumer advocacy, I think this is a small win for consumers, but a major loss to publishers and advertising networks. I wanted to share - [Facebook Foreclosure - What Will You Do?](https://blog.joemanna.com/facebook-foreclosure-what-will-you-do/) - Many brands love their Facebook Page, their fans, their promos, their tabs and let’s not forget, all the comments, Likes and all that fun. But what happens when Facebook forecloses on those Internet properties? You realize they’re not yours to begin with, right? They’re Facebook’s. Facebook doesn’t owe you any notice before they change the - [Winning Social Media (and how we're all losers)](https://blog.joemanna.com/winning-social-media-and-how-were-all-losers/) - I couldn't think of a better title for what I want to share, but hold on, I'll explain it clearly. Social Media is often viewed as a race to a finish line. That finish line being one with a million followers, one with a billion re-tweets and one that necessitates being mentioned by a blogger, - [The Great American Lie: Photo Radar](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-great-american-lie-photo-radar/) - Photo radar, we all know it; we all despise it. I believe Arizona's current implementation of it underscores how easy it is to setup an entire business predicated on a lie. All it takes is the ability to wrap yourself around an issue that people care about (dying while driving), a source of credibility (law - [My Thoughts on the iPad](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-thoughts-on-the-ipad/) - Like many folks, the iPad intrigued me because it was the next-gen, latest and greatest from Apple. I didn't purchase it for a number of reasons, but I have many thoughts on it that worth considering if you're curious about the iPad. Steve Jobs positioned the iPad to compete against industry-accepted Netbooks. I find this - [@Twitter: Old Advertising Models Don't Work](https://blog.joemanna.com/twitter-old-advertising-models-dont-work/) - Everyone seems to be on a kick to write open letters lately, so here's mine to Twitter. Tonight, it was announced that Twitter will deploy an impression-based service for advertisers to promote (advertise) their messages to users service-wide and likely throughout their content network of partner sites. This change has ignited a flurry of feedback - [Twitter Security - It's Everyone's Responsibility](https://blog.joemanna.com/twitter-security-its-everyones-responsibility/) - As one who manages several Twitter accounts, both for personal and professional, there are several key security precautions you must be cognizant of when using the popular social networking service. Phishing and spam are alive and well on Twitter, and it isn't stopping anytime soon. One recent example of why security is everyone's responsibility, is - [Verizon: Marketing & Brand Advocacy](https://blog.joemanna.com/verizon-marketing-brand-advocacy/) - When companies advertise, they typically do it for one reason: encouraging people to use their brand. The ambiguous, 'use' could be in the form of buying something, talking about them or typically think of them in a different light. Most often, these ads are simply platforms where companies encourage customers to buy. We're becoming accustomed - [Tips on Handling Online Stalking & Harassment](https://blog.joemanna.com/tips-on-handling-online-stalking-harassment/) - It's been a little over a year since I left AOL. but the harassment and abuse that occurs there hasn't. Recently, a friend of a friend contacted me to report they she had been the subject of another person's harassment, intimidation and stalking. In this piece, I intend to share my advice on how to - [Staying Secure on Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/staying-secure-on-social-media/) - Lately, phishers and scammers and spammers have been at it again -- luring unsuspecting users to divulge their credentials on popular social networks and (for some) installing malicious software on their computer. So far, I haven't really seen any identity theft of the offline variety with it, but nothing precludes unscrupulous souls from accessing your - [Why Do You Receive Pill Offers in E-Mail? ('Cause you buy them)](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-do-you-receive-pill-offers-in-e-mail-cause-you-buy-them/) - Almost all e-mail users at unwillingly receive e-mails that offer discounted pharmaceuticals, such as Viagra, Cialis and even Oxycontin. During this discourse of e-mail, people often are quick to delete or use their Report Spam e-mail client feature. But many wonder why they receive it? Let's find out. ZDNet performed a decent investigation and has - [How to Backup and Save AOL Pictures](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-backup-and-save-aol-pictures/) - As you may know, AOL Pictures is shutting down. This product had a previous name, "You've Got Pictures (YGP)"; many users probably have photo albums stored there that they possibly paid for through Walgreen's partnerships in the past. More likely, users have important, rare pictures that they don't have saved on other devices. In a - [What Causes Half of Social Media Campaigns to Fail?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-causes-half-of-social-media-campaigns-to-fail/) - A lack of a genuine and authentic interest in facilitating relationships between users on the Web is the most frequent cause for social media campaigns to fail in business. It's not only money and greed, it's also the practice of using social media to silence the angry mob which more often than not, calculates to - [Startup Fuel](https://blog.joemanna.com/startup-fuel/) - As I'm working on a startup (it's under wraps, for now), I often need fuel to push me to burn the midnight oil. I term the phrase "Startup Fuel" to describe the food, drink or motive that pushes one to defy entrepreneurial limits. I'd like to know what fuel makes you fire on all cylinders - [My Thoughts on the Upcoming Google Browser (Google Chrome)](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-thoughts-on-the-upcoming-google-browser-google-chrome/) - Over the Labor Day weekend, Google fed the tech blogosphere a chewy piece of news -- the equivalent to peanut butter -- the Web couldn't stop chattering about it. They're planning on a new project aimed at the Web browser market. I might as well share my feedback on it since I was asked by - [Spammer Gets 2.5 Years for Spamming AOL](https://blog.joemanna.com/spammer-gets-25-years-for-spamming-aol/) - Spamming doesn't pay -- especially if you're Adam Vitale, 27 from New York, was sentenced after his guilty plea for spamming more than 1.3 million AOL users. His partner in crime, Todd Moeller, assisted him by obfuscating sources of the junk mail, making it nearly untraceable, known as 'spoofing.' Just because it's possible to spam - [Service is the New Product](https://blog.joemanna.com/service-is-the-new-product/) - Lately, I've noticed a trend in how products are marketed to consumers, most notably, service. No longer is it just a product's features which make it sell; it's the service that goes along with it. Let's take a look at a couple examples of this "new" product. MUSIC For many years, music was a product - [Small Business Blogging: Blog Software that Fits](https://blog.joemanna.com/small-business-blogging-blog-software-that-fits/) - Last week, I asked a question on LinkedIn to small businesses that blog regarding their choice in blogging platforms and their reasons why they chose them. I'll share a number of the insightful reasons small business owners have shared regarding their choice in a blogging platform. In the interest of full disclosure, here was the - [Introduction to Social Engineering Call Centers](https://blog.joemanna.com/introduction-to-social-engineering-call-centers/) - Social Engineering is a real problem that plagues call centers everywhere. When almost every company that handles customer's data consider off-shoring/outsourcing, it should be poignant to understand the mechanics around how customer data can be manipulated. In this entry, I will describe how a number of social engineering attacks can be applied against call centers. - [MySpace Suicide (Megan Meier); Interesting Legal Challenges](https://blog.joemanna.com/myspace-suicide-megan-meier-interesting-legal-challenges/) - The 49 year old woman, Lori Drew, who engaged in destructive discussions with 13 year old Megan Meier; will be charged under federal law for her acts that lead to the suicide of Megan. However, this incident does pose some interesting legal challenges. Personally, I believe Lori Drew should be charged for manslaughter and placed - [Consumer Advocacy: MySpace AMBER Alerts](https://blog.joemanna.com/consumer-advocacy-myspace-amber-alerts/) - I logged into my MySpace account and discovered an AMBER Alert located at the top, center of the dashboard. While it appears they deployed this system earlier this year, I'm glad to see it in action. I'm also pleased to see safety leveraging social media, instead of criticizing it. MySpace's Amber Alert Notice AMBER Alerts - [Dash: Where the Rubber Meets the Road for GPS and the Web](https://blog.joemanna.com/dash-where-the-rubber-meets-the-road-for-gps-and-the-web/) - From the "WTF-am-I-Dept," Dash is a new GPS unit which offers wireless connectivity (and cellular for a nominal monthly fee) to obtain traffic notices and obtain gas prices among other capabilities all in one. This is another fine example of the power of a mashup of existing technology. One of the barriers that blocked me - [Top 11 Botnets Could Send 9 Billion E-Mail Spams](https://blog.joemanna.com/top-11-botnets-could-send-9-billion-e-mail-spams/) - PCW is running an interesting article about the several botnets out there, which control more than a million machines; which could result in more than nine billion pieces of spam to be slung into our Inboxes. It's safe to say that a majority of all the junk mail (spam) we receive is because of a - [13 Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage](https://blog.joemanna.com/13-ways-to-improve-your-gas-mileage/) - In light a fragile economy, I'd like to talk about 13 tactics you can employ to save hundreds at the pump, without buying a Prius. We know gasoline prices have risen to economy-shattering levels, so what can you do about it? Fight it -- use less, spend less and enjoy life more. Inflate Your Tires - [April Fools': YouTube Rick Rolled Everyone](https://blog.joemanna.com/april-fools-youtube-rick-rolled-everyone/) - Today, YouTube Rick Rolled thousands (possibly millions) of users who clicked on their featured video listings. All the videos pointed to a Rick Astley video (hence the term, Rick Rolling). I love it. For those who don't know, Rick Rolling is the term used when someone makes a link like, "Free Porn," on a discussion - [Comcast Partners with BitTorrent Inc., Lifting Throttles](https://blog.joemanna.com/comcast-partners-with-bittorrent-inc-lifting-throttles/) - Comcast, a national broadband provider, was repeatedly criticized for slowing down BitTorrent traffic by means of packet shaping. Recently, they agreed to lift throttles placed on all users who download Torrents and only limit access to users who consume the most bandwidth. This is not just a step for downloaders, but a step to defend - [Google's April Fool's Prank, Not Funny](https://blog.joemanna.com/googles-april-fools-prank-not-funny/) - Today, I checked my GMail this morning and they tried to make a joke about a new feature detailing the ability of permitting you to falsify the delivery time of e-mail that you send. (Like making it appear that e-mail can be delivered earlier than you sent it -- defying time.) Google historically has been - [Free Alternatives to AOL](https://blog.joemanna.com/free-alternatives-to-aol/) - I'm often asked if there are other online services to use besides AOL, but still have the same ease of use. To help summarize my response, I've put together a small list of alternative services which are free that are similar or better than the AOL equivalent. AOL Service Alternative Services Instant Messaging Yahoo Messenger, - [Some Thoughts on Community Moderation](https://blog.joemanna.com/some-thoughts-on-community-moderation/) - It's probably a good time that I share my thoughts on the tireless debate surrounding online community moderation of user contributed content -- what works, what doesn't and what the future holds for moderation of the Web. Moderation has a variety of different interpretations ranging from total review of user-contributed content like postings, uploads and - [Coincidence?](https://blog.joemanna.com/coincidence/) - I checked my mail and what do I see? PC Magazine with one of the features, "Say Goodbye to AOL." Before I dropped this 'zine in the trash, I decided to give it a skim to see what they are buzzing about. Needless to say my subscription is free, so frankly I don't pay much - [10 Win-Wins for Social Media Adoption In Your Organization](https://blog.joemanna.com/10-win-wins-for-social-media-adoption-in-your-organization/) - I enjoy the discussion about social media, so you'd expect I was exhilarated when I read Ten Common Objections to Social Media Adoption and How You Can Respond. It inspired me to share my insight as to how social media could benefit an organization, whether it's large or small. Social Media is used to describe - [What Apple Does Right (and Wrong)](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-apple-does-right-and-wrong/) - Many innovators could tell you about the challenges Apple faced some time ago and how they overcame them to be one of the best-known computer manufacturers. Just as important as the strength of a company, are their weaknesses that people tend to forget. What they do right: Apple is customer focused. A majority of their - [What is Security? A Chapter from Live Free or Die Hard...](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-is-security-a-chapter-from-live-free-or-die-hard/) - Alright, so probably not the best inspiration for this entry, but nonetheless it struck a chord with me when I went to see Live Free or Die Hard -- Security. That is, how does one define security? Simply put, security is not just the best encryption or the latest and greatest technology, it's a behavior, - [Why Every Blogger, Journalist & Writer Should Use a VPN](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-should-use-a-vpn/) - A simple and informative overview on why professionals should be using a VPN to protect your data. - [Marketing of Security Threats](https://blog.joemanna.com/marketing-security-threats/) - It's not everyday that security threats make it into headline news and stirs people into a panic. I'm talking about Heartbleed, which pretty much is behind us, but based on the headlines and the coverage, you'd think that somehow everyone's social security numbers and credit reports were just sitting prey. I can't help, but remark - [The Importance of Troubleshooting](https://blog.joemanna.com/importance-troubleshooting/) - Everyone should know the importance of troubleshooting so they can be more confident solving complex problems -- and save money. - [A millennial's guide to buying a home](https://blog.joemanna.com/millennials-guide-to-buying-your-first-home/) - My experience in purchasing my first home and helpful tips on buying your first home. From one millennial to another, you can do it. - [Hack your way to a better credit score](https://blog.joemanna.com/hack-better-credit-scores/) - Could you benefit from an extra 120 points or more for your credit score? I'll explain how you can hack your credit score so life costs your less. - [LifeLock CEO Gets ID Compromised](https://blog.joemanna.com/lifelock-ceo-gets-id-compromised/) - The CEO of LifeLock, company that swears they can prevent (or at least respond) to identity theft for consumers, had his identity stolen. If you recall, this is the same company that drove around in a large truck with Todd Davis' social security number on it. Todd Davis, flaunting his social security card on his - [More thoughts on Progressive Snapshot](https://blog.joemanna.com/progressive-snapshot-thoughts/) - Since I published my review about the Progressive Snapshot nearly four years ago, it has helped more than 340,000 people learn about my experience with the Snapshot. Here are my updated thoughts on the Progressive Snapshot and other UBI devices. - [The future of cars and driving](https://blog.joemanna.com/future-of-cars/) - Cars provide us freedom and liberty. At least they used to. The modern car has improved our lives substantially since they were first introduced in the late 1800s. Considering automobiles substantially upgraded our mobility from a 15-mile range to easily 400 today. The popularity of cars surged as they delivered an immediate benefit for an - [How to not get duped by fake news](https://blog.joemanna.com/fake-news-social-media/) - America, we have a problem. Too many of us read and share fake news without any regard for the consequences of sharing erroneous content. - [Class Action Rebate Settlements](https://blog.joemanna.com/follow-class-action-settlements/) - You might have seen those official notices informing you that you could be party to a class-action settlement with a company. There’s a nifty website that will help you keep up on these notices so you can receive proceeds to these settlements. I was honestly amazed by the number of these multi-million dollar settlements that - [Getting a Website Built: Marketing, Demand Generation & Sales](https://blog.joemanna.com/getting-website-built-marketing-demand-generation-sales/) - This post is in response to my friend and software engineer Shawn Christopher, who authored a blog post titled, So, you want a website (Part: 1). Basically, we go into the various stages of creating, building and launching a new website. So, you