You are currently browsing the matt klawitter digital communications marketing archives for June, 2008.

Be Transparent, Save Trust

June 30th, 2008

I am an avid user of Twitter. For some reason, this service has done more to connect me with friends and family than any other Web 2.0 creation. It just “gets me.” The technology does not overly intimidate me because it does what they say it does. The concept is simple and clear to me. And, I get it.

But, recently the service has had issues of performance and reliability. Twitter is obviously starting to reach critical mass, and it shows. Slowly, others in the web-critique business have taken notice — and, it has become somewhat popular to slam this scrappy web app. You can’t blame the critics. Once you get hooked on a service, it must always, always work. That is the expectation on the web.

So, with outages and the resulting damage to Twitter’s reputation, how has this company kept my faith? Simple. They are transparent about their issues. They blog about the problems, are open in public forums about the growing pains, and spread promising information about securing more funding and hiring employees. There is very minimal spin. It feels honest, transparent, and sincere. Twitter is, by design, often a brief glimpse into someone else’s thoughts. And, to know that the people behind Twitter itself are honest, makes me willing to give them the benefit of the doubt during the build-up.

And, after all, I can (perhaps) go a few hours without knowing what my friends are eating and drinking. Nevertheless, I am impressed with Twitter’s candor, and it is an important lesson in the culture of web services. Once you have earned trust, you must work hard to hold on to it.

Posted in Analysis | Permalink

Other Recent Posts:

LinkedIn Group for Web in HighEd

June 3rd, 2008

Last month, I decided to try something new to reach other higher education communicators — especially those that have the Web as their primary responsibility. I often feel somewhat “unique” at work. That is, there are no other comparable positions to mine at the University. There are a few that come close, but when it comes down to specifics, I am one.

This has been an issue from time-to-time for me because I have not (until now) made a real effort to reach out and connect with other professionals in positions such as mine outside of Notre Dame. This changed a few months ago when I connected with a peer at an Ivy League school. We had so much in common, and I benefited greatly from the discussion. We both left the conversation wanting to connect more and to include others.

Where to network?

In order to get this started, I required a website that could help me reach out and connect with others, to get the word out virally, and to encourage the self-creation of a national roster of Web communicators in higher education. I chose LinkedIn. I already used this website for connecting with other professionals in my social and professional networks. It has a group feature. So, I tried it.

I created a group in LinkedIn, sent a link to one (yes, only one) other person in May 2008, and waited. Slowly, word got out, and now (June 3, 2008) there are over 80 people in the group. It was the first time (for me) that I actually got to experience the viral, social nature of the Web. As a new member joined the group, their group membership became known to their contacts — and so on, and so on. I noticed that when someone from a new school or university signed up, the next day several from that same organization asked to join. The list is creating itself.

Hopefully, over time, perhaps this list will reach all college and university professionals who are committed to Web communication. We can network, interact, and maybe someday gather. It is inspiring to me to witness the Web (thanks to LinkedIn) connect me to others in our industry via social networking itself. Ironic and cool.

LinkedIn Group

If you are a Web marketing communications professional in higher education, consider joining the LinkedIn Group at: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/95860/33A70D5DA57D

Posted in Tactics | Permalink

Other Recent Posts:

 

Powered by Wordpress - Entries (RSS)