In late October, I moderated a panel called Tough Talk for Tender Causes for the Vancouver Board of Trade with three other social media experts, and today, I appeared in an article in the Vancouver Courier, all about Twitter!

Coplick claims she hasn’t read a mainstream newspaper in years. Her Twitter friends alert her to news that is important and then she follows up on online websites to find out more. Word of mouth, whether breaking news or about new movies, is what she says is driving the new communications media. Old fashioned media hype, advertising, marketing and promotions will all change when everybody has the opportunity to express an opinion publicly. It’s the ultimate democratic tool, an “online voting system” where honesty and integrity will be far more valuable than traditional corporate PR spin. [source]

My fellow interviewees include Michael Allison from PACE Group Communications, Steve Jagger from Reachd, and John Starkey of FCV Technologies, all of whom were on the panel for me.

Now, while several of the Vancouver Sun reporters and editors have begun to Twitter, the fact that the other papers are starting to pick this up means that, at least locally, Twitter is starting to go a touch more mainstream! (image source  courtesy The Vancouver Courier, Jason Lang)

Last night, approximately 250 people gathered at a bar in Vancouver to celebrate, recognize and award their favourite blogs that are written by folks in the Metro Vancouver region. There were hundreds of blogs nominated, and almost 6,000 votes. The people of our city have some very strong feelings about the blogs here and their writers!

Personally, I’m totally ok with that because Buzznetworker was what a few in the crowd were calling “the upset of the night” when I won the Best Tech Site category, over the assumed winner, Techvibes. Buzznetworker pulled in 21% of the overall votes for the category, which is fantastic and totally exciting.

As Rebecca put so perfectly, “I want to thank everyone that attended, those who voted, and every single person that has inspired me to keep doing all of this day in and day out - whether they are aware of it or not.”

Thank you to everyone who voted for me and for helping me make what BuzzNetworker is today, and watch this space for more award winning content coming your way!

(Best of 604 Winner Image: courtesy Miss604 on Flickr; Image of me, Nadia, Larry, Steve and an unknown guy, courtesy Raul on Flickr)

Readers, I need your help.  It will take you 2.5 seconds, I promise.

It seems I’ve been nominated for a cool little event called the Best of 604. It’s a best of list for Vancouver based blogs, and since I’m based in Vancouver, I qualify for this cool little award.

So, please, head here, and please vote for BuzzNetworker as a “Best Tech Site”, mmmk?

I love lists. I make lists all the time… I want to be on this list. It’s just cool.

So, help me out?

You guys rock!  Thanks!!!

Apparently, it’s a topic I cover quite often. According to wordie at least.

OK, this is cool. I don’t know who did it, but I’ve been nominated for the Hot Blogger Calendar. They’re only taking nominations till tonight, and they’re basing it on how many nominations the person gets. I’m up against some pretty stiff competition, so get’cher ass over to the site and nominate me!

I want to go to New York for the shoot!

See? Hot. Smart. Funny. Heck, you guys keep reading me! Go nominate me please!

On October 15th, more than 2,000 blogs around the world will write about poverty and will participate in Blog Action Day.

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Global issues like poverty are extremely complex. There is no simple, clear answer. By asking thousands of different people to give their viewpoints and opinions, Blog Action Day creates an extraordinary lens through which to view these issues. Each blogger brings their own perspective and ideas. Each blogger posts relating to their own blog topic. And each blogger engages their audience differently.

BuzzNetworker will be participating, I’m hoping to get the rest of the b5media Business Channel (and hopefully the Lifestyle Channel where Drinks After Dark lives) to play along as well. I’ll also be donating some of my revenue from BuzzNetworker in October to a microfinancing project through Kiva.

Blog Action Day has several resources to assist bloggers through the event as well.

So, will you be joining me? I’ll create a separate page within BuzzNetworker to compile all the links and bios for Blog Action Day if I get other people to join in with me.

Hat tip to Darren at ProBlogger for letting me know about the project.

(image and Video Source: Blog Action Day)

Many of the established and well respected blogs within the online marketing community have recently started to make their audiences available to a variety of new voices. I’ve done it here and both Michael Gray and Jeremy Shoemaker have both recently put the call out for guest bloggers.

I’m totally interested and willing to have guest bloggers on Buzznetworker, (see below) but I also take it very seriously. I have high standards – I want to make sure that it fits the tone and topic of my site, and that the content is exclusive – it can only be published here. I’m thrilled if my guest bloggers post and on their own site and link back to their post, but I’m uncomfortable when they start repurposing that content.

