Selecting a Social Solution

Twitter versatile.

Today’s post is only tangentially related to Twitter. Embedded below, thanks to Storify, is something I constructed quickly for a client who was recently contemplating whether or not to implement a social media campaign. They were asking a lot of the same questions about adding a social layer to their existing marketing and public relations efforts that many non-profit organizations are finally asking. I want to share it with you for a couple of reasons:

I want to know what you think.
I want you to use it for yourself.
I want you to improve on it.





There’s a lot to digest for newcomers to the social landscape, and I tried to point out the benefits of diving in while addressing some of the potential hurdles.

If you have thoughts, I would love to hear them. Otherwise, I’ll get back to sharing some more Twitter-specific information when I see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Vanity Square

Status conscious.

This month’s issue of Vanity Fair features a great piece about one of Twitter’s founders and former CEO, Jack Dorsey. Writer David Kirkpatrick talked to friends, family, mentors, and collaborators to create a profile of a introverted innovator obsessed with simplifying patterns for a more elegant every-day.

“I think Twitter is the future of communications, and Square will be the payment network. We’re going big.”
Jack Dorsey- Vanity Fair, April 2011

Believe it or not, I met Mr. Dorsey once. He was quiet, polite, and gracious with a few moments for me—all before going onstage to fill in for a delayed Biz Stone at the first @SFGiants Tweetup.

In my brief time with him, I was able to discern Mr. Dorsey’s desire, as the article points out, to do good with gadgets that are great. But what surprised me most about the insights in the article—besides finding out Mr. Dorsey had a nose ring, too—is the personality similarities evident in those responsible for the early days of Twitter.

The visionaries behind Twitter all seem to place emphasis on similar things: simplicity, ingenuity, urbanity, and generosity. These qualities seem imbued in the partners’ product as well as the company’s culture. No wonder so many want to work there. And all Jack wants to do is run New York City. It’s good to have goals. One of my short-term objectives is to see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

What Is and What Should Never Be

Happy Twitterversary.

Today marks the one year anniversary of Sean Garrett’s tenure as a Vice President of Communications. I was hoping to be a part of his team by now, but I’ve yet to make that a reality. It seems not-so-long-ago when friends were sharing open positions at a little start up in SOMA called Twitter. One offer was for a “Founder Associate.” Another was for a “Communications Associate.”

“Twitter is defining a new form of communication that is touching people’s lives across the world. We are small but well-funded and building a company to last. We are currently a team of 25 and looking for a few key people who will help take us to the next level.”
Twitter Founder Associate Job Description- Jobscore, 16 March 2009

Both positions seemed exciting, new, and unknown, but I was happy where I was, and had no reason to leave. I was already using Twitter—a lot. I was even using it in my job. And even though I was a tireless advocate of its uses, potential, and evolution as a new communications platform, working there never seemed to make sense. All that changed once It's power to do good started to become more apparent to me.

It’s no secret that when I first moved out to California my goal was to join the forces of good at Google.org. But as their priorities changed, I found myself looking for somewhere else to aim my corporate social responsibility ambitions. I was working for the Intel Education Foundation, but I knew that their focus—and funding—was limited. I longed to find a place to make a greater impact.

Other jobs have come and gone, most with non-profits, and some simply to fund an increasingly more expensive San Francisco existence, but I still feel driven to put my knowledge to use helping others. That doesn’t mean that Twitter’s recent rejection of my advances to join the flock hurts any less; it just means that I need to fine-tune my focus for getting in the door. So my new aim is to harness my interests to bridge the gaps between Twitter’s Communication, Media, and Philanthropic teams.

The details of my focus, what I can offer, and the strategy for getting there are still emerging. But they all start with finishing the application I have been trying to build on the Twitter API for the last few months. Harnessing information and redirecting it into action remains my new creation’s goal. As we’ve seen in northern Africa, information is at its most meaningful when it’s acted upon. So I hope to create an end product which will make that divide much smaller.

As usual, I’ll keep you updated on things as they progress. And I’m sure I’ll post a distraction or two about Twitter news in the meanwhile. But I’ll keep building. And writing. And trying to join the flock, while looking for you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Converging Philanthropic Interests

Ready to win the future.

Twitter Co-founder Biz Stone is in Washington D.C. today, announcing that he is joining the efforts of ConvergeUS. The live event will highlight how to amplify the efforts of technology, non-profit, governmental, and academic entities in creating social innovation.

Video streaming by Ustream

I hope they touch on the difficulty of implementing widely adoptable pedagogical changes in a climate of reduced education funding. If ConvergeUS wants to make some real changes, I hope it focuses on using technology to make education less expensive, and teachers more valued. If they come up with anything, we can evaluate it when I see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Haiti Still Needs Hope

Haitian Red Cross.

Today, on the one year anniversary of the quake in Haiti, I want to take a brief moment to remind you not just of the devastation, but of the continued need for help.

Not soon after initial reports of the tremor, Twitter exploded with information. One vital part of the information being shared was how to help. Many people did. Many still are. But as this week’s “Frontline” pointed out, the people of Haiti are still in desperate need. Twitter’s Hope for Haiti efforts are still ongoing, and they posted a similar reminder of today’s anniversary on the Hope 140 Blog.