want to build a website. You have selected your hosting, settled on - [Plugin Review: iThemes Security to Improve WordPress Security](https://blog.joemanna.com/plugin-review-ithemes-security/) - Discover why iThemes Security is a recommended plugin for most WordPress users and how to configure it. - [A Guy's Perspective on Online Dating](https://blog.joemanna.com/guys-perspective-online-dating/) - I'm not the typical "guy" who posts shirtless pictures of himself on dating sites or sends unsolicited pictures of his genitals to random women. But I am a guy who is fond of online dating sites, so I have a few tips that might help you when using them. Perhaps my perspective here might help you - [On Blogging Daily](https://blog.joemanna.com/blogging-daily/) - I’ve discovered that, for me, it's unsustainable to blog daily for personal reasons. It’s not that I don’t want to write, but my standard of quality isn’t scalable with a daily cadence with higher priorities in my life. ... And that’s okay. There’s a pressure bloggers have to publish content so frequently to keep up - [Improve Email Deliverability with SPF](https://blog.joemanna.com/improve-email-deliverability-spf/) - An introductory guide explaining how and why you should set up SPF on your domain. - [Annoying email habits to avoid](https://blog.joemanna.com/annoying-email-habits-avoid/) - I genuinely like email. I enjoy communicating with people over the web. Despite the formal nature of email communication, I am known to go a little over the top with my use of emoticons — just to make it personal and reinforce my intent in my words. ;) However, there are three annoyances I dislike about people’s - [Waze Benefits Drivers with Community Intelligence](https://blog.joemanna.com/waze-social-driving/) - A useful app I like to take with me on my commute is Waze. Even though Google acquired it for $966 million last year, the Israeli startup has been continually adding features and improvements to it and it has gained widespread adoption since its launch. Waze helps you become a more informed driver on your next - [In Defense of Facebook's News Feed Experiment on User's Emotions](https://blog.joemanna.com/facebook-emotional-news-feed-experiment/) - I’ve read a lot of articles this past week reacting to Facebook’s experiment with the News Feed by testing emotional content and displaying it to users to measure reactions. Unlike most people, I am not bothered by this experiment. I’ll explain why. The synopsis of this controversy is that Facebook collaborated with Princeton University to - [A Disturbing Email Marketing Trend: Sneaky Unsubscribe Tactics](https://blog.joemanna.com/email-marketing-unsubscribe-tactics/) - Are you using misleading tactics to keep people on your email list? Here's how to make the unsubscribe trustworthy for subscribers. - [Millennials](https://blog.joemanna.com/millennials/) - While I don’t exactly consider myself a millennial, I’m Generation-Y, I have given plenty of thought about the generation following mine. Millennials get a lot of grief, but I don’t necessarily hold a critical view on those who were born after 1995. I’ll share why. Say what you want – they’re entitled, narcissistic, immature and - [How to actually benefit from Twitter](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-benefit-twitter/) - When I joined Twitter in 2007, I didn’t know what I was getting into. Neither did a majority of Twitter users based on their first Tweet. Not too long ago, Twitter offered a nifty tool to read their first message posted on the popular social networking service. Over 41,000 Tweets later, I am still asked - [60 Days of Blogging](https://blog.joemanna.com/60-days-blogging/) - Join me on this journey of writing on my blog everyday for the next two months. Blogging is both a personal and professional achievement of mine. - [Net Neutrality, Explained.](https://blog.joemanna.com/net-neutrality-explained/) - John Oliver explains Net Neutrality perfectly in this and has a pretty compelling call to action. - [My Experience with CenturyLink](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-experience-with-centurylink/) - I’ve been a loyal customer of Cox Communications for many years. It very much was a rite of passage as I left my parent’s house to my first apartment. For about five years, I’ve enjoyed them for my internet needs. I decided it was time to look into CenturyLink after doing the math on my - [Privacy, Apps & Marketing](https://blog.joemanna.com/privacy-apps-marketing/) - I recently wrote a post criticizing a trend I'm seeing among various online services. Twitter isn't the only guilty party, but it's one that I think we recognize and hold to a higher standard. Not long ago, I began receiving emails from Twitter. I, like many users, do like reading respond to my Tweets, so - [The importance of writing and self-publishing](https://blog.joemanna.com/importance-writing-self-publishing/) - I've committed myself to writing one piece of valuable, informative content driven by my experiences in life and my career. I've come to realize that I have a lot to say and perhaps if it helps others, it's beneficial. I think writing, even if imperfect, is a healthy and powerful way to express myself. It - [Running a WordCamp](https://blog.joemanna.com/running-wordcamp/) - This past quarter or two, I've been rather quiet lately on my blog -- and for good reason. I decided to help co-organize WordCamp Phoenix. It was incredibly rewarding to give back my time and talent back to the WordPress community. But I'd be lying if I said it was a breeze. It takes a - [A new change.](https://blog.joemanna.com/new-change/) - I'm happy to announce that I will be shifting roles at Infusionsoft after six years. Sometimes change can be unsettling; other times it can be empowering. This is one of those times when it is empowering. After giving it much thought, I will be the Developer Partner Program Manager at Infusionsoft. I genuinely feel this is - [Two proven ways to create a bootable OS X Mavericks installer image](https://blog.joemanna.com/bootable-mavericks-installer-os-x/) - Two simple methods to create a bootable disk for OS X Mavericks. Useful for IT folks as well as power-users. - [25 Things About Me (Meme)](https://blog.joemanna.com/25-things-about-me-meme/) - I was tagged in my first meme on Facebook, where the goal is to share 25 things about yourself and tag other people of whom you want to know 25 things about. A meme is a viral activity on the Web, where people voluntarily provide their time to it, much like lolcats. You can add - [Do You Use Adblock Plus?](https://blog.joemanna.com/do-you-use-adblock-plus/) - Adblock Plus has received a lot of criticism lately from small Web site owners. The debate rages on. So I'm curious to see how many folks use the Adblock Plus addon for Firefox. {democracy:4} Share your thoughts in the comments about what you think about Adblock Plus! - [Capital One Exploded my APR by 255%!](https://blog.joemanna.com/capital-one-exploded-my-apr-by-255/) - I checked my postal mail yesterday only to find a letter from Capital One. I figured it could be a statement, a new offer or some kind of message promising me that everything will be okay encouraging me to charge more on my credit card in relation to the proposed economy stimulus package. What's in - [Facebook Spam: You've Got to Be Kidding, Right?](https://blog.joemanna.com/facebook-spam-youve-got-to-be-kidding-right/) - I have a new friend -- or do I? After I logged into Facebook, I was presented with a rather nice looking female who found me and wants to be friends. Oh, joy! "O RLY?" "Jennifer Weissman", as she's named, is located in Florida, works for Countrywide Home Loans (with a corresponding affiliate hyperlink), and - [AOL Users: How to Backup AOL Journals to Your Computer](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-users-how-to-backup-aol-journals-to-your-computer/) - It's been a couple days since AOL users were notified about the fact AOL Journals is shutting down. In an effort to help those who need it, I've put together a guide on how to backup all your AOL journals content (blog entries, images, etc.) locally to your computer for later access. Until AOL provides - [AOL Users: Migrate Your Journal to Blogger](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-users-migrate-your-journal-to-blogger/) - Probably the best news yet for AOL Journals users -- you can now migrate your AOL Journal to Google's Blogger easily. AOL did make good on their promise to provide an easy way for users to export their blog contents to a third-party. If you haven't heard, AOL will be shutting down their AOL Journals - [AOL Ditches Free McAfee Security Suite](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-ditches-free-mcafee-security-suite/) - Times have changed at AOL, especially when it comes to providing complimentary security software to their users. Whether it's a identity or branding crisis; it's clear AOL no longer intends to uphold their image of the safest and securest online destination on the Web. It surely can't be the cost of the McAfee co-branded affinity - [My Take on Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale, AZ](https://blog.joemanna.com/amys-baking-company-in-scottsdale-az-social-media/) - This is not a Facebook crisis. It's a business owner crisis. We have a charming restaurant owner in the Phoenix area, Scottsdale, who has issues with being abrasive and insulting with customers. Chef Gordon Ramsay from Kitchen Nightmares had objectively captured and amplified the criticism. So much so, that he could not in good faith - [Integration of Social Media in Marketing](https://blog.joemanna.com/integration-of-social-media-in-marketing/) - It occurs to me that many organizations are still not clear on social media and marketing. It's disappointing because what could be achieved by functioning as a finely-tuned internal combustion engine, is instead misfiring, knocking and pinging their way to the destination. I'm talking about when social media remains this "thing" where it is used - [Social Business Explained: The Big Picture](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-big-picture-social-business-explained/) - As a community manager, it's important you maintain a big picture of how social business will help your company succeed. It's more than social media. It's up to you to create the big opportunities for the organization and help to facilitate its success. Becoming at social business -among many things- means to utilize external data - [WordPress Gave Me a Voice](https://blog.joemanna.com/wordpress-ten-years/) - Here we are, ten years after WordPress was founded. When WordPress was created, there wasn't many other blogging solutions, let alone any easy-to-use content management systems. Many blogging solutions were significantly under-powered and restrictive. Other content management systems were overkill for the average person or was extremely technical. WordPress succeeded because of its flexibility, performance - [What Qualities to Look for in a WordPress Host?](https://blog.joemanna.com/wordpress-hosting-recommendations/) - I'm sitting in the back of the room at the Arizona WordPress Group, which is a free interest and support group in Phoenix to share insights and tips on using WordPress. Well, instead of being the peanut gallery, I'll share my recommendations on the qualities to look for when selecting a web host for supporting - [Social Business Explained Series Recap](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-business-explained-series-recap/) - This past month, I completed my series on social business. It was an exercise of discipline to stay focused on one topic and go deep on it. My role at my employer has changed so it allowed me to step outside of it and think deeply about what worked and what didn't. I felt a great need - [Social Business Explained: The Setup](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-business-explained-the-setup/) - When I think of today's community managers and social media professionals entering the workforce, I've noticed a significant gap between their talents and what's often needed by businesses. I'm not incriminating anyone here; in fact, I was guilty of this a few years ago when I jumped into social media management head first. In the - [Social Business Explained: 10 Lessons I Learned](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-business-explained-10-lessons-i-learned/) - I've learned a lot in the past nine years as a social media professional. For those who are venturing into this industry, it's not all flashy as it's made out to be. I love it because underdogs like myself make up this industry. Sooner or later, we'll have our day to shine. You need to - [Social Business Explained: Resources Help You Win](https://blog.joemanna.com/resources-help-you-win/) - I don't claim to have all the answers, and I'd by lying if I said I came up with all this on my own. I want to offer you some helpful resources to help you in your quest to transform your company into a social business. These are my sources of inspiration. Hopefully they become - [Social Business Explained: Getting Your Organization Social](https://blog.joemanna.com/getting-your-organization-social/) - I'm afraid this post may not help you because every organization has a different DNA and a different way they get work done. I can however give you my suggestions on how to make a fictional business shift to become more social-savvy from the inside out. I'm not talking about social media. The shift towards social - [Social Business Explained: The Next Phase of Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-next-phase-of-social-media/) - It is my belief that social media will shift towards a larger aim of helping businesses think, communicate and execute on their key objectives better. Maybe it's me, but it seems the social media gold rush is coming to an end and business owners are asking about the ROI and real-world benefit of social media - [Social Business Explained: Examples of Social Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/examples-of-social-business/) - When it comes to social business, many practitioners look for case studies and examples that they can learn and adapt from. I don't feel this is necessary to see success in developing and executing on social business initiatives. Nevertheless, they are helpful for helping you see how other organizations have benefited from unconventional, newer ways - [Social Business Explained: Social Media & Social Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-business-explained-social-media/) - When executing a social business initiative, measurement is key to it succeeding. Matt Ridings from SideraWorks commented on my earlier post about communicating a social business initiative to decision-makers. He pointed out that I've used "social media" and "social business" too closely in context without separating the differences. He's right. This post is a part of - [Social Business Explained: Prepare for the Challenges You'll Face](https://blog.joemanna.com/prepare-for-the-challenges-social-business-explained/) - When you take your social business ideas to your company's leaders, be ready to tackle their resistance and doubt. Tenured business leaders are sometimes guilty of rejecting progressive ideas. It's for a good reason, though. They only want the best outcomes for the business and may have faced failure themselves many times before. As such, - [Social Business Explained: Get More Done by Saying No](https://blog.joemanna.com/get-more-done-by-saying-no-social-business-explained/) - Time management is difficult in any profession, but it becomes especially difficult for social media and community managers because they function primarily on external stimuli. I still struggle with time management today, but I recognize the source of it. We aim to please, rarely say no and keep people happy. Your effectiveness decreases dramatically when you say - [Social Business Explained: Establish Your Vision](https://blog.joemanna.com/establish-your-vision-social-business-explained/) - Most people will tell you that you need have a strategy in social media. I've probably said it before when I spoke on panels about it. I believe at some point, I've also suggested that having a big picture in mind is key to growing an effective, long-term social media program. A vision is not - [How to Crush Your Content Creation Hurdles and Create Remarkable Content Like a Boss](https://blog.joemanna.com/content-creation-tips-blogging/) - This weekend, I delivered a talk at WordCamp Phoenix on several ways today's bloggers can create compelling content. Now matter what you call it – blogs, stories, marketing, etc. --- it’s content and you really need to stand out if you want to achieve results. Regrettably, today's content tends to be a pretty low-priced commodity. Blog - [WordCamp Phoenix 2013: 99 Problems, But Content Ain't One (Updated)](https://blog.joemanna.com/wordcamp-phoenix-2013-99-problems-but-content-aint-one/) - I’ll speak about a much-needed topic that is especially important among small businesses, entrepreneurs and non-profits: content creation. In it, I’ll share helpful tips and suggestions for creating compelling content. You can catch my session in the “Jumpstart Track” on Saturday, January 19 at 2:10 PM. From my post on the WordCamp Phoenix site, you - [Instagram and the Importance of Communication](https://blog.joemanna.com/instagram-communication/) - Thoughts on Instagram's recent communication failure in changing their legal policies. - [6 Social Media Buzzwords and Phrases that Absolutely Need to Die](https://blog.joemanna.com/6-social-media-buzzwords-and-phrases-that-need-to-die/) - These commonly-used phrases and buzzwords should be abolished from a professional's vocabulary. Warning: This is a rant and you may be offended. If you're not offended, go ahead and give it a share. 