2) BRAND BRAND BRAND

Presenting on New Media & Millennials in Atlanta, GA

I’m a big fan of blogging.

Maybe that’s why I am currently leading a New Media Team while at my day job.

Or maybe it’s that reading mashable is one of my daily routines.

However you look at it, I like to call myself the CBO: Chief Blogging Officer. [Techyness note: I totally made this title up and the team makes fun of me for it.]

Each week, the team comes together to discuss what’s “going on” in the new media scene, and also to collaborate on our team projects.

A few weeks ago, our meeting was scheduled for shortly after Apple’s Macbook annoucement.We had to take “breaks” to check what the blogs were posting on the subject.

Calls like this one make me think back one year ago – our Blog v1.0 – the predecessor to the blog as you see it now. It was the day when our Facebook page was new, the Wikipedia entry had just launched, and we were the first (and only!) leadership program with a blog.

It’s interesting to work on blogs both personal in nature (techyness) and professional (imlp blog).  But on the techyness, I’m the solo blogger an operator. But working on a blog with a dedicated team while at work has led me to increase my knowledge on blogging, social media and how to manage a team… by just listening to my coworkers.

It’s important to understand the differences between the two – as they have different audiences and “goals” (yes blogs have goals too..)

Excerpts via GE IMLP BLOG

Theta Badge

Readers of the Techyness-

you can now find posts by yours truly on the Kappa Alpha Theta (ΚΑΘ) Alumnae Blog where (no surprise) I am working to bring aspects of the techyness to a wider audience. Although the posts will be different from what I post on my personal blog, many of the posts will continue to take a techy tone.

Background on Theta:
While pursuing my undergraduate degree at Syracuse University, I was (and still remain to be) a member of the Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity.

Therefore, when I was approached by Bettie Locke herself to become a blogger for the alumnae website, how could I turn her down?

A Few Facts on Theta (Thanks to Wikipedia):

• Founded January 27, 1870
• Over 125 chapters
• 210,000+ collegiate members
• Alpha Chapter is at DePauw University
• First Greek-letter women’s college fraternity

As time passes by, I’ll update both twitter and the techyness with my personal thoughts on my adventures in blogging.

Alana’s blog contribution count as of September 2009: 3.

Alana says... Yay for the Techyness!

Over the past year, I’ve received a few e-mails, gChat messages, and IMs from friends who have mentioned to me that the Techyness is bringing them the news before some of the bigger names in news (not all the time, I’m just one girl!)

Example #1- Online Savings (Retail Me Not, Online Coupon Codes)

CNBC Article: August 7, 2008
ABC News Article: May 8, 2008

Techyness/Daily Orange: November 13, 2007

Example #2 – PadMapper (Display CraigsList results via Google Maps)

GeekSugar: March 3, 2009
LifeHacker: March 2, 2009
TechChuck: March 2, 2009

Techyness Post: February 4, 2009

Example #3 – LiveKick (Love these guys, they even added me to their blogroll)

**Hasn’t hit mainstream yet-couldn’t find anything on NBC/ABC etc

Techyness Post: January 7, 2009

I've graduated from 2 years of blogging!

Last week, I gave a presentation on “Managing Gen Y” to a group of CIOs, and while talking about social media and collaborative technologies, the Techyness came up in conversation.

And then I realized something… I’ve been blogging for over two years. 2 years!

Here is a throwback to the first post on the Techyness, with backward compatibility as the subject matter. And, If I remember correctly, I referenced Time’s Person of the Year 2006 shortly afterwards.

So, why blog?

Just a simple google search on the phrase leads me to this result from the New York Times about how the blogger who started Stuff White People Like landed a book deal… because of his blog (the full list is actually pretty funny).

Sure, I haven’t won a Weblog award, like this list of winners for 2008… but

The Techyness has also allowed me to coach other people in their blogging endeavors, and I love the whole “blogging mentor” thing.

So, what’s in scope for the future of Techyness? I think it will grow with me. As I learn (graphic design, code, life, etc), these skills will have a direct effect on the blog.

I’m a girl. And I have a blog.

Seems pretty simple– but I’ve found that a majority of people that I connect with on this whole technology/social media/blogging/UGC thing are guys.  Now, I don’t have a problem with that- I actually like boys (!) but it is nice to connect with a female on this topic once in a while.

While researching technology conferences coming to my area this fall, my friend George informed me of the BlogHer conference. The main event is in San Fran but BlogHer is coming to small(er) cities as well. I’m planning to attend the Atlanta event.

In researching the event (which seems pretty cool), I found a special note from Katie Couric, who is supporting the event. Then I came across a whole conglomeration of Mommy blogs, including the NYC area, and Silicon Valley.

But the coolest thing is that these moms are making a road trip from Northern Virginia to San Francisco in a (sponsored) fully-loaded hybrid vehicle complete with wireless, gps, cameras, video games, video cameras and more. And they’re blogging the whole thing. All to go to the blogher conference!(If i wasn’t in Danbury for training I would love to fly out to san fran for this!)

 “Women have the been the majority of Internet users for three or four years now,” said Lisa Stone, co-founder of BlogHer, a site for women who read and write blogs. “You are seeing the confluence of the world’s most powerful consumer, the American woman, and a user who finally has the tools she needs to express herself.”

-New York Times