Darren Rowse, from ProBlogger has defined some great key criteria that any guest blogger should take into account before you submit a post.

1. Research the Blog
2. On Being Yourself
3. Look for Gaps in the blog
4. Sell Yourself
5. Be Reliable
6. Add Value

The sixth point here comes from Marketing Pilgrim and I think it’s a very good and relevant point. If you’re not adding value almost every time you post, whether that post is on your site or someone else’s, you’re just adding to the noise.

Guest blogging really is bringing a new voice and a new perspective to an established site, and it’s important to keep that in mind when you’re offering up a post for someone else’s site.

All this said, I am now officially throwing the doors open. I’m looking for guest posts. The only criteria I have is that the post is on topic of the site (Something social media related – case studies, advanced social media thoughts, opinion pieces…) and that you don’t republish the content anywhere else. Please make sure you link up your posts and provide any images you want to go along with the post, complete with appropriate attribution.

Comment and let me know if I should be looking out for a post from you, and I’ll make sure I watch my inbox. I’m really looking forward to seeing what my readers come up with!!

I spent the weekend thinking a lot about social networks, a bit about feeling a little social networked-out (I was barely on Twitter all weekend, and that’s unusual for me) and some time wondering what you guys want to see here. Am I delivering content you’re interested in? Is this content you care about? What would you like to see more of?

And so, to answer that question, I bring you the first BuzzNetworker Poll! (cue fanfare)

BWE, as it’s affectionately known in my circle, is coming up in September. Together, with Kristen King, a fellow b5 blogger, I entered a contest to win airfare to Vegas and hotel so we could attend BWE.

There was international coordination, crude Photoshop images, an “argument” “break ins” and a subsequent “make up”. It was complicated and required some serious skype conversations to get it all organized.

To even show you these, I have to give you a bit of explanation. See, Ed is the b5 mascot. He’s our social director and various other things. Ed’s the man. Ed’s also the man-equin.

Part of the contest was to tell the b5 Toronto crew what you would do to get a girlfriend for Ed. Kristen professed her love,

I told her she was going to ruin her marriage.

It went on from there.

and on.

and on.

and on. and on. and still further.

And then, a guy came in and usurped us. He made this amazing video at the mall, and I don’t know how he even managed to film in store, but he did. Whatever, dude beat us out.  (but seriously, congratulations Jon. This really did rock)

So now, I have a full conference pass for BWE, but I need to find me a sponsor to cover airfare and hotel. Are you, or do you know, a company interested in sending a prolific blogger to BlogWorldExpo? Someone who will produce stellar images, excellent video content, Twitter almost nonstop and blog about it? All "brought to you by…"?

If you think this might be you, or you know someone who’s alley this might be right up, let me know. You can find me here, here, here, here, or here or call me at 604-837-6748.

To celebrate the summer solstice (occurring this year on June 20, the first time since 1975 that it hasn’t occurred on June 21), BuzzNetworker and the Business Channel, together with the Entertainment Channel, are participating in The Great Blog Off.

The Great Blog Off is an opportunity to do something good. The Business Channel will be supporting Accion International as our charity for the Great Blog Off. The mission of Accion is:

to give people the tools they need to work their way out of poverty. By providing microloans, business training and other financial services to poor men and women who start their own businesses, Accion’s partner lending organizations help people work their own way up the economic ladder, with dignity and pride. With just a little capital, people can grow their own businesses. They can earn enough to afford basics like running water, better food and schooling for their children.

Basically, Accion helps small businesses all over the world to become established through small, manageable loans and business advice. This concept of microlending is fabulous and their payback record is impressive.

Charity Navigator gives Accion their highest rating for, among other things, having a low administrative expenses to donations ratio.

So, how can you help?

1, Donate. We have partnered with Accion so that you can go directly to their site to make a donation. No amount is too small - every dollar makes a difference! And remember, donations to Accion are tax deductible (you totally knew I was going to bring that up, right?).

2, Spread the Word. Tell your friends. Text your bffs. Link to taxgirl.com or other sites on the Business Channel and let folks know about The Great Blog Off! Tweet about it on twitter (follow me at twitter.com/taxgirl). Whatever you can do to get the word out is much appreciated!

3, Guest Post. I have a lot of posting to do on the day of the Blog Off. If you’re interested in offering a post to help, that would be great. You can send me an email (check out the link in the side bar) if you need more info.

4, Stop By and Comment. I’d love to have your virtual support on the day of the Blog Off. Come on over and chat for awhile!

(Image: Arieanna Schweber)