1. “INFLUENCE” I’m absolutely sick and tired of everyone getting on their soapbox about how they cracked the nut on “social media - [Online Communities: Oh, How the Times Have Changed](https://blog.joemanna.com/online-communities-oh-how-the-times-have-changed/) - I’ve done a lot of thinking lately about the current state of online community and its shift from message boards to more mainstream forms of social media. Online community is not dead, but it has certainly evolved. I admit that I am a bit traditional with how I view online community. I grew up on - [Why Facebook Reach Doesn't Bother Me](https://blog.joemanna.com/facebook-page-reach-decreases-controversy/) - Read my thoughts on why a decreasing Facebook Page Reach doesn't really matter in the long run for Page owners ... Advice on how to salvage your News Feed ranking. - [Go Full Throttle with Email Marketing](https://blog.joemanna.com/techphx-go-full-throttle-with-email-marketing-slides/) - Presentation from Joe Manna on how to respond strategically use email marketing to generate qualified leads for small businesses including best practices. - [Hiring: Social Media Specialist at Infusionsoft](https://blog.joemanna.com/hiring-social-media-specialist-at-infusionsoft/) - Update: This position has been filled. Thank you, everyone, for your interest. Infusionsoft is awesome. The company is growing; our customers engagements are increasing; our opportunities are getting bigger. Most important, we are following through on our promise of helping small businesses succeed. We do this in a number of ways -- providing kick-ass - [Sponsored Posts Are Great for Listening](https://blog.joemanna.com/sponsored-posts-are-great-for-listening/) - Recently, I went to the 'dark side' [paid media] on Facebook to experiment with Sponsored Posts on our Facebook Page. I've tried previously a couple weeks before with a good level success advertising a series of local events. However, this time, I tried it simply to amplify a simple question asking the first thing that - [The Best Web Mail App You Haven't Used: AOL](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-web-mail-app-changes/) - Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are the big three email providers that you think of when it comes to web-based email. However, there’s a new kid on the block who 'aims' to flex their design muscles for a clean and refined web mail experience: AOL. In late July, AOL formally announced the new changes in their - [The Problem with Personalization in Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-problem-with-personalization-in-social-media/) - Nearly every online service aims to deliver content that we find enjoyable and relevant. These services have given us tools to filter more effectively and they have implemented numerous filters behind the scenes to keep content you like in your world. I’ve been thinking about this issue one night when I was checking Facebook and - [Virginia, Here I come!](https://blog.joemanna.com/virginia-here-i-come/) - Things are finally starting to roll with my transfer to Northern Virginia. My company is really good about trying to make things run as smooth as possible. I said my goodbyes to my supervisors and my co-workers at my building, and definitely excited to be moving forward with my career. Second, I am happy that - [The 10 Best (and 10 Worst) Companies for Customer Service](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-10-best-and-10-worst-companies-for-customer-service/) - Finally, companies could realize that their Customer Service centers reflect wholly on the company in question. Heck, I do my best not to shop at Best Buy, and I patronize excellent customer service. I think the main area that companies need to improve with is hiring dedicated, higher quality employees. Most customer service positions you - [The Real Deal on Customer Service Surveys](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-real-deal-on-customer-service-surveys/) - As being on the receiving end of these surveys, I am able to give some insight on what some companies are trying to accomplish with these. I strongly believe these surveys are ineffective unless companies really extrapolate them and actually change. First, why do you receive a survey? Well, to monitor the quality and satisfaction - [This Week ...](https://blog.joemanna.com/this-week/) - I will be answering questions based on my Search Engine referring queries. Get ready for some fun ;-) - [Holidays in New Jersey](https://blog.joemanna.com/holidays-in-new-jersey/) - I write this from the Hilton Honors free wireless access in my Sheraton hotel in Edison, NJ. I came up here on December 22nd and endured the exciting experience of the New Jersey Turnpike. I dislike how the state doesn't give you enough signage to alert you of your exit. If you take a wrong - [What is Up with Netscape?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-is-up-with-netscape/) - A while ago I mentioned I abandoned my activity from Netscape mainly due to my own burnout on it and the direction the site was taking. The demographics are of older folks who enjoy discussing politics. Looking at the page now, it is composed of 90% politics, and 9% Celebrities, and maybe .5% tech related. - [Weekly Round Up - Volume I](https://blog.joemanna.com/weekly-round-up-volume-i/) - I will try to work on doing a "Weekly Roundup" on my status with things. Work: Having a good time taking on tasks. Eager to seek out new challenges. I've become more accustomed to the environment. It's not as difficult as it was before and now I have set myself a goal: Try something new - [It's Only Getting Colder](https://blog.joemanna.com/its-only-getting-colder/) - I just saw this on my weather feed... - [Google Blogs About Controlling Search Engines](https://blog.joemanna.com/google-blogs-about-controlling-search-engines/) - Google helps webmasters everyday with their blog, I find their transparency for such a large search engine fascinating. One of their entries consists of tips on enabling webmasters to have greater control of their website listings with robots.txt. This may be SEO 101, however, it exemplifies the efforts that Google is focused on - quality - [3 day weekend](https://blog.joemanna.com/3-day-weekend-powered-by-rockstar-energy-drink/) - I gave myself a 3-day weekend. I wanted to get a few things accomplished like websites and stuff and advance phases on my tucsonLAN project. Well, I didn't. Though, I'm not disappointed, since I've been spending my spare time with Rachel. She's has leet written all over her, almost literally - she has a binary - [New car 2000 Dodge Neon](https://blog.joemanna.com/new-car-2000-dodge-neon/) - My car's transmission died. Its no longer operable. I was looking at cars at the auction, and we decided a Neon in it was good. A good deal too. I will rice it up a bit, but no decals. I use ebay to get some cheap car parts. I'll save some gas and have a - [7 Versions of Windows Vista](https://blog.joemanna.com/7-versions-of-windows-vista/) - (Source: Arstechnica) The editions are as follows: * Starter Edition * Home Basic Edition * Home Premium Edition * Professional Edition * Small Business Edition * Enterprise Edition * Ultimate Edition Last but not least, there's Ultimate Edition. Hey, I'm just glad that they didn't call it Extreme Edition. I'll leave it to Paul Thurrott, - [AMD Tops Intel in U.S. Retail Sales](https://blog.joemanna.com/amd-tops-intel-in-us-retail-sales/) - After facing what seemed an insurmountable decline in desktop PC sales during the first six months of 2005, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) captured a 52% share of the US retail desktop PC market in September, according to Current Analysis. AMD’s performance during the back-to-school shopping season topped chip giant Intel’s 46% share by six points, - [Data for 600,000 Time Warner employees MIA](https://blog.joemanna.com/data-for-600000-time-warner-employees-mia/) - Personal information for 600,000 current and former Time Warner employees has been lost, the company announced on Monday, potentially setting the stage for one of the largest cases yet of identity theft. - [Update on the Google Web Accelerator](https://blog.joemanna.com/update-on-the-google-web-accelerator/) - Google has stopped the distribution of their accelerator due to too many people got it. It is a beta product though and works fine. :) Google's own pagerank algorithm bit them in their ass, and the download is available here: http://webaccelerator.google.com/GoogleWebAcceleratorSetup.msi (its a 2nd result for the Google Search "Google Web Accelerator download". It has - [Star Wars Sickout](https://blog.joemanna.com/star-wars-sickout/) - (Source) "The New York Post reports that it will cost employers $628,880,000 in lost productivity on the first two days of Star Wars Episode III - Return of the Sith . How many of you are planning to skip at least part of your workday on the first two days?" What geeks. I mean its - [Apple Switching to Intel from PowerPC](https://blog.joemanna.com/apple-switching-to-intel-from-powerpc/) - Apple will be leaving the PowerPC Processor (Motorola+IBM) and moving to Intel (x86) architectures. This can mean more competition for Microsoft, and hopefully a price drop for their goods. However, both Microsoft and Apple rape their customers for their money so we'll see how this all works out. + Steve Jobs announced at the WWDC - [Free AIM Mail](https://blog.joemanna.com/free-aim-mail/) - Hey, I'm absolutely in love with AIM, and where the service is going. It has a nice email box, comparable to Google's Gmail. In my opinion, Hotmail, now officially in last place of email providers, its 250MB, way too many ads, and weak spam filters. Yahoo comes in 3rd, but its ads are overwhelming, Gmail - [Parallel Blog, "Happenings"](https://blog.joemanna.com/parallel-blog-happenings/) - Hey, I started a blog about AOL Technologies and stuff that people can use for free. I figured I'd share my thoughts on it, and it is now approved by my employer to discuss the already made products and stuff. (As in not breaking Non-Disclosure Agreements). I called it Happenings with AOL. Its available here - [Social Media Science](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-science/) - Is social media a science? Is there a scientifically sound way to approach social media? In some respects, maybe, but in many respects, no. What can we learn from the way we communicate virtually? One such example I point to is the “best time to tweet” in order to achieve maximum click-through rates. This isn’t - [Say Hello.](https://blog.joemanna.com/say-hello/) - Today, I was discussing using Twitter to fellow employees and I had an epiphany when I was explaining some of the practices our company uses when replying to people in social media. I've thought of a good litmus test to see if a brand truly cares about their online audience and I'll explain it below. - [Advertising as a Business Model](https://blog.joemanna.com/advertising-as-a-business-model/) - I can't refute Facebook's value as one of the largest media companies around. They did it. They created a product focused on the end user experience, built an ecosystem of developers and essentially changed the way advertisers market to consumers. However, with the upcoming IPO, I wonder what the future holds out for Facebook. Recently, - [Unplug.](https://blog.joemanna.com/unplug/) - With today's state of hyper-connectivity, the opportunities to truly unplug and disconnect from the online world becomes quite limited. As someone who is in the business of being connected at all times to multiple online audiences, I often appreciate my few moments of solitude. Yes, I could check into every local venue that I hit - [2011 Year in Review](https://blog.joemanna.com/2011-year-in-review/) - I know what you’re thinking, “Um, Joe, you know it’s May, right?” Yeah, I know. I’ve had a very busy 2011 and a rocking start to 2012, so that’s my excuse; guilty as charged. However, I want to share some highlights from last year and some thoughts so I can scratch the itch when it - [How to Create Engaging Content for Marketers (#WCPHX)](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-create-engaging-content-for-marketers-wcphx/) - A lot of businesses have room to improve when it comes to content on their blogs. I spoke at WordCamp Phoenix 2012 and shared a strategy on how to craft relevant and interesting content specifically designed to educate visitors and drive them to action. If you consider yourself a marketer of some kind, these tips - [What the Heck is There to Do in Fargo, ND?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-the-heck-is-there-to-do-in-fargo-nd/) - When I think of what to do in Fargo, I simply couldn’t tell you, except after today. Aside from having cheery and warm accents, I previously knew nothing about the city itself. Meet Brian Matson from Fargo who shared with me insights on what to do there in a short interview. If you’re heading towards - [3 Realities Businesses Must Fix First Before Getting Into Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/3-realities-businesses-must-fix-first-before-getting-into-social-media/) - We get it; businesses need to use social media, but what many brands overlook is all the overhead needed in establishing a rock-solid social media presence. It has nothing to do with the tools or the latest social network. It has to do with the underlying marketing, sales and customer service processes. I would have - [10 Ways to Provide Killer Social Customer Service](https://blog.joemanna.com/10-ways-to-provide-killer-social-customer-service/) - Isn’t customer service a social activity? Why hide it? Aside from sharing sensitive account information, brands should have nothing to hide. People already share their customer service experiences – good or bad – with their friends and family and other audiences across the web. On the weekend or the holidays or the BBQ’s, if someone - [Be Intentional](https://blog.joemanna.com/be-intentional/) - Oh, great. Yet another introspective reflection on my past and future packed up by some basic common sense. Bear with me for just a moment. It’s not easy to be intentional. Especially for a guy like me. I’m laidback and easy-going. This results in not having a plan, not having a defined goal, and a - [Do you have a Twitter account? Yes.](https://blog.joemanna.com/do-you-have-a-twitter-account-yes/) - Recently, an example supporting why it's necessary for organizations to educate their staff on their social media practices was forwarded to me. It concerns Coach, that high-end brand for bags and purses. The customer wrote an email to the company and received what I consider a great resolution. However, when the customer asked about their - [Excluding Others Based on Klout](https://blog.joemanna.com/excluding-others-based-on-klout/) - I mentioned in a comment, “Not everyone can be an Ann Handley or a Chris Brogan,” on a blog that explains KloutPout. TLDR: Klout has special offers for people with high influence scores. Stefania Butler from Clever Girls Collective shared a frustration in being excluded from offers and termed it “Klout Pout.” I’ve written on - [My Obligatory Guide to Using Google+](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-obligatory-guide-to-using-google/) - Every social media expert has done it. They've told you how you should use Google+. Well, I'll be comprehensive with this tutorial on Google Plus. Use it if you want to. Use it to organize and share your updates with friends. Don't use it if you don't get value. There is no amount of advice - [What's in a Like?](https://blog.joemanna.com/whats-in-a-like/) - There is more to the surface of 'Liking' a brand on Facebook than merely “brand evangelists.” There are a few different reasons why people would Like a company on Facebook and the meaning of that relationship. After seeing so many brands commoditize the Like, I can't help but share my thoughts on it. "Like us - [Social Media for Small Business: Threat or Asset?](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-for-small-business-threat-or-asset/) - On the minds of some business owners is the choice to use social media or to abstain from it. I had a conversation with one such business owner who is in a highly competitive, cost-conscious industry and serves customers locally. We discussed many different aspects his social media use, interest to engage and core business - [4 Mistakes Bloggers Make (And How to Fix Them)](https://blog.joemanna.com/4-mistakes-bloggers-make-and-how-to-fix-them/) - From unloading with the perfect rant to sharing the perfect tutorial to simply sharing an idea to inform others, it’s safe to say that blogging is native to me. After writing literally hundreds of blog posts over the years, I have learned many mistakes from myself and others when blogging. These tips can be used - [GoDaddy Alternative](https://blog.joemanna.com/godaddy-alternative/) - I have many websites and planned to cancel my GoDaddy service. Looking around, it's clear that GoDaddy has a majority of the market, but there is an alternative registrar that is affordable and is highly recommended. Shortly, once I endure a root-canal to cancel my GoDaddy account, I will be using Namecheap. Namecheap is not - [It Takes More than a Twitter or Facebook Logo](https://blog.joemanna.com/it-takes-more-than-a-twitter-or-facebook-logo/) - I’ve been thinking about the state of mainstream integration of social media in advertising for some time now. I’m disappointed at the current state of advertising social media assets because these brands could be doing so much more to engage their captive/costly audience. It takes more than a Twitter or Facebook logo to do social - [Pro-tip: Secure your Facebook with HTTPS](https://blog.joemanna.com/pro-tip-secure-your-facebook-with-https/) - If