Why I Set Up the SoCon Network Site

[Leonard Witt]

Welcome everyone who has been through SoCon07, 08 and maybe 09. After 290 participants sign up for 1.5 days of face-to-face meeting, it would be a shame to see them just go away. So we can come back together right here over and over again.

Since the SoCon folks live mostly in Metro Atlanta, in Georgia and in surrounding states, we don't have to wait a whole year to meet face to face. I hope this will keep the action going and let like-minded people develop their ideas together.

My own interests are in citizen media, citizen journalism and now social networking because I want to make news that's integrated with community building, be they communities of interest or geographical communities.

The Social Media interests at SoCon08 include Web Magazines, Entrepreneurship, Politics, Education, Public Relations, Marketing, Good Works, Podcasting, Videocasting and much more. Perhaps like-minded people will start their own groups within this larger umbrella group, just as I did with the Citizen Media group.

It would also be nice to have people show case their Social Media relate photos, videos and podcasts. It all can be done here. Of course, you can use this site to link back to your own sites. I know I will be doing that with the PJNet.org.

Finally, you have to play the game to understand it and that's what else the SoCon Network provides. Join, participate, share, learn and enjoy.

[Jodie Davis]

Leonard this is a brilliant idea! thanks for providing a forum in which to continue the discussion.

[Leonard Witt]

Hi Jodie:

Welcome. It will be an experiment to see how active folks are here at the site.

[Jodie Davis]

Perhaps we need something to focus on. Like a case study.

[Leonard Witt]

Hi Jodie:

A case study sounds good. Got an idea for one?

[Jodie Davis]

I'd offer the community we're adding to our lineup, but I want to be sure it's something the greatest number of people will find useful--applicable. It will add to the video: blogging, photo sharing, message boards, events 9Im doing national Quilting day in March through the current blog, but this will be greatly expanded), ratings, expanded e-commerce (espcially since we just acquired a major mail order business) and things like the 365 and Thing-a-day ideas.
I left the conference and then visited the Social Media Club site and saw what chapters are up to and came up with the same thought: Those b-school case studies are the best way to learn once you get beyond SM101.

[Jodie Davis]

For a more concrete idea, how about putting out one social media-related issue we're facing to get a real life discussion going about solving a problem, or figuring our how to approach soemthing?
I have two in mind myself and I bet others have their own.

[Leonard Witt]

Hey, Jodie. Good idea. Why not put one of those case studies out and see the reaction? Ihave a project two that I will be releasing in a few weeks. I might just deliver it here for help.

[Jodie Davis]

Cool! Will do! this will be a fun experiment.

[Steve Cadley]

Jodie, & Leonard,

I am very interested in using this forum for continued learning and exploring around social networking and particularly like the idea of case studies as a basis for expanding discussions. As an Masters student in Organization Development & Change at American University in DC I am fascinated with the impact of social networking on how change will be happening. Social networking has the potential to severly challenge some fundamental change theories. So I think case studies would a great way to stimulate discussion.

To that end I have link to a flash video that you may have seen before but is very interesting. It is the history of the interenet...but looking back from 2015. It theorizes the outcome of the coming conflict between traditioanl media and the "new media". Might be something good for it's own blog posting to generate some discussion.

http://epic.makingithappen.co.uk/

[Steve Cadley]

Hmmm will work on my spelling and syntax for my next post. Guess I have been relying on automatic editing for to long.