Geek dinners tend to resort to nerdy talk about tech news, the latest shiny social media gadget, and the latest social networking stories and stats. In our space, it also tends to turn into a discussion of the latest PR and marketing gaffes. It is called a Geek Dinner, after all.

I was pleased, while in Toronto last week for a vacation with my wife, when she agreed to join me for such a meet up with some of Toronto’s PR and marketing best, Donna Papacosta, Dave Fleet, Martin Waxman, Ed Lee, and fellow FHers David Bradfield and Eden Spodek. It was a blast to meet some of my coworkers face-to-face finally and shake hands with some of my inspirations and corporate rivals. Bonus, my wife even enjoyed it, so she says.

Donna, in addition to organizing the whole thing, tipped me off to this hilarious gem from College Humor that turns West Side Story into…well, I imagine what a Geek Dinner Musical would sound like. Thanks to all for making the trip downtown for the meet up.

more about “Friday Frivolity – Web Site Story“, posted with vodpod

Welcome to the Rundown Podcast. Here I give and get The Rundown on social media and all things Public Relations and Digital marketing on the web.

Episode 4 of The Rundown Podcast features part two of my discussion of podcasting with communication and podcast rockstars – Shel Holtz (@shel) and Neville Hobson (@jangles) from the For Immediate Release series of podcasts. They recently released the results of their listener survey, which spurred a detailed discussion of podcasting past, present and future…

I also welcome back Ashley Mead in a new segment I’ve dubbed: Calling You – at a Moment’s Notice! Ashley’s got an interesting new hobby that really gives you the perspective from 15,000 feet.

The Rundown with Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson – Part II

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Join the show and send audio or text comments, suggestions and complaints to:

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• Audio comment line: +1 206.337.3731
• Skype: lukearmour
• Twitter: lukearmour
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Show Notes

• 00:00 Music by Me
• 00:40 Welcome
• 01:19 Calling You – at a Moment’s Notice! Starring Ashley Mead
• 04:50 Segue into the podcast discussion with Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson
• 04:56 Podcasting as niche vs widespread adoption for podcasts
• 05:55 Podcast Community Catalyst
• 08:00 Global podcast perspective
• 08:55 Podcast education
• 10:41 Podcast technology vs. podcast disinterest
• 11:44 Audio Blogging
• 13:57 Rise of Video Blogging
• 14:20 Big Media – independent podcasters vs. mainstream media
• 17:24 What is podcasting really vs. what is podcasting ideally
• 18:21 State of podcasting
• 19:50 Podcasting is dead
• 21:51 Where can we find them?
• 22:22 Break
• 22:29 Farewell
• 22:51 Mr. Media rolls us out.

Don’t hesitate to send in audio or text comments, questions, feedback and anything else that suits your fancy. I reserve the right, of course, to play or read any and all of your comments as well as delete them without a second thought. But don’t let that stop you from giving it a shot!

Please let me know what you think via email or leave an audio comment at: +1 206.337.3731.

With all of the exciting things being released from Google recently, including the convoluted, yet promising Google Wave, the experimental organized search-relevancy tool that is Google Squared, and the promise of Chrome on Mac and Linux, Google is certainly making strides to bury the release of Microsoft’s search engine Bing continue to be the a powerhouse in search and Internet-based collaboration.

So, what else will Google continue to provide to us – and at what cost? Check out ROOMMATES – Episode 1 from the boys at The Big Honkin, a hilarious adventure when Google becomes their roommate.

I’m looking forward to more, because as Google continues to roll out new services, Google Roommate may not be far behind. Hat tip agian to my colleauge and Internet bloodhound (in the nicest way) JayVee for pointing this out to me.

On the web, transparency and trust matter. Reputation management is increasingly important since, every day, the control of the message slips further out of the corporate grasp. Think about what messages you and your company are broadcasting. Then think about what you and your company are actually doing. Then think about what people actually say about you. Do any of them match up?

The netizens of the Interwebs have a funny way of sniffing out the truth of the matter and reporting it, which can seriously damage your reputation and ultimately consumer trust. Not that you work for or run Dilbert’s company. Nor would you do those sorts of things, right? Right?!

But more importantly, do you even know what people online are saying about you? Perception becomes reality – right or wrong. And while the control of your brand is fundamentally out of your hands, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be monitoring and engaging with people who do have that control. That’s why it’s called reputation management, not control.

Now, go have a good weekend, but keep the Google Alerts coming.

Welcome to the Rundown Podcast. Here I give and get The Rundown on social media and all things Public Relations and Digital marketing on the web.

Episode 3 of The Rundown Podcast features part one of a discussion of podcasting with two of my favorite podcasters – Shel Holtz (@shel) and Neville Hobson (@jangles) from the For Immediate Release series of podcasts. They recently released the results of their listener survey, which spurred a detailed discussion of podcasting past, present and future…

The Rundown with Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson – Part I

	Subscribe using iTunes
	Use your own podcatcher (RSS)

Join the show and send audio or text comments, suggestions and complaints to:

• 
• Audio comment line: +1 206.337.3731
• Skype: lukearmour
• Twitter: lukearmour
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Show Notes

• 00:00 Face off
• 00:41 Welcome
• 01:33 Comments? Suggestions?
• 01:50 Segue
• 02:00 Welcome, again
• 02:20 Introduction of Neville and Shel
• 05:00 The FIR Listener Survey – why release the survey results?
• 07:29 Changes to The Hobson & Holtz Report?
• 08:20 Length
• 09:05 Podsafe Music – Really?
• 11:40 RSS vs. iTunes
• 13:49 iPod vs. iPhone
• 16:02 Conversation Rules
• 17:03 Podcast Stats – Downloads vs. Listeners
• 18:37 Is content still king? (eMarketer study Podcasting Into the Mainstream, March 2009)
• 21:07 Diversity in audience – why and how?
• 22:57 Podcast listenership
• 25:21 Break
• 25:30 Luke pimps these other podcasts:
  • Grizzly’s Growls Episode 100 focused on podcasters benefitting from PR featuring Shel, Nevill and the Inside PR team of Jones, Fallis and Waxman.
  • Also, a great discussion on SEO in PR with Eric Schwartzman’s On The Record Online with Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan.