you’re like me, you probably access the web over wireless, even free/public wireless. Don’t get your Facebook hacked over something simple. Take the 13 seconds and update this simple setting in your Facebook Account. Log into Facebook. Click on Account Choose Account Settings Under Account Security, click change. Enable the checkbox for Secure Browsing - [Balancing Social and Business Benefits](https://blog.joemanna.com/balancing-social-and-business-benefits/) - Just a few years ago, to be great at social media, you had to master the tools and the applications. Today, that doesn’t cut it. I explained this in more personal detail about the reality of “social media helpdesks.” I break these out into two key points to think about: social currency and business currency. - [Disruptive Technology](https://blog.joemanna.com/disruptive-technology/) - What exactly is disruptive technology? It’s a phrase that’s tossed around quite a bit among entrepreneurs, VCs and blogs, but it’s not well defined. Philosophically, I am at a loss as to what to make of it. My vice with this is no one will know for sure how disruptive their innovations will become. When - [Marshall Mathers III](https://blog.joemanna.com/marshall-mathers-iii/) - When I say I like Eminem, some people translate that to I support and endorse misogyny, hate and an overall lack of character. They couldn’t be any more wrong. I want to at least share why Eminem is someone I look up to in a positive light and have no shame in my support for - [CONTEST: Help a Business Join 'The NOW Revolution'](https://blog.joemanna.com/contest-help-a-business-join-the-now-revolution/) - As a part of my duty for accepting a couple copies of The NOW Revolution, I have to give one away. But, instead of aimlessly giving one away, I wanted to try something a little more creative. I want to find one business that clearly does not get social media and needs to read ‘The - [The NOW Revolution is Here & Won't Leave](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-now-revolution-book-review/) - I recently got my hands on a couple review copies of The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts That Will Make Your Company Faster, Smarter, and More Social, written by Jay Baer and Amber Naslund. I also got a chance to see them speak and share their presentation for it at Social Media AZ in Tempe and - [How to Develop 'Voice' in Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-develop-voice-in-social-media/) - Have you ever had a cold where you speak and all your words come out monotone? Well, that’s a lot like promoting your business in social media without tone, style or “voice” in social media. I wanted to share a few tips at maintaining your voice in social media. Recently at Social Media AZ, a - [Think Music Releases are Dead? Ask Lady Gaga.](https://blog.joemanna.com/think-music-releases-are-dead-ask-lady-gaga/) - A picture is worth a thousand words. Look, just because the medium has changed, the behaviors and the buzz didn't. Music releases aren’t dead. Music releases are social events -- everyone at least tells someone to listen to a new song. It's discovery. It's vanity. It's pop-culture. Music is now promoted by the fans, not - [You Can't Replace Human Business with Robots](https://blog.joemanna.com/you-cant-replace-human-business-with-robots/) - Today, I participated on a panel at Social Media AZ (SMAZ), but this post isn’t about that. After the full day’s event, it was time to go and I was parked in the Chase parking garage. Something was amiss with this one – it lacked any attendants. I dun goofed and lost my parking ticket, - [Advertising is More than Selling a Product.](https://blog.joemanna.com/advertising-is-more-than-selling-a-product/) - I’m a marketer. I love hooking people and selling them through relevant and creative means. During the Super Bowl XLV, I lit up like a case of fireworks on Twitter with instant reactions to ads on the #brandbowl hashtag. Some ads were outright hilarious, some were weak, and some were simply remarkable. I wanted to - [What Would You Do (with Twitter)? @BeyondBreadAZ](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-would-you-do-with-twitter-beyondbreadaz/) - Here I am at 3:38 PM on this Saturday afternoon in the middle of Beyond Bread in Tucson. I wanted to mention the company or the franchise owner on Twitter, but couldn't find them. Instead, this was the only possible legitimate activity I've seen on Twitter from @BeyondBreadAZ: I know it's quite pretentious of me - [Metrics and Behaviors (Part 1)](https://blog.joemanna.com/metrics-and-behaviors-part-1/) - Ever since my days from taking support calls for AOL Tech Support, one bit of advice that has helped me incredibly in my career and even in life. It’s the role that metrics play in business and ourselves. I have some strong views about how we should look at metrics, but I wanted to share - [Commitment is … Easy?](https://blog.joemanna.com/commitment-is-easy/) - Yes, I said it. Committing to doing something is easy. However, delivering is the challenging aspect. In the past month I’ve learned that commitment is something I appreciate more than I have in the past. Making the right commitments can sometimes be a gamble, but I’ve honed in on a few suggestions to commit to - [The Facebook Marketing Book](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-facebook-marketing-book/) - The Facebook Marketing Book written by Dan and Alison Zarrella is effectively a field-guide for marketers who want to tap into Facebook. Admittedly, it's not for experts, but is an ideal book for people who understand that they need to do more on Facebook and need some direction. I even learned a few things from - [Now Reviewing Technology, Management & Business Books](https://blog.joemanna.com/now-reviewing-technology-management-business-books/) - I'm happy to let you know about another purpose on my blog - it's to share my reviews and angles on books that I have been sent by publishers. Occasionally, I will review a book on my own accord, but so far, I've been given a set of books in my arsenal to review and - [Make a Small Difference to Make a Big Difference](https://blog.joemanna.com/make-a-small-difference-to-make-a-big-difference/) - In the past month, I’ve concluded that it’s necessary to make a series of small differences before one can make a big difference. It sounds quite easy, but often in practice it’s challenging. We are highly observant, impatient creatures. We want to see immediate changes in anything we touch or focus on. Whether it’s a - [Live Every Moment Like It's Your Last](https://blog.joemanna.com/live-every-moment-like-its-your-last/) - When you die, you will have many regrets. Live without regret. Live without void. Really, who is going to say to themselves, “Man, I wish I didn’t do […]”? I’ve pondered this recently and while I don’t have all the answers, I think I’m onto something here. We all wish for material items. We all - [Predators and Prey](https://blog.joemanna.com/predators-and-prey/) - I know this world is more than a zero-sum game, but you can’t deny the fact a minority of predators consume the majority, their prey. As a friend once said in a separate conversation with me, “it’s not a world of sharks – eat or be eaten,” but I politely disagree. We are all givers - [I don't want to be a social media helpdesk.](https://blog.joemanna.com/i-dont-want-to-be-a-social-media-helpdesk/) - It’s not often I share my own struggles and challenges here, but in the interest of transparency and accountability, I am. One of the outcomes of being superb in many respects of social media and desiring control of many things is the undeniable fact that I find myself digging in the trenches and not conducting - [The Right Way to Promote Your Facebook Page](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-right-way-of-promoting-your-facebook/) - So, you just invested in building your social media presence and having your marketing team running it. Great. Now what? Well, the next logical step is to promote it to your customers. Many brands – even billion dollar brands – don’t even bother with that. I want to share a quick example of a brand - [My Next Apartment](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-next-apartment/) - Damnit, I hate being so picky. For anyone who knows me, they know I am okay with just about anything. Clothes, shoes, food, TV, movies, friends, relationships, etc. I’m pretty easy-going, but there is one thing that I am notoriously picky about – where I live. tl;dr – I am moving and on the hunt - [Are you Targeting Your Prospects?](https://blog.joemanna.com/are-you-targeting-your-prospects/) - When I think about explaining why a business should use social media, I think about this example. Not every business needs to use social media, but if your customers and prospects are there – why would you not be there? Not too long ago, I went to my local QuickTrip. They are more than a - [Spokeo: Another Tool for Stalkers](https://blog.joemanna.com/spokeo-another-tool-for-stalkers/) - If you are concerned about your privacy, you’ve got to read this. Spokeo is a free service that has boatloads of data on nearly everybody. It’s simple to use and you can see where someone lives, the front of their house, estimated income, date of birth, their family members and of course, their address and - [2010 Social Media Recap](https://blog.joemanna.com/2010-social-media-recap/) - This year, many great advancements in how we communicate and use services online occurred. Some could say it’s more of the same, others could say 2010 proved to be a great year for social media. Here is a recap of how social media fared in 2010. Given how fast these events occur, it’s a good - [The Cookies You Don’t Want to Leave for Santa...](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-cookies-you-dont-want-to-leave-for-santa/) - We love to leave cookies out for Santa. No matter what kind, flavor or how many... he loves cookies. Same goes for big-bad companies as you browse the web to visit and share websites you already visit. Unfortunately, if you shopped online this holiday season, you might have some cookies of your own to deal - [When Price IS Value](https://blog.joemanna.com/when-price-is-value/) - We say it all the time, and for the most part it’s true: “Price is not value.” However, there are sometimes exceptions to this and I wanted to highlight one favorable experience I had this weekend. I recently purchased a new set of tires for my car and as such I figured it would be - [What am I thankful for?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-am-i-thankful-for/) - I’ve been told by someone that don’t always take notice for what I’m inherently grateful for. Well, here we go. I’m thankful for… My family. While we're all a little crazy, I love them. I know this is a default answer for many people, but when I need help, they’re there for me. That I’ll - [Why we're in such a great time.](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-were-in-such-a-great-time/) - Just ten years ago, having the ability to market to people, market yourself and to keep up with your friends without being intrusive was just a pipe dream. The way of doing business was very linear – you put money into advertising, product, business development and out popped customers, investors and press. It was a - [How to Unsubscribe from Qwest Phone Books](https://blog.joemanna.com/unsubscribe-qwest-dex-phone-books/) - If you're reading this post, you can opt out of unwanted phone books from Qwest. It's easy and it took me about 30 seconds. I wish I knew this before I received three phone books this evening that I absolutely don't and won't use. Here's a quick screencast I made showing you how to unsubscribe - [My Thoughts on Facebook Messaging](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-thoughts-on-facebook-messaging/) - As you might know, Facebook will be expanding the messaging features for its users to support an email alias for users. It made all the news from mainstream media down on through social media and pretty much pegged the whole front page of Mashable when it launched. What do I think of it? I have - [Automotive Tip: Check Your Fluids Even in the Winter](https://blog.joemanna.com/automotive-tip-check-your-fluids-even-in-the-winter/) - As we all know, temperatures are dropping and that often turns us into docile users of them where we simple turn it on, get the heat going and go. Nothing wrong against that, unless you want to run into costly repairs later. This weekend, I discovered a tip with respect to my car that I - [Tweets are Serious Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/tweets-are-serious-business/) - Last week, a young man from England, Paul J. Chambers, was convicted for sending a menacing message on a public communications medium for tweeting a seemingly-obvious hyperbolic threat on Twitter with context to an airport. What was a joke to him turned into a much larger free speech incident. NYTimes has more on this. Days - [What If You Had a Million Twitter Followers?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-if-you-had-a-million-twitter-followers/) - Would you still reply to everyone one of them? If not, you don’t deserve to have a million Twitter followers. Stop counting followers. Stop counting replies. Stop counting RTs. Stop counting lists. These Twitter-specific stats don't matter when it's these business metrics that are measured at the end of the day quarter/year. Businesses don't operate - [Don't like Promoted Tweets on Twitter? Tell them.](https://blog.joemanna.com/dont-like-promoted-tweets-on-twitter-tell-them/) - My view has shifted a bit on Twitter’s method of monetizing their service through Promoted Tweets. I maintain that it’s not a scalable monetization medium and it will significantly degrade the quality of interactions between brands and consumers over time. Ultimately, I don’t find fault with Twitter for finding an opportunity to grow and sustain - [Alive and kicking.](https://blog.joemanna.com/alive-and-kicking/) - I didn't disappear just yet. Just having a good time in my personal, non-social media life. I'll be back. :) - [Social Media is Easy as Driving a Stick](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-is-easy-as-driving-a-stick/) - Alright, so in the back (or the front) of my mind since I purchased a '98 Camaro Z28* was facing my fear of the manual transmission. I instantly drew many similarities to how businesses view social media in their business. No bystanders were hurt in the making of this blog entry. The first question anyone - [Guide to Social Media for Parents (Series)](https://blog.joemanna.com/guide-to-social-media-for-parents/) - Since the Jessi Slaughter incident, I’ve been thinking about how I can help others manage and understand how to broach the subject of social media with their children. I’ve come up with five topics that will help demystify social media for parents. What’s Out There? -- Discover the landscape of what’s on the web, what - [Listen, Respond and Support Your Community](https://blog.joemanna.com/listen-respond-and-support-your-community/) - User communities are powerful. They can be the silent minority or the loud majority and they cause an impact to the bottom line of a business. Apple is a fine example of why supporting their user community could have saved them $10 million, preserved their image and provided stellar customer service. I've previously criticized Apple - [Unicorns and Rainbows](https://blog.joemanna.com/unicorns-and-rainbows/) - That basically sums up social media for people who don’t live, eat and breathe it. I’ve had this on my mind for a while because some people seem to think social media is always positive, rewarding and helpful. Don't get me wrong -- it is -- but in reality, it takes work, patience and discipline - [Apple Trying to Bury the iPhone 4 Concerns](https://blog.joemanna.com/apple-trying-to-bury-the-iphone-4-concerns/) - Today, Apple published a letter to its users on their website. To my surprise, they state there is no issue, but rather a glitch in how many bars are displayed. What is Apple doing? Increasing the size of the bars, adjusting the sensitivity to the display of the signal strength and telling us to not - [How to Get Out of a Photo Radar Ticket](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-get-out-of-a-photo-radar-ticket/) - Hopefully by now, you know how opposed I am to the capricious, ineffective and outright illegal photo traffic enforcement that polices petty traffic offenses. In light of that, I have attracted many people who ask me (or tell me) about their photo traffic offenses and seek my guidance. From plenty of past experience, I want - [What is a Linchpin?