So, if you can, please continue whatever efforts you started when you heard Haiti was in need. Or, make your first effort now, and use your social network to encourage others to to the same. Give today, and I’ll see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Complete Epiphany

Choose to act.

Now this is what I’m talking about! Leave it to the man who got me into this; Dusty Reagan has created a Twitter account that closes the gap between information and action: AlmostCompleted.

As I’ve said many, many times before, gathering information is merely the start of the process when making change. The most vital part is action. What Mr. Reagan has done here further reduces the barrier between information and action. It’s fine for the Donors Choose account to let you know about their news and notable mentions, but the AlmostCompleted account now gets you closer to helping fulfill the Donors Choose mission: funding projects.

This is a great combination of context, programming, information distribution. I applaud Mr. Reagan’s efforts, but wish he went even further. How ’bout a one-click donation process? Or an accompanying site that aggregates and auto-updates all the projects close to completion? Don’t get me wrong, I love this. But I still think that there is a way to use Twitter as something more than an information network. I want to transform it to an action network. And I’ll keep trying today, and see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Flocking to the Fiesta

¡Twitter!

It’s holiday party season, and I write this after coming home from one. It wasn’t the one you think, though. If I keep working at this, I hope to be at Twitter’s party next year. I think I need to build something great first. And I’m working on that.

Although today was productive, it was full of disappointment. First, I missed the live chat this morning between assistant managing editor for The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Peter Panepento and Twitter’s Social Innovation & Philanthropy Lead, Claire Diaz Ortiz. Next, I lost the intern-for-a-day Twitter auction to benefit the Fledgling Initiative. Lastly—and probably most importantly—I found a skip in one of my favorite Xmas records.

So, with a visions of holiday-themed beverages dancing in my head, I’ll settle my brain for a long winter's nap, hoping to see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

PhilanthrAPI

Phone hope.

I’ve been reading lots today, but only a little about making something with the Twitter API. Some of the interesting items I came across are mentioned below, but few are specific to developing for the Twitter platform. Take heart, though; they are all about Twitter and about APIs. Except for the one about giving.

Still reeling from the Clinton Keynote at Dreamforce yesterday, I thought the coincidental timing about Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement was interesting. He has joined the “Giving Pledge.” This is a laudable effort. But as President Clinton mentioned in his address, while it’s helpful for a very few to give a lot, it’s much better if we all give a little. We need to make it easy for everyone to give, no matter if the giving is in the form of things, time, money, or ideas.

Bridging the gap between giving and developing is Random Hacks of Kindness. This initiative features a community of world wide developers creating software solutions to solve our greatest humanitarian problems. They held a big event this past weekend. If you have more skills than I, join them. I’ll be there eventually.

Now, back to our originally scheduled show: The Pew Center released a report on Twitter usage. There are some very interesting trends there, and I hope that I get to take advantage of them very soon. The one that intrigues me the most is where people are using it. I think that I’m going to have to add a substantial mobile component to my original idea if I want it to last for any decent amount of time.

There were also two API announcements I saw today. I have no real use for either of them at this time, since I mostly have no idea what to do about them, but they will be very important to me soon. Well, as soon as I understand why they are important.

First, Matt Harris sent some advice about where you are sending your Twitter API requests. And Foursquare announced that they have released their new API. Like when learning a foreign language, I hope that I get to understand the finer details about both of these announcements very soon. Until then, I’ll see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.

Putting the “API” in “Giving”

Cloudy, with a chance of Clinton.

I spent the entire day at Dreamforce. Thus, I read nothing related to dummies or Twitter applications. I did get to see Stevie Wonder and President Bill Clinton speak to about 20,000 people. Both were unbelievably inspiring, and made me more focused than even on being part of a re-emerging thought economy in the United States.

“We’ve got to get back in the tomorrow business.”
President Bill Clinton– Dreamforce 2010 Keynote

The economic and education stats that President Clinton shared concerning where we rank in relation to the rest of the world were staggering. In a room full of people who could make a direct impact on helping business get back to business, I think the message was pitch-perfect and perfectly timed.

The fact that President Clinton was there highlights a broader focus Salesforce.com founder, chairman, and CEO Marc Benioff places on giving. I love the passion Mr. Benioff has for this, and would love an opportunity to combine it with a larger philanthropic effort at Twitter. The Salesforce.com Foundation, Intel Foundation, Google.org, all of these are projects successful companies have built into their business models to do more than just focus on making profits; they are making good.

It reminds me of a book I read while still working in Florida: Robert H. Frank’s What Price the Moral High Ground?. The basic premise is that doing well and doing good are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go hand-in-hand. It’s something I’ve always been interested in, and an idea I’d like to implement at Twitter, if I ever get there. Until then, it’s back to the book.

By the way, Twitter VP of product, and all-around nice guy, Jason Goldman announced at Le Web that he is leaving at the end of the month. I’m not going anywhere, and will see you on the ‘morrow, on the Web.