Don’t hesitate to send in audio or text comments, questions, feedback and anything else that suits your fancy. I reserve the right, of course, to play or read any and all of your comments as well as delete them without a second thought. But don’t let that stop you from giving it a shot!

Please let me know what you think via email or leave an audio comment at: +1 206.337.3731.

In this sequel to Twouble with Twitters from Current_’s SuperNews, Twitter jumps the, uh…whale and Darren…well, you’ll just have to see.

Which character are YOU in this interpretive animated sketch? The Celebrity? The Skeptic? The Pusher? The Flock of Sheep?

Even more important, which group does your audience, client, customer, vendor, or potential customer belong to? How will you reach them? Is this even a way to reach them? Before latching on to the next shiny new thing, let’s stop, look and listen to make sure we’re on target, on strategy, and on message.

[feed readers click through for video]

Hat tip to JayVee for flagging this video for me.

As Twitter popularity grows, so does the resulting questioned looks we get as we try to explain it.

And no wonder, imagine Twitter in real life…
[feed readers click through for video]

This is what happens when you actually say the things you would normally just tweet, out loud and in public.

Very reminiscent of my Friday Frivolity – Facebook in Real Life post from last year.

I harp on this a lot, but you’ve always got to see how your audience is going to see a new tool, a new tactic or a new strategy. So remember this when talking to clients – put on your newbie glasses and try as hard as you can to see what they’re seeing. Whether it’s a new digital approach to an old problem or an exciting new step in unchartered territory; always view it from the audience’s perspective first. Then explain it. Then execute with the client’s blessing.

Because if you don’t explain in properly, your just showing people pictures of your cat.*

*not meant to slight cat people, cat bloggers or cats who blog. Please don’t email hate mail to me, it’s a reference to the video. Watch it again. I love cats, actually. I’m a cat guy myself. If I had a cat, I’ll bet he would blog. I had cats before blogs or at least before most cats blogged. It’s the keyboard she didn’t like. Now, if they come up with some meow-recognition software that actually WORKS, then we’re talking…

If you’re a regular reader of this blog – and why wouldn’t you be, since it’s so entertaining (also, easy to keep up with) – you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of the For Immediate Release series of podcasts featuring digital communication virtuosos Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson. These podcasts include:

• FIR: The Hobson & Holtz Report – a twice-weekly show recorded on Mondays and Thursdays with commentary and opinion at the intersection of online communication, business and technology.
• FIR Live – a monthly live call-in show hosted at BlogTalkRadio where a topical issue is up for discussion by the two co-hosts and anyone who cares to call in or add an opinion in the chat room.
• FIR Cuts – occasional clips from the virtual cutting room floor of The Hobson & Holtz Report.
• FIR Interviews with newsmakers and influencers from the online technology and organizational communication worlds
• FIR Book Reviews aligned with our theme of PR/communications and the online world
• FIR Speakers and Speeches – occasional podcasts of speeches, keynote addresses, breakout sessions, and other recordings from meetings and conferences of interest to PR and communication professionals.

Tomorrow is the last chance to participate in the 2009 FIR Listener Survey to help educate the hosts on what you like/dislike about the shows. The survey they conducted in 2006 provided some invaluable feedback and helped make the show that much better. All comments welcome, which is good, since I plan to suggest they figure out a way to send microwave popcorn through the RSS feed to munch on during the shows. I know, I can be a very stern critic.

So please, if you listen to the show, take 10-15 minutes to complete the survey. And if you aren’t listening to the show (at least the Hobson and Holtz Report) shame on you.

Mmm, I can almost taste that popcorny goodness now…

I, as a humble observer of the digital landscape, merely comment on the buzz therein. So, yes, I appear to be on a Twitter kick, but with good reason, it’s getting popular – and ultimately ridiculed because of it. People and businesses are using it, but still many people outside the fruit-drink chugging circle will look at you like an alien if you try to explain or show them Twitter out of context. As evidenced by the following hilarious video.

While they’re a any number of fantastic communication, entertainment and business reasons to use Twitter – please be very aware of the perception many will have of it. And while I hope the Fail Whale doesn’t try to eat you because of it, certainly your boss or client will if you aren’t prepared with a solid explanation of how this helps the driving goal of the organization.

I’ve been a fan of SuperNews since I posted about the Social Networking Wars some time ago. For more head to http://current.com/supernews or catch the Season Premiere, airing tonight, Friday March 20, 10 PM ET.

Here’s a cool update: I just got a DM on Twitter from @jimmyeatworld “thanks for the nice article! and thanks for listening.” Nice work, guys. I’m hooked.

As a fan of both social media and music, I like to report on outstanding social web exercises. One of my favorite bands, Jimmy Eat World, has been forcing me to engage with them online – and I like it.

Check out my guest post, Jimmy Eat World Gets Social on The Round Table where I discuss my love affair with the band’s engaging approach to their 10-year anniversary of the Clarity album.

Check Jimmy out online:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimmyeatworld

Website: http://jimmyeatworld.com/

Clarity site: http://clarity.jimmyeatworld.com/

Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/jimmy-eat-world-live