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-is-a-linchpin/) - This evening, I attended a Linchpin Meetup at Gangplank in Chandler, AZ. I didn't know what to expect as I don't usually attend book-related discussions; but I found it valuable. I discovered there are many key lessons and interpretations of the definition of a Linchpin. A Linchpin is ... Someone who is irreplaceable, indispensable and - [5 Ways to Solve Problems Through Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/5-ways-to-solve-problems-through-social-media/) - A week or so ago, I shared how to effectively complain through social media. I feel as solid as that is for consumers to resolve service issues through social media, it’s only right for me to share how a brand or business can effectively resolve such complaints in a helpful and useful way for customers. - [5 Ways to Complain Through Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/5-ways-to-complain-through-social-media/) - Complaining through social media is actually quite effective and I’ll share some constructive ways on how to use social media to solve your customer service issue with a company. Previously, consumers have been only equipped to send certified mail to the headquarters of large corporations to have their complaint heard at the right level – - [Make a Difference, Be Unique](https://blog.joemanna.com/make-a-difference-be-unique/) - Doing the minimum is easy. These days, it's not only acceptable, it's rewarded. Toyota could have held a sale and instructed people to go to their local dealer and drive and sign their new vehicle away. They don't need to do a rap video. They don't need to use artistic shots in the video. They - [I Am, Therefore I Tweet.](https://blog.joemanna.com/i-am-therefore-i-tweet/) - (Not, "I tweet, therefore I am.") There's a big difference and want to share the deep reasons why I tweet. Some reasons are obvious and some are a little less apparent. I hope this answers of the question of why I use Twitter. I use Twitter for business. This includes but isn't limited to finding - [What's in a Tweet?](https://blog.joemanna.com/whats-in-a-tweet/) - ReadWriteWeb has a killer piece on the metadata (meaning, additional data of a piece of content) that goes into a single Twitter message. Yes, the robots are watching you and indexing you data every which way to make killer apps, relevance and data mashups. Image: - [Social Media and Children - Free Seminar for Parents in Phoenix/Tempe](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-and-children-free-seminar-for-parents-in-phoenixtempe/) - Social media is all about information, privacy and transparency, but what restrictions should apply to children? This question among many others will be discussed at a free event in downtown Tempe on April 22, 2010 at 6:00pm. If you've got kids and you're not sure how to explain the birds and the bees of Twitter, - [Are You Worth More than $3.60?](https://blog.joemanna.com/are-you-worth-more-than-3-60/) - I think so. In this age of companies vying for prospects and customers to become "fans" of their brand, one company has figured it out -- or so they think. To get a million fans, they value each fan on average to be worth less than a Big Mac Value Meal. I have some thoughts - [Top 5 Online Activities](https://blog.joemanna.com/top-5-online-activities/) - I wanted to share my top five online activities I do online. I'd like to get your thoughts on the top five things you do online. Twitter -- Guilty as charged, I like talking with my friends on Twitter. From there, I often spend a lot of time browsing some of the most interesting content - [Get Your Social Media for Nothing ... (and Your Clicks for Free)](https://blog.joemanna.com/get-your-social-media-for-nothing-and-your-clicks-for-free/) - Social media is free, right? I hear a lot of buzz lately where people casually toss around harmful statements such as "social media has no cost," "Facebook is free," or even "social media is easy." Nothing could be further from the truth. (Title? It's a play on 'Money for Nothin' by Dire Straits.) Social media - [An Idea to Increase Census Response](https://blog.joemanna.com/an-idea-to-increase-increase-census-response/) - We know it’s our civic duty to advise the government how many people live in their quarters, share their ethnicity and the number of slaves we own. Scratch the last one. The fact is, despite this multimillion-dollar ad blitz the government did to try to encourage people to count themselves in the 2010 Census, response - [Four Thoughts on Foursquare](https://blog.joemanna.com/four-thoughts-on-foursquare/) - Foursquare is a popular topic among social media professionals, small business marketing and bloggers alike. The recurring theme is to strike while the iron is hot and to take a moment and strategize your marketing efforts on Foursquare. Unlike Twitter, it's not easily gamed and can offer qualitative and quantitative feedback on your establishment. Wes - [Foursquare Marketing](https://blog.joemanna.com/foursquare-marketing/) - Foursquare is the leading location-based service (Gowalla's second) that empowers consumers to share their visits with local attractions, events and businesses. In light of the massive growth, competitive nature of Foursquare and valuable "landing pages" that the site provides, many business owners aren't leveraging it for organic, viral marketing. Yes, I used "viral marketing," but - [Social Media is Not a Commodity.](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-is-not-a-commodity/) - Lately, I've been thinking about how people define or talk about social media. I've witnessed many folks treat it like a commodity that can be simply purchased. It's bothered me and I want to explain why social media is not a commodity and in fact a service and process. I'll keep this brief and to - [What I Expect from a Small Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-i-expect-from-a-small-business/) - The other day, I was thinking about why I enjoy supporting local small businesses and why I have a general disdain for larger, corporate installations. It comes down to style, focus on customers and unique selling propositions. I’ll explain. When I walk into a small business, I immediately take note of their style, flare and - [Collaboration, Not Competition](https://blog.joemanna.com/collaboration-not-competition/) - I don't intend to steal Gangplank's thunder or Derek Neighbors' passionate discussions on collaboration versus competition -- but I want to add some perspective to this. As the guy who listens to the industry and what other customers are saying and how other companies behave (directly or indirectly), I see a lot of in-fighting. It's - [You Can't Be Everywhere All The Time](https://blog.joemanna.com/you-cant-be-everywhere-all-the-time/) - You really can't be everywhere all the time. Yes, I know there's ping.fm, Facebook to Twitter and recursively, Twitter to Facebook plugins. The hard truth for many businesses is they can't be everywhere all the time. This concept has helped me at least support several large communities and I thought I'd share it with you. - [Social Media & SEO Is Not A Replacement For...](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-seo-is-not-a-replacement-for/) - ... interesting content. ... quality content. ... usable content. ... consistency and passion. ... a good business. ... a well-executed marketing plan. ... caring. ... customer service. ... authentic personality. ... humility. Alright now that I got all that off my mind, I want to tell you why I shared this. That is, social media - [Answer to the Social Media Overload](https://blog.joemanna.com/answer-to-the-social-media-overload/) - Note: The target audience of this post is for those who use social media within their business. It's good food for thought. Enjoy! Today, I wanted to share a little confession with you regarding the overload that social media has become for me and many other marketers out there. I have discovered a reality to - [Cussing](https://blog.joemanna.com/cussing/) - I've hit a point where I regularly use profane language in how I talk about normal things. It's reached the point where such four and five letter words lost their meaning, relevance and even punch they once had. I will commit that for the rest of the month of December, I will not use any - [10 Reasons Why I Oppose Photo Enforcement](https://blog.joemanna.com/10-reasons-why-i-oppose-photo-enforcement/) - Recently, I joined the movement, CameraFRAUD, a volunteer operated movement to oppose the implementation of photo enforcement used nationwide, including Arizona. As of today, I am available to collect signatures from registered voters who wish to repeal the use of photo enforcement across Arizona. As such, I posted about this on my Facebook. One of - [Journalistic Integrity](https://blog.joemanna.com/journalistic-integrity/) - Where did good journalism go? I remember when I was younger, I would watch NBC Nightly News, Dateline NBC, 20/20 (ABC) and similar investigative reporting shows. You know, the long boring shows that went deeper in the story than just the headline. Today, I balance my efforts in watching news networks that dedicate themselves to - [Not Everyone Will Follow You](https://blog.joemanna.com/not-everyone-will-follow-you/) - Yes, this is a fact. Not everyone will follow you on Twitter. Not everyone cares what you have to say, think, feel, am or doing. It's not as bad as it sounds, but we need to get off the entitlement that everyone cares about what you think. One fatal flaw in this is if you - [Steppin' My Game Up](https://blog.joemanna.com/steppin-my-game-up/) - Wow. I am a horrible role-model as a person who positions himself as a social media facilitator through my lack of blog entries. I know, I've been greedy and focusing on a lot of efforts on Twitter and Facebook and was sucked into it. I've learned that I can't neglect my personal blog. I commit - [Got the book, Trust Agents.](https://blog.joemanna.com/got-the-book-trust-agents/) - Alright, so now, my next step is to read it. Don't have it yet, buy it. I have some other plans to focus on blogging more soon, stay tuned. In the meantime, could you tell me what you're interested in? I just might write about it. ~Joe - [Trust Agents](https://blog.joemanna.com/trust-agents/) - One of my social media heroes, Chris Brogan, has a book out today which has every marketer, social media professional and community manager talking about it. Seth Godin shared his strong support of Trust Agents, so that means a lot. Even if the content isn't a complete revelation, Chris Brogan's knowledge is strong and he - [Twitter is Down, and I'm not complaining.](https://blog.joemanna.com/twitter-is-down-and-im-not-complaining/) - I am actually quite glad Twitter is down. It allows us to diversify our social media focus and reminds us not to place all our communications in one basket. I feel for the operators of Twitter, a DDOS attack is never fun. I will probably write more about why I feel this way, but you're - [Building Value in Facebook with 'The Facebook Era'](https://blog.joemanna.com/building-value-in-facebook-with-the-facebook-era/) - I had the opportunity to read the book, The Facebook Era, written by Clara Shih about the business value in Facebook with a variety of case studies and supporting examples. I admit, I am usually the first to question anything that attempts to be the end-all authority on social media, but this book struck me - [Ten Observations from the Twitter Trend](https://blog.joemanna.com/ten-observations-from-the-twitter-trend/) - In the past couple years, I've used Twitter quite a bit. I've learned a lot of lessons and made many observations of how others use the service to communicate online. To be specific, I've seen a lot of great business applications, personal uses and even philanthropic benefits. As much as Twitter brings good, it can - [Sponsored Conversations, Paid Reviews and Blogging](https://blog.joemanna.com/sponsored-conversations-paid-reviews-and-blogging/) - Consumers are more empowered than ever to research and review nearly any product they plan to purchase. As traditional advertisers lose control over the masses by dropping attention towards television, radio and print media; they ramp up their efforts to commercially drive the conversation on the Web. There's a good way to do it as - [Three Ways to Dominate Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/three-ways-to-dominate-social-media/) - If you're like most people, you probably are a bit nervous over social media or have heard urban-legend-like stories about how someone got fired or lost a job in social media. I'm referring to the mainstream media hype of social media, as well as the corporate overlord mentality. Well, in this blog entry, I'll share - [Twitter's Impact on Blogging](https://blog.joemanna.com/twitters-impact-on-blogging/) - With the recent Twitter growth, I've noticed a trend between the frequency, quality and purpose of blogging versus Tweeting. Guilty as charged, I've been blogging much less than I have before, but not because I haven't had opinions and commitment for community, but because of my infatuation with Twitter. I'll compare and contrast some observations - [Companies: Social Media is a Culture Shift](https://blog.joemanna.com/companies-social-media-is-a-culture-shift/) - Many companies at this point realize they ought to participate in social media, but are stuck at the mechanics of it. It's understandable because the same way of doing business, listening to customers and managing business has stayed relatively the same for many years -- and only now -- they must 'get into' social media. - [Damn, I really love what I do.](https://blog.joemanna.com/damn-i-really-love-what-i-do/) - When you wake up every morning, do you exhale in relief or frustration that your day is upon you? This is where my story starts; I used to wake up every morning dreading the day and the events ahead. Today, I had the epiphany that I love what I do all day, every day when - [Fighting Fire](https://blog.joemanna.com/fighting-fire/) - Sorry, I've been quite busy lately fighting fires at work for our customers. (You didn't notice the big gap in posts?) I suspect it's my desire to provide customers the best they expect from a rockin' software company. It's tough though ... I've encountered moments where I question my purpose. Serving as a consumer advocate - [Social Media 'Experts' Are Frauds](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-experts-are-frauds/) - Any talented social media professional who considers themself an expert is merely a fraud. Stay far away from their poison they spew. I wanted to talk about why they are frauds and want to offer my advoce on what to look for in a social media professional. I've encountered several marketers positioning themselves as "social - [Training Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/training-social-media/) - This week, I will be conducting an internal company-wide training on social media. It motivates me to reach out and help inspire others to learn (or at least quell fears) about social media. I am very excited to share this information with others who may not have been exposed to social media. Grudgingly, I thank - [Customer Service in a Recession](https://blog.joemanna.com/customer-service-in-a-recession/) - Today, I am finding it very relaxing to write about companies with poor customer service. It is shockingly easy to find more and more, I feel like Ben Popken as we head into the great recession. As companies need to tighten budgets, we should only expect customer service to worsen and customer loyalty to plummet. - [Brand and Reputation](https://blog.joemanna.com/brand-and-reputation/) - What is a brand versus a reputation? Many people might think they're the same, but they're not. I had a lot of thoughts on this, especially as I work on branding my personal and professional personalities, and building reputations. A brand is often a company name, a logo, or even a person. Brands help you - [Cyber Monday with a Cause](https://blog.joemanna.com/cyber-monday-with-a-cause/) - Today, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is known as Cyber Monday due to the online sales on many retailers have on the Web. In conjunction with Cyber Monday, GoodSearch has a new feature on their Website, GoodShop, which enables you to give back a percentage of your purchases without costing you a penny. Shopping on the - [Contextual Interactive Ad Widgets, Solution for Ad Spend Drop?](https://blog.joemanna.com/contextual-interactive-ad-widgets-solution-for-ad-spend-drop/) - Internet advertising spending has been dropping out for a while, pretty much in line with the economic downturn. As users on the Web become more experienced with browsing, they grow cognitively blind to advertising locations on Web pages. Despite all this, the Internet ad business has remained handicapped when it comes to innovation. One advertising - [We Elected Obama, Now What?](https://blog.joemanna.com/we-elected-obama-now-what/) - The Obama political campaign reflects a lot of advancements in our country. These advancements demonstrate the qualities in politics and the changing course. Now what? For the first time in politics, Obama's capture of the White House declares a few things: Politicians can be YouTube'd, held accountable by people. Corporations can't buy elections, any more. - [5 Things I Learned at PodCampAZ](https://blog.joemanna.com/5-things-i-learned-at-podcampaz/) - I promised myself that I would follow through on an entry about PodCampAZ with respect to it being free, fun and exciting. This year, it was at UAT, in Tempe, AZ. Not too far from my residence. A handful of my friends and colleagues attended and we loved it. I'll share the five big items - [Social Media Introduction for Beginners](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-introduction-for-beginners/) - I really don't intend to condescend my words, I really don't. But there appears to be a major disconnect in the level of understanding among attendees about social media at social media conferences. I love newbs, I really do, and I love meeting rockstars; however, the disconnect is in the belief that we can't build - [Open Letter to AOL: You Still Don't Get It](https://blog.joemanna.com/open-letter-to-aol-you-still-dont-get-it/) - In a post on the AOL's official Mail product blog, AOL insults Google's GMail product in typical insincere tirade regarding product parity. If there was anything friendly about the entry, it wasn't made clear to readers. Either this is a PR stunt, or the author had one too many spiked drinks at the office on - [Social Media & Passion](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-passion/) - Lately, I've been running into more people who are surprisingly passionate about social media. Given that not everyone gets to spend their life on the Web, they are excited to be a part of the action. For a moment, I'd like to step back and share why I love social media, and let you know - [To Bury, or Not to Bury (Features)?](https://blog.joemanna.com/to-bury-or-not-to-bury-features/) - Several folks who have the opportunity to work with me, know that I advocate for the end-user in nearly everything. One topic I tend to drive hard into is accessibility of useful features within products and services. That is, the struggle between Web properties which are "too busy" or "too light" for uninitiated users. In - [Business and Enterprise Social Media Engagement](https://blog.joemanna.com/business-and-enterprise-social-media-engagement/) - When evangelizing Social Media, I find it difficult to share the value of Web 2.0 engagement to a numbers person. It's not that they are inferior in any way, instead Social Media is one of those activities which blurs the lines in business. The good news is that Social Media increases business and enterprise employee - [The Web is Not an OS (or a Series of Tubes)](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-web-is-not-an-os-or-a-series-of-tubes/) - Since Google Chrome was released, the Techochamber has been bouncing a lot of feedback about the new Web browser from Google. One theme of discussion is pertaining to the possibility for Google to attract Microsoft users toward being loyal to Google. Michael Arrington said a rather embarassing comment that the Windows OS is a "layer," - [Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should](https://blog.joemanna.com/just-because-you-can-doesnt-mean-you-should/) - Some of my subscribers know about the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) as well as my critical perspective on it. Well, another victim of the DMCA is "Scrabulous," a game that was similar to the "Scrabble" game on Facebook. Recently, Hasbro, owner of Scrabble, filed a legal complaint over the unauthorized use of Scrabulous on - [AOL Phisher Gets Seven Years for Phishing](https://blog.joemanna.com/aol-phisher-gets-seven-years-for-phishing/) - Michael Dolan, 24, was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison for fraud and aggravated identity theft for four-year string of phishing activity on AOL. Dolan crafted a series of elaborate phishing scams in an effort to scam thousands of users out of money. Detailed below is an example of one such scam. A large - [Habeas and ReturnPath Merged - (E-Mail Gets a Little Better)](https://blog.joemanna.com/habeas-and-returnpath-merged-e-mail-gets-a-little-better/) - Anyone who sends e-mail a lot should be relieved to hear two companies who aim to standardize and improve legitimate e-mail delivery have aligned and merged together. ReturnPath acquired Habeas to unite to provide users the best of both worlds -- certification, tracking, analytics and feedback. This merger provides the best value for legitimate e-mail - [All Your E-Mail Are Belong to Us](https://blog.joemanna.com/all-your-e-mail-are-belong-to-us/) - Breaking! -- That defines Google's free e-mail service that millions of users count on and the news of this kind. It appears GMail had just taken a massive blow, resulting thousands of users becoming locked out of their account. This should serve as a reminder of the great power Google yields. *UPDATED BELOW!* I finished - [Congress 'HANGS UP' on In-Flight Calls](https://blog.joemanna.com/congress-hangs-up-on-in-flight-calls/) - Are you hunting for a job or cringing at paying that variable rate mortgage? Perhaps you pray for lower gas prices? Well, rest assured that your Congress is looking out for your best interest by further regulating cellular phone usage on airplanes with a nifty little bill abbreviated, "HANG UP." In an effort to minimize - [Posting from my iphone 3g](https://blog.joemanna.com/posting-from-my-iphone-3g/) - Hey folks, I'm writing my first blog entry via my iphone 3g. This is published from the free Wordpress app. Thanks Apple and Wordpress! ~Joe - [It's Time to Terminate 'Early Termination Fees'](https://blog.joemanna.com/its-time-to-terminate-early-termination-fees/) - A recent court ruling against Sprint (S), has declared audacious Early Termination Fees to be illegal; resulting in Sprint to pay $73 million dollars to customers who were charged maliciously by the wireless carrier. This is the time to terminate Early Termination Fees. Though I'm eligible for a refund, I doubt I'll ever see it. - [Social Media Supplements MSM During Disasters](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-supplements-msm-during-disasters/) - Today, Southern California was rocked with an 5.6 earthquake. While it's definitely newsworthy, social media prevailed at getting the message out first over mainstream media (MSM). Sometimes, it's the raw, unedited content from those affected that can be the story. However, MSM can help carry the message out for others. I don't think Social Media - [Managing (User, Consumer and Customer) Expectations](https://blog.joemanna.com/managing-user-consumer-and-customer-expectations/) - Whenever a product, service or feature is released into the hands of your consumers, customers and users, the provider must always continually need to manage expectations to meet the needs of their users. I've been thinking about this topic a lot this week, as I often share my perspectives positive consumer experiences. Before I get - [The 'New' Facebook is Here](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-new-facebook-is-here/) - After many months of speculation and veilled warnings issued to application developers, Facebook looks like they are ready to start rolling out their new layout for their social network. Personally, the changes don't impress me and I expect many people to be upset. Of course, I've only formed that opinion in the past few minutes - [He will be missed.](https://blog.joemanna.com/he-will-be-missed/) - I haven't written any recent blog entries because my grandfather passed away on Sunday, which saddened me greatly, but I continued on to what seemed to be my routine. He will be greatly missed in our family among all of his friends and family. My grandfather was my only grandparent that I met and bonded - [MySpace Rolls out Redesign (and it looks Hot!)](https://blog.joemanna.com/myspace-rolls-out-redesign-and-it-looks-hot/) - MySpace, the social network that used to carry a very bland traditional theme launched their new Web layout today. It seems to make way for greater functionaly and additional monetization opportunities for the top social networking provider. The changes were discovered after logging into MySpace and checking out the blog entry from "Tom" (MySpace's corporate - [Why Doesn't Yahoo Offer a Blog Search?](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-doesnt-yahoo-offer-a-blog-search/) - Yahoo offers the same usual array of Image, Music, News and generic Web searches, but they don't have a Blog Search. Google's blog search is very simple and I find that it's weak, Technorati is plagued with scalability and uptime issues and all the others just don't offer enough impact that Yahoo would have. Searching - [Social Networks Exploit Users Via Their Address Books](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-networks-exploit-users-via-their-address-books/) - You've definitely seen these types of functions hooked up to social network sites, and it's use is on the rise. Remember the old adage, "Never give your username and password to anyone," well top online providers have allowed third-parties to circumvent their Privacy Policies in an effort to grow their own social networks. Jeff Atwood - [Social Networks Sing the Monetization Blues](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-networks-sing-the-monetization-blues/) - Ok, let's scratch MySpace and Facebook off our mind for a moment. Social Networks have experienced many challenges in monetizing their networks mainly because users find value in each other, not the network. As new ad models are tested and fail, a new company, mediaFORGE intends to add value in online ads. The problem with - [Even Google has Tips to Pick a Great Password](https://blog.joemanna.com/even-google-has-tips-to-pick-a-great-password/) - Yesterday, the Official Google Blog posted an entry describing best practices when choosing passwords to secure your account. I agree with all the points they make and have some additional points to make about password security. When picking a password, most people heir on the side of ease, simplicity, and speed. They know they want - [FOX News: 'Teachers Should be Prohibited from Social Networking'](https://blog.joemanna.com/fox-news-teachers-should-be-prohibited-from-social-networking/) - FOX News, "Americas Newsroom," aired stills of a few teachers who had pictures of themselves doing inappropriate things, such as posing in front of a Police Interceptor, a female doing a shot, a female doing a body shot and the infamous one where two females were kissing. Is this corrupting youth in America and should - [The Customer Service Department](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-customer-service-department/) - The Customer Service department in many companies are believed by many to be the source of customer service. I disagree, because every employee in a company can offer customer service to their customers, not just a select few. Customer Service is in all of us. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do; - [Why Admitting Your Errors is Great Consumer Advocacy](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-admitting-your-errors-is-great-consumer-advocacy/) - Many traditional thinkers believe it's ideal to conceal errors, issues and other inadequacies quietly. Unfortunately, all it takes is one person to sound off on their experience to obliterate hundreds, if not thousands of Public Relations dollars. Allow me to explain ... First, let me take a step back and help define, "Consumer Advocacy," for - [Someone has an AIM CRUSH on you!](https://blog.joemanna.com/someone-has-an-aim-crush-on-you/) - ...Not exactly. This is a form of spam that is going around on AIM. The link takes you to a site where the spammer gets paid if you fill it out. It's important to not click links from people you don't know, and even if you do, do it with caution! It's not that someone - [Facebook: Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better...](https://blog.joemanna.com/facebook-anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better/) - MySpace and subsequently Facebook, committed to allowing their proprietary user information to be shared openly. This effort was done to appease the Data Portability Working Group in empowering users to better manage their experience. (And this is a good thing!) I really have no other thoughts on this, except for a "Thank you." Actually, I - [Web Communities Need Transparency (and some tips on how to be transparent)](https://blog.joemanna.com/web-communities-need-transparency-and-some-tips-on-how-to-be-transparent/) - The last time I saw Chris Pirillo was probably 1998 on TechTV (before they were later acquired by G4TV). That's a long time, but I encountered an interesting video blog entry (vlog) that he did discussing the transparency of online communities. The principles he discussed are useful for social networking leaders, social media experts and - [Post-Microhoo Drama: TWX vs. YHOO vs. MSFT](https://blog.joemanna.com/post-microhoo-drama-twx-vs-yhoo-vs-msft/) - Robert Scobleizer believes Microsoft is the real "loser" after bailing out of the acquisition of Yahoo. I disagree, I mean, you can't dispute the facts. Investors invest because of longevity and ROI, and clearly Yahoo missed their mark. Yahoo tanks downward (-14.16%), as Microsoft holds steady (-0.1%), and Time Warner rises (+10.21). It appears as - [The Next Terrorist Attack: The Internet](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-next-terrorist-attack-the-internet/) - Some people call me paranoid, some people call me insightful. Whatever you call me, you can't really dispute that the next form of terrorism would likely take place over the Internet. In this piece, I will describe how a terrorist attack on the Internet could take place as well as have a much higher impact - [How to Effectively Turbo Your Complaint to the Top of an Executive's Desk](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-effectively-turbo-your-complaint-to-the-top-of-an-executives-desk/) - Have you been scammed by a large company? Have you grown tired of getting the run around? If so, then you must learn about the art of Turboing to the top in the corporate ladder so someone treats you like a person, not a number. Right here, I'll share helpful techniques to aid your plight - [PWND: AOL, Real Networks, Yahoo Must Pay Licensing Fees For Streamed Music](https://blog.joemanna.com/pwnd-aol-real-networks-yahoo-must-pay-licensing-fees-for-streamed-music/) - As if times at AOL Radio weren't bad enough, a legal decision will now require three of the Internet's content distributors to pay for proper licensing to ASCAP for music they streamed to Web users. This decision serves as a legal precedent for enforcing licensing of music over the Web. I have a hunch that - [User Feedback in a Web 2.0 World](https://blog.joemanna.com/user-feedback-in-a-web-20-world/) - Yesterday morning, I received a Tweet from Jason Calacanis, who is current is building Mahalo, asked for suggestions and feedback on a redesign of their site. I quickly saw how many other people were aware of his request when I saw 100+ comments (actual comments, not garbage like "this sucks" or "get a life!")! I'll - [Consumer Advocacy: Microsoft Abandons MSN Music Users (to Enforce DRM)](https://blog.joemanna.com/consumer-advocacy-microsoft-abandons-msn-music-users-to-enforce-drm/) - Last week, Microsoft announced to MSN Music users that they would be discontinuing their online music service -- including not honoring licensed music by means of legitimate paid DRM keys. The decision not only hurts their users, it also serves as a case study for how content distributors should not protect digital media. In the - [Four Lessons Learned From Twitter](https://blog.joemanna.com/four-lessons-learned-from-twitter/) - Microblogging service, Twitter, has had its fair share of success and failure. I really love it, and have been tweeting more than I have months ago, only because of the growth of it. No matter whether or not you use Twitter, there are some lessons learned in their growth for everyone to accept. Lesson #1: - [Re: User Generated Censorship](https://blog.joemanna.com/re-user-generated-censorship/) - Vivek from QuestionPro wrote about censorship and community management from a high level. He raised some great points and I'll share my perspective. Historically, ISPs managed user generated content for Terms of Service (TOS) violations and would essentially disconnect unruly customers. Fast forward to day -- ISPs don't manage user behavior the way they did - [Consumer ADvocacy: Consumer Targeting Explained](https://blog.joemanna.com/consumer-advocacy-consumer-targeting-explained/) - In an effort to help people better understand what consumer targeting is and what it could become, I share some useful info for the average consumer. (Consumers in this context are Internet users.) Previously, I shared my views and even laid out an action plan regarding online advertising, specifically, consumer targeting. Consider checking them out: - [Big Business VS. Small(er) Business](https://blog.joemanna.com/big-business-vs-smaller-business/) - Having come from a large corporate empire to a smaller, mid-sized company, I've seen a lot of polar opposites when it comes to getting work done. Read on for a side-by-side comparison of these two work environments. Big businesses tend to have many levels between its entry-level, middle management or the executive positions. After I - [The Value of Social Networks](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-value-of-social-networks/) - Social Networking is almost cliche these days because it's often overused, duplicated and imitated several times over. However, in light of a few recent acquisitions, I intend to find out how does one define the value of a growing social network? Let's face it, MySpace has distribution and equivocally defined social networking as we know - [Social Networking: Bigger Isn't Always Better](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-networking-bigger-isnt-always-better/) - On the Web, the struggle to be number one is a fight between Google, Yahoo, MySpace and AOL. However, in light of the massive growth of social networks within these companies, many Web users are ditching them in favor of niche (specific interests) social networks. (And they love it.) CNN ran a story discussing the - ['Handlebars' by the Flobots](https://blog.joemanna.com/handlebars-by-the-flobots/) - Flobots - Handlebars I can ride my bike with no handlebars No handlebars No handlebars I can ride my bike with no handlebars No handlebars No handlebars Look at me, look at me hands in the air like it's good to be ALIVE and I'm a famous rapper even when the paths're all crookedy I - [Politics: Party Line Values, Do They Exist Anymore?](https://blog.joemanna.com/politics-party-line-values-do-they-exist-anymore/) - I've been mulling this over in my head as I lurk and observe how the presidential candidates interact with each other, their constituents, the media and their party. One aspect about politics over time, values have degraded substantially. Alas, this is the time to open up the discussion on the two major political parties in - [Argh! Feeds, Feeds and More Feeds (But Not Quite Enough...)](https://blog.joemanna.com/argh-feeds-feeds-and-more-feeds-but-not-quite-enough/) - While some people are rejoicing that Facebook offers the ability to import content into your feeds for your friends to devour, I tend to disagree with the hype. It's my belief that by offering a limited set of feed imports, you are just hurting your own social network appeal. Facebook. Have your been poked yet? - [How to Detect Twitter Spammers ('Spitters')](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-detect-twitter-spammers-spitters/) - It's rather ironic that even I was targeted by spammers by these unsolicited "Follows" on my Twitter account. I don't claim any fame on it, I don't break news on it and is only a means of telling my contacts what I'm thinking about or doing. So, how does one tell if someone is a - [Consumer Advocacy: Ad Industry Bans Sensitive Demographics](https://blog.joemanna.com/consumer-advocacy-ad-industry-bans-sensitive-demographics/) - Have you wondered why you see ads on the Web for alcohol when you're in your 20s or ads for refinancing after you purchased a property or even ads for credit reports when you've visited a Web site about credit scoring? That's called Ad-Targeting. After much debate, the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) agreed to not - [Flickr Adds Video, Users Revolt Again.](https://blog.joemanna.com/flickr-adds-video-users-revolt-again/) - I really question the future of Flickr after they have repeatedly ignored user's feedback. This week, they added the ability for users to upload 90-second video shorts along with photos. Then the hardcore static photo users came. I can understand this backlash. I too would be pretty pissed if a Web site I once loved - [Calacanis Sheds Light on 'Death by Blogging' NYT Article](https://blog.joemanna.com/calacanis-sheds-light-on-death-by-blogging-nyt-article/) - NYT jumped the snark by writing a piece on the stress of professional bloggers, leading the reader to believe blogging in itself leads to premature death. I disagree with this assumption, since blogging can be just much of a freeing and constricting feeling. Jason Calacanis posted his thoughts about the story NYT ran, strongly correcting - [Microhoo: My Open Letter to YHOO On Possible TWX Acquisition](https://blog.joemanna.com/microhoo-open-letter-yhoo-twx-possible-aquisition/) - After the numerous attempts from Microsoft to acquire Yahoo, Yahoo makes a bold move to use Google's advertising platform while they work things out. In addition to this, TimeWarner and Yahoo have been in talks and it's expected an offer may come out next Wednesday for the shareholders: YHOO + TWX or YHOO + MSFT. - [Microhoo: Yahoo Raises the Stakes (Again)](https://blog.joemanna.com/microhoo-yahoo-raises-the-stakes-again/) - In an attempt to either upset Microsoft or their shareholders, Yahoo rejected Microsoft's higher bid to acquire them. Microsoft responded with a veiled threat for a "hostile" takeover -- which Yahoo would like to avoid. Yahoo wants more money on a higher offer but hasn't publicly announced the price. Microsoft offered $42 billion, but how - [VA Requires Students to Learn Online Safety](https://blog.joemanna.com/va-requires-students-to-learn-online-safety/) - Virginia, the state that houses NCMEC and AOL, has enacted a policy that schools must now facilitate classes that help keeps kids safe on the Web. Before I shoot it down, I want to say that this is a step in the right direction; I just don't believe that the fear of online predators is - [Car Modifications Are Not a Crime (Except in California)](https://blog.joemanna.com/car-modifications-are-not-a-crime-except-in-california/) - Last week, more than 100 Riverside, CA law enforcement officers swarmed into a parking lot to perform warrant-less searches on people's slightly modified vehicles. This not only infringed on automotive enthusiasts, but also a waste of $503,000 from tax payers. It is a common occurrence across America on Friday and Saturday nights, automotive enthusiasts gather - [Craigslist Gets Bloggy (Finally!)](https://blog.joemanna.com/craigslist-gets-bloggy-finally/) - The more-popular-than-they-should free classifieds Web site, Craigslist, now has a blog to help respond to user's feedback and engage in open discussion. Just like the site, it's not too engaging for the eyes, but it's still informative and gets the point across. The new blog has some useful entries to things so far. Tired of - [Follow-Up: Craigslist Raid of Oregon Resident Was a Burglarly](https://blog.joemanna.com/follow-up-craigslist-raid-of-oregon-resident-was-a-burglarly/) - Last week, you might have heard of an Oregon man who's house was raided by means of a Craigslist posting. Well, it was in fact a poorly-staged burglary as two people were arrested after an investigation on the matter. JACKSONVILLE, Ore. -- Police arrested two suspects Monday night in the cruel Craigslist hoax that cost - [Unloading the E-Mail Overload](https://blog.joemanna.com/unloading-the-e-mail-overload/) - Jeremiah at Web Strategist blogged about the how e-mail is consuming us in today's business culture. Often, a lot of employees in almost any sized organization, are bogged down doing e-mail instead of getting work done. There is some hope -- some technical solutions and some process improvements. How do you behave with e-mail? If - [Web Analytics: Not Just For Webmasters Anymore](https://blog.joemanna.com/web-analytics-not-just-for-webmasters-anymore/) - YouTube has rolled out a feature that empowers video creators in understanding the traffic their videos receive. Web Analytics have often been associated with Webmasters or at most Web site owners, but this gives people some real-world insight into what Web sites know about the, all from the kind folks at Google. I must say, - [Insight Into Yahoo's Exiting Employees, Comparison to AOL](https://blog.joemanna.com/insight-into-yahoos-exiting-employees-comparison-to-aol/) - Boris Epstein of BINC, a professional headhunter service, blogged about some of the troubling thoughts from former Yahooligans who left the company in the past few months. The upcoming merger with Microsoft is only hemorrhaging employee morale even more. Check out the original blog entry listing the top nine reasons why talent is being lost - [The Casualties of Anonymous Communities](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-casualties-of-anonymous-communities/) - In the past week or so, there was an instance of a criminal act of posting ads for Craigslist readers to raid an unsuspecting person's house (for free items). Today, there was another similar instance of this activity. What is causing this, are Anonymous Communities to blame? I believe that Anonymous Communities aren't totally to - [Calacanis and Scoble Test Drive a New Tesla](https://blog.joemanna.com/calacanis-and-scoble-test-drive-a-new-tesla/) - One of the great things of the iPhone, is the ability to stream video live via a service called Qik. This is what Jason Calacanis and Robert Scoble did when they had fun and test drove a new Tesla. Woo-hoo! - [Customer Service is More Than Just Call Centers](https://blog.joemanna.com/customer-service-is-more-than-just-call-centers/) - Customer service is a term frequently used among service providers which is often delivered in the form of call centers. It's important to understand that customer service applies to many different horizontal and vertical business applications and is crucial to achieve success no matter what market you're serving. Customer service typically takes place in-person, over - [Last Blog Entry for Work](https://blog.joemanna.com/last-blog-entry-for-work/) - I've finally posted my last blog entry on my employer's blog. I'll be leaving the company tomorrow. I just wanted to thank everyone that supported (and challenged) me along the way. I look forward to carving a new path for myself. This decision was one made outside of my control, and I will truly miss - [How to Uninstall RealPlayer](https://blog.joemanna.com/how-to-uninstall-realplayer/) - RealPlayer has been labeled Badware and they've advised that you uninstall RealPlayer. However, understand that uninstall is not enough to remove their software. This media player will reside in your computer even after uninstalling. I'll describe below how to completely remove RealPlayer from your computer and provide some great free alternatives to it. Uninstall RealPlayer - [Social Media Applications, From 'Fun' to 'Utility'](https://blog.joemanna.com/social-media-applications-from-fun-to-utility/) - Long ago, there was AM radio, which was the medium to broadcast news and information, as well as entertain millions of people. This was a reliable technology, but as technology advanced, FM was used. This newer medium is still used today because of the higher fidelity, higher bandwidth that it can deliver to people. People - [Are Anonymous Comments Really That Bad?](https://blog.joemanna.com/are-anonymous-comments-really-that-bad/) - Topix CEO Chris Tolles doesn't think anonymous (unregistered) users are that much of a risk to a community. He decided to have his engineers pull some data on registered vs. unregistered comments and their resulting kill rate from their online communities. The data shows that unregistered users accounts for more than 80% of killed messages; - [5 + 1 Things Journalists Can Do to Help Their Web Sites](https://blog.joemanna.com/5-1-things-journalists-can-do-to-help-their-web-sites/) - It is a shame when I try to read a news article on WaPo or NYTimes, I'm presented with a login curtain forcing me to register. Registering isn't hard, it just another obstacle to getting the information I want. Many news sites have removed these barriers, but still there are several respected newspapers that believe - [Weekly Roundup IV](https://blog.joemanna.com/weekly-roundup-iv/) - Ah, yes, time to take a slice of my life and post it on my blog. I know it's been some time since I posted my roundups, but I figure now I can get into the swing of things. (Word to the technical -- move on, this is one of those "personal" blog entries.) Relationships - [Happy New Year 2008](https://blog.joemanna.com/happy-new-year-2008/) - If it wasn't for the chills and the sore throat I have, I'd be having a great time this evening. Well, it's alright, I'll be watching the ball drop on TV. I still remember the great times I had in Times Square last year. :-) ~Joe - [Netscape Web Browser Bids Farewell](https://blog.joemanna.com/netscape-web-browser-bids-farewell/) - When you have 1.2% market share of the all the Web Browsers, there becomes a time when you just concede the fight and recommend your users use the best Web browser available. Netscape (owned by AOL) has reached its end-of-life and has announced the end of Netscape Browser to their users to use Mozilla Firefox. - [Happy Holidays 2007](https://blog.joemanna.com/happy-holidays-2007/) - Happy Holidays. I'm visiting my relatives in New Jersey. So far, it has been quite pleasant. The drive wasn't that bad and spent a less than an hour on the Turnpike. My grandfather came by. He's doing well. He's probably the most active one in the family. Always something to do, a hike to go - [My Sister Graduated University of Arizona!](https://blog.joemanna.com/my-sister-graduated-university-of-arizona/) - Congrats, Melissa! She graduated with a BA in Computer Science and Psychology (I think). Her endless excuses for not hanging out with our social circle due to hours of studying and "homework" reaches its end. Now its time to reflect, look back, forward and enjoy some seafood. Pictures to come later. - [Enterprise Software & Bloggers](https://blog.joemanna.com/enterprise-software-bloggers/) - What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of enterprise software? Probably user-friendly isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Robert Scoble ignited the discussion on why bloggers generally don't write about enterprise software. I should preface this entry with the fact that I haven't had a lot of hands-on experience - [16 Storm Trooper Dancing Videos](https://blog.joemanna.com/storm-trooper-dancing-videos/) - What do you do with your Storm Trooper costume besides wear it on Halloween? Dance, of course! These storm trooper dancing videos were hunted down by me. Of course, I am still waiting for a Storm Trooper to so the Soulja Boy. - Stormtrooper Gal dancing! (Unable to embed) - Storm Trooper ALMOST doing Soulja - ['Cyber Monday' 2007 Recap](https://blog.joemanna.com/cyber-monday-2007-recap/) - "Cyber Monday," the shopping day after Thanksgiving, was a success with very minimal headaches for consumers. Yahoo's Small Business Web sites did go down for a bit. I imagine this probably upset eager merchants who were expecting a large flow of online sales. Web surfers, like everyone else probably just moved on to another Web - [Linux Conversion, Complete.](https://blog.joemanna.com/linux-conversion-complete/) - This weekend, I committed myself to fully converting to Linux and to quit Windows. I took a look at my usual computer usage and what applications I really used and made certain I had a reasonable alternative. I would admittedly rate myself as 4/10 on a scale from Linux Neophyte to 1337 Hax0r. I can - [Ohh! That's Why You're Here...](https://blog.joemanna.com/ohh-thats-why-youre-here/) - Occasionally I check my server's logs (and Google Analytics) to check for patterns on how visitors reach my blog. A majority of the referrers are expected, and the search terms ... but these are awesome: I won't post my full list of search keywords, because that would be a spammy thing to do and - [Internet Stars are Viral](https://blog.joemanna.com/internet-stars-are-viral/) - Hm. I posted this on Facebook and didn't get the response I was hoping. I love this video, it's a montage of the all the internet memes and stars that we all know and love. We don't know a damn thing about them, except that we've seen them at one time or another. I admit, - [Possibly the Best Windows Vista Ad (Satire)](https://blog.joemanna.com/possibly-the-best-windows-vista-ad-satire/) - I admit, I only tried Vista for three days, and quickly reformatted because my RAM begged me to. - [Firefox 2.0.0.8 Released](https://blog.joemanna.com/firefox-2008-released/) - Mozilla is at it again, standing by to make sure their Web browser is safe and secure (and compatible). The new binaries were updated for OS X to be compatible for the upcoming OS X 10.5 "Leopard" -- should be good news for Mac folks. The fixes for 2.0.0.8 are: Fixed in Firefox 2.0.0.8 MFSA - [The Best Lecture on Policy and Corruption](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-best-lecture-on-policy-and-corruption/) - I occasionally debate many policies on what we (as Americans) do and why we do them. That is, I like to question various topics often raised by conservatives as well as liberals. I prefer to interpret the Constitution without considering environmental or societal influences -- that is, the argument that claims "Well, when they [framers] - [Some Reasonable Suggestions on How DMV Can Improve Customer Service (and Profit, too!)](https://blog.joemanna.com/some-reasonable-suggestions-on-how-dmv-can-improve-customer-service-and-profit-too/) - WTF: Although unrelated to my blog entry, I had to post this. Found it when searching for "Virginia DMV" on Flickr. When was the last time you paid your vehicle registration and had a pleasant experience? That is my frustration, that the number of state governments fail to address the needs of their citizens who - [Not Always a Geek](https://blog.joemanna.com/not-always-a-geek/) - So sometimes people draw me into their blogs by sheer curiosity. While blogs are geeky, they have slowly turned to chic in the sense that the term "blog" isn't so alien to people. Well one of my friends from Tucson from my street racing group is having relationship troubles. Who knew I could share such - [13 Free, Useful, and Effective SEO Tools](https://blog.joemanna.com/13-free-useful-and-effective-seo-tools/) - There are many tools and applications that are in every optimizer's arsenal, but only a few are truly useful and effective for their purpose. I'm going to share with you the tools I find relevant and helpful for anyone who wants to optimize their Web site. Keywords, Meta Tags, Niche-Industry Research Google Trends - Compare - [Alright, I converted (to WoW)](https://blog.joemanna.com/alright-i-converted-to-wow/) - For my birthday, my sister got me World of Warcraft. I've always said I wouldn't play it because it's too nerdy for me. Well, I'm on a trial and I guess I see how it is. Do you play WoW? - [Internet Business Meeting: Round Two](https://blog.joemanna.com/internet-business-meeting-round-two/) - College Humor has a new installment of the Internet Commenter Business Meeting. It has more memes, more NSFW references, and even more like the Web. If this was a podcast, I'd totally subscribe to it. Watch the original, then watch the new one titled, Commenter Business Meeting 2. In this you will find references to: - [Being Civil Doesn't Always Pay](https://blog.joemanna.com/being-civil-doesnt-always-pay/) - For a while now, some of you know that I've made some mistakes with my past relationship. First of which is being too civil and reasonable. To some, that means "whipped," to me, I've made compromises and have maintained flexibility. The only problem was the other person was too stubborn, thus resulting in more drama - [The Great Web Debate: Ads!](https://blog.joemanna.com/the-great-web-debate-ads/) - Ever since the early 90's, Web users have always wanted to block pop-up ads from invading our desktops. It's been kind of a push-then-shove fight between users and Web sites. I'll share my perspective on the battle with online advertising and share some insight on both sides. No one likes ads, on the same note, - [Haha, I H8 IE!](https://blog.joemanna.com/haha-i-h8-ie/) - What better way to share your love passion for Internet Explorer than paying more for your next license plate? This is mine, no one take it, please! - [Why Radar Detectors Should Be Legal](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-radar-detectors-should-be-legal/) - In Virginia and DC, the possession and use of Radar Detectors are illegal. I had to give up mine when I moved here back in November '06. However, I never had the chance to explain my beliefs on why these devices should be legal. Myth: Radar detectors reduce speed of drivers. False. Speeding is usually - [If Meetings at Work Became More Like the Web](https://blog.joemanna.com/if-meetings-at-work-became-more-like-the-web/) - I saw this video a while back, but it's worth re-posting. This video mocks the behaviors of online forums. Warning: Some NSFW material: - [LCSD: Why Am I So Suspicious?](https://blog.joemanna.com/lcsd-why-am-i-so-suspicious/) - Alright, I've really had enough. Today, I went to lunch and I got pulled over again by a cop for "suspicious activity." I was pulled over previously this week also for the same reason. In all circumstances, I was obeying the law. I'm not sure why I seem so suspicious, I was traveling at a - [Wikipedia and Corporate Participation](https://blog.joemanna.com/wikipedia-and-corporate-participation/) - It should come to no surprise that when companies have their pages in Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia edited by people, that their communications departments have a chance to play, too. Wikiscanner, made by Virgil Griffith, has enabled a way for users to research the history and activity of the edits made to various articles, including - [What's In an Error Message? (or "Just Tell Me What's Wrong!")](https://blog.joemanna.com/whats-in-an-error-message-or-just-tell-me-whats-wrong/) - Error messages on the Web really do suck. Either they are too vague as to what the problem is, or not helpful enough after explaining the problem. Error messages today, have become the 404 pages of yesterday. Current Status Right now, error messages suck. They don't tell the user what heck is going on, the - [No, I Do Not Want to Restart My Computer!](https://blog.joemanna.com/no-i-do-not-want-to-restart-my-computer/) - I always wished for the option of "Do not remind me for 8 hours" in the constant "Automatic Updates" reminder. Yeah, yeah, I know I need to be more responsive to the Windows Update process but it's just so futile. Oh, how I drown in my hatred for Windows. - [Why Do We Love YouTube so Much?](https://blog.joemanna.com/why-do-we-love-youtube-so-much/) - In twelve minutes, I think I found the answer. - [Sprint's Waitless Video Campaign](https://blog.joemanna.com/sprints-waitless-video-campaign/) - Funny thing, I was stumbled into Sprint's Waitless campaign. The marketing genius behind this was pretty creative, but I still don't see how they make money. Maybe that's the secret. I think this is the best form of advertising for Sprint. Considering that I am either bitching about traffic or stuck on hold when I - [What Can WoW Teach Us About Community?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-can-wow-teach-us-about-community/) - I haven't purchased World of Warcraft yet, but a columnist for Venturebeat shares her observations as her husband and brother-in-law talked about the game. I found her account interesting and has a couple tips for new WoW users. When a new player starts playing WoW, they must understand that there is a learning curve and - [Where is the 'MySpace' for Adults?](https://blog.joemanna.com/where-is-the-myspace-for-adults/) - Frequently, I hunt for new social networking Web sites. MySpace feeling like a dull moment out of my generation, I wanted to find something different, that wasn't a place for 13 year old emo kids. Not that they are bad, but I tend to not care much about how difficult their suburbia life is when - [Weekly Roundup III](https://blog.joemanna.com/weekly-roundup-iii/) - I’m continuing my weekly roundup (although, this is more like a month or so) and this is the third installment. Comparing last week to now; things have shaken up for me. Find out what is happening in my life, work, and other things. My car is due for maintenance. Quite frankly, I'm surprised my tires - [When I'm not Working, I ...](https://blog.joemanna.com/when-im-not-working-i/) - ... don't do anything. Okay, okay, not really. A co-worker asked me this today and I realized that I had to think about this. I've just been so caught up in work, I lost my sense of personality -- briefly. I really don't have any interesting hobbies though. On my Friday and Saturday nights, I - [You Know You Are A Geek When ...](https://blog.joemanna.com/you-know-you-are-a-geek-when/) - I can't get these Internet Memes out of my head! Instead of reading them, I'll write my own. Feel free to add more in the comments. Your Know Your Are A Geek When ... You have more than one user name on your Instant Messenger. You actually know what OMGWTFBBQTCPIP means. You can explain the - [It Rains Every Weekend.](https://blog.joemanna.com/it-rains-every-weekend/) - You know you live in Northern VA when it rains every weekend. Seriously, when you're working all week, it's sunny and warm, but when you have an inkling to go outside on the weekend, clouds form and rain falls. Does anyone else notice the strange weather pattern lately? - [Oh, How Cliche: Microsoft Goes After Linux](https://blog.joemanna.com/oh-how-cliche-microsoft-goes-after-linux/) - The battle wages on. This time, Microsoft is claiming patents on various features and functions of the Linux operating system. This must be a sign of Redmond's severe lack of innovation and development. When you can't beat your competitor, just sue them. Not that I believe that Linux is a competitor, it is just another - [Cellphone Missing](https://blog.joemanna.com/cellphone-missing/) - If I'm not answering my calls on my cell phone, it's not because I don't like you. My phone is just missing in action. While I'd like to find it, I think I may use the opportunity to switch to Verizon. We shall see. :-) - [5 Firefox Extensions I Can't Live Without](https://blog.joemanna.com/5-firefox-extensions-i-cant-live-without/) - Firefox is an awesome Web browser that supports third-party extensions. These add-ons add even more power and control to the popular browser. I use the Internet more than 8 hours daily, so I've tried and kept many extensions, and I'll share my insight on them, here. What are extensions? ... Add-ons? Extensions are enhancements for - [Financial Freedom: Chase and Orchard Bank](https://blog.joemanna.com/financial-freedom-chase-and-orchard-bank/) - There was a time long ago when I didn't have debt. I get to revisit that time again -- partially. Two weeks ago, I completely paid off Chase and Orchard Bank. Coincidentally, both of these were a considerably low balance ($200 or less) on them, but I looked at my interest rate and I was - [An 'Interest'ing Blog: My Money Blog](https://blog.joemanna.com/an-interesting-blog-my-money-blog/) - So lately, I've been browsing some interesting blogs in the 'sphere and My Money Blog caught my attention. I've been reading it over the past few weeks, and got me thinking. Here's this guy who is just a regular person, blogging about saving money and shares his genius with others, collecting feedback and tips on - [6 Reasons Why I've Switched to Ubuntu Linux](https://blog.joemanna.com/6-reasons-why-ive-switched-to-ubuntu-linux/) - In my quest for the ideal computing experience, Ubuntu is the winner. I've been switching between Windows XP, Windows Vista and Ubuntu [Feisty Fawn]; all in all, Ubuntu takes the cake for many reasons. If you are interesting in learning more about Linux then continue reading. Why doesn't Windows suit my needs? Performance and reliability. - [What Holds Us Back From Accomplishing Goals](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-holds-us-back-from-accomplishing-goals/) - You're given two choices: the Easy Way or the Right Way -- which do you choose? Most people would like to think they choose the right way in life; but in reality, it's the easy way. So, ask yourself before you put something off or never try your hardest: Is it the easy way or - [Is Coding an Art?](https://blog.joemanna.com/is-coding-an-art/) - I was thinking the other day about how coding could potentially be an art. I think art is anything that sparks the imagination in someone. If coding is an art, then there's a lot of unknown artists around that people don't know about. Coding (or for the more sophisticated, Programming) is an art because a - [What am I doing?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-am-i-doing/) - A few things. I'm a little busy with work and all, but besides that... I added some basic blog comment policies here and listed my blogging disclosure. I'm trying to use twitter more and more, but the site is just so slow... (ack!). I'm also doing other stuff too but it's probably not interesting. (...or - [Resistance is Futile](https://blog.joemanna.com/resistance-is-futile/) - I've finally upgraded to Vista Ultimate. It wasn't as painful as you might expect. In any case, time to go tweak it and optimize the heck out of it. :) - [Do You Like The Snap Rollovers?](https://blog.joemanna.com/do-you-like-the-snap-rollovers/) - At first, I was very interested in the Snap™ roll-overs, known as "site previews." Although, now I'm not so sure because it has some latency issues. It could just me be though. So, I'll leave it to you. Vote in this 3-second poll! {democracy:3} - [You Know What Bugs Me?](https://blog.joemanna.com/you-know-what-bugs-me/) - Poor customer service! Don't you hate it when you purchase goods from a company and you are treated poorly or as if you even weren't there? The other day, I purchased a couple boxes of protein bars from a large superstore and the cashier didn't even even greet me, look at me, tell me my - [Blogging: Effectively Responding to Negative Comments](https://blog.joemanna.com/blogging-effectively-responding-to-negative-comments/) - One quality that make good bloggers into great bloggers is the ability to handle critical feedback. Reviewing the tips below, you should be able to seize the opportunity that is found in negative blog comments. Negative comments often carry on a few similar monikers such as hate-mail, complaints, critical feedback, opportunity to improve, etc. Generally, - [Heroes to Zeros](https://blog.joemanna.com/heroes-to-zeros/) - Check out this spoof of NBC's "Heroes" ad. Genius. I am so sick of watching NBC's ads for this show... but this makes it all worth it. :) - [Time Management 101](https://blog.joemanna.com/time-management-101/) - Yesterday, I went to a time management seminar aimed to improve my time management skills. What's was shocking was how much I needed this course since it was completely tailored for me. I validated my concerns for time management with the 13 other professionals that were in the same class as me. I took a - [Someone Special & Change](https://blog.joemanna.com/someone-special-change/) - There is someone out there that is special to me. We both know it and won't act; fearing the loss of a strong friendship. As you can tell, this posting isn't tech related, so feel free to keep reading my other posts. However, if you want to delve into my over analytical thought process on - [Netscape Burnout and Feedback](https://blog.joemanna.com/netscape-burnout-and-feedback/) - I haven't been posting much on Netscape lately, it's not that I don't want to or that I am boycotting it; rather, just the reward aspect of that it had on me. I loved posting everyday numerous interesting articles and being apart of the machine that Calacanis created, but I have the feeling of "eh, - [What Happens when you Remove the Heatsink from a Processor?](https://blog.joemanna.com/what-happens-when-you-remove-the-heatsink-from-a-processor/) - Ownage (Update 12:43 9/28) It seems my JavaScript and Netscape Video JavaScript just don't play well together. In anycase, here's a link to the Netscape Video story, holding the video. :) - [ROFLCOPTER](https://blog.joemanna.com/roflcopter/) - ROFLCOPTER! - [Blogging about work = Bad idea](https://blog.joemanna.com/blogging-about-work-bad-idea/) - Yeah, so just in short - blogging about work even if it's intended to help customers is bad. - [Change.](https://blog.joemanna.com/change/) - I dont necessarily mean this post to be a retraction to my previous ones; however, it shows the developmental process one goes though. I also dont mean this to sound, hm, "Flaming" or queer in anyway. A very long story short - Mark and I went through a lot of bullsh!t together and that messed - [I'm still here](https://blog.joemanna.com/im-still-here/) - I haven't disappeared from the internet. I've just been working and sleeping. The feeling of moving out feels good, especially since I will be leaving the dump that I'm in. I will also be able to save more money too. That's something I havent been able to do in a while because I let others - [Mr Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious](https://blog.joemanna.com/mr-pibb-red-vines-crazy-delicious/) - I was looking through my iTunes folder, I meant to post this. On Christmas, 2005, SNL and iTunes released a free video titled "Lazy Sunday". A little spoof of Chronicles of Narnia. And by the way, Mr Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious. - [Upgrading to WordPress 2.0](https://blog.joemanna.com/upgrading-to-wordpress-20/) - WordPress 2.0 GM'd and has a nicer interface and better anti-spam technology. You dont see all the spam comments I get, since I hold them in moderation before publishing; hopefully it will slow down. Please expect the blog to momentarily go down; and interface to change. Update: I upgraded it fairly seamlessly. I recommend to - [Psychology and Behaviors](https://blog.joemanna.com/psychology-and-behaviors/) - I was talking with Kyle, a previous room-mate who admittedly has had some alcohol and drug issues. He sucessfully completed his rehab and I commend him for doing that as I understand it is very difficult. I sincerely wish him the best of luck as he handles his business with that. However we did have - [Google acquires stake in AOL](https://blog.joemanna.com/google-acquires-stake-in-aol/) - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc. and America Online Inc. Tuesday expanded their search and advertising alliance to include video and instant messaging, shutting out Microsoft Corp., which had fought hard for a deal with Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit. Finally. I'm glad AOL chose google to partner with. Not only does Google make good - [New Google Homepage API for Developers](https://blog.joemanna.com/new-google-homepage-api-for-developers/) - Google is now opening the gates to other developers to make widgets for user's customized Google homepage. Google is rapidly becoming a large portal; that is making the ideal customized homepage for users. In other news... Microsoft, Google still vying for AOL - [Top 10 System Admin Truths](https://blog.joemanna.com/top-10-system-admin-truths/) - I completly agree with all ten truths... especially #1. #1 – Users Lie Oh yes, they do. Don’t think you’re immune either. Have you ever been on a tech support call, convinced that you know the problem and the guy on the phone says something like “Would you put in the recovery CD, restart, and - [Newsweek looks at Search Engine Optimization (SEO)](https://blog.joemanna.com/newsweek-looks-at-search-engine-optimization-seo/) - Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is something I think most web users need to understand, before they type their searches into Google. It will help them be able to decipher some results, and understand how search engines operate, therefore; users can type a more accute search. SEO has some good intentions too; aside from bumping 'casino' ## Pages - [About Joe Manna](https://blog.joemanna.com/about/) - Everything you wanted to know about Joe Manna. He lives in Phoenix and works in Scottsdale. His digital marketing work is seen throughout the web. - [Contact Me](https://blog.joemanna.com/contact-me/) - Oh, you want to chat with me? Great! A few things, first: I am unable to provide one-on-one assistance for any technical, legal or business matters. I do not want to receive any company or product pitches. For quicker replies, you can find me on Twitter. Please wait patiently for my reply. If you - [Focusing on Better Content](https://blog.joemanna.com/old-content/) - Hello, If you arrived at this page, it's because I recently took down one of my older (and probably better-performing) blog posts. Why? Ultimately, I believe that blog posts have a shelf-life and once they get so old that it is no longer relevant to my site or my current perspective, it is appropriate to - [Privacy Policy](https://blog.joemanna.com/about/privacy-policy/) - Our Privacy Policy was last updated and posted on June 25, 2013. It governs the privacy terms of our Website, located at https://blog.joemanna.com. Any capitalized terms not defined in our Privacy Policy, have the meaning as specified in our Terms of Service. Your Privacy Joseph Manna, LLC follows all legal requirements to protect your privacy. ## Categories - [uncategorized](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/uncategorized/) - [Blogging](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/blogging/) - My “catch-all” category for all blog entries. It sure beats “uncategorized.” - [Book Reviews](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/book-reviews/) - [Geeky](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/geeky/) - Topics that are geeky in nature. It’s OK, Geeks are cool now. - [Personal](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/personal/) - Things specifically about me! - [Social Media](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/social-media/) - [Tips](https://blog.joemanna.com/category/tips/) - You can find most of my tips, tutorials, how-to’s, and other guides here.