everyday public relations

It seems that Facebook is all over the blogs and on everyones mind lately. In Maine it is solving crimes and in Georgia there was a story in today’s paper about the whole content/privacy issue.

Not too long ago many people were weighing in on the whole 25 things floating around, even to the point of creating groups to protest. Personally I kind of got into that list thing, but then I only got tagged a couple times. I guess it is because I am a total nerd for the random info in my head (my friends count on me for trivia all the time). This article was a little more positive but still concerned with the amount of info online.

So with all this negativity, I though I would share something positive about this social media tool that may be getting missed in all the privacy/leave me out of the 25 things hoop-la.

So I got a strange request from my boss not too long ago. I was asked to cruise Facebook of all things…on the clock. Turns out as many of us already know, there is this application called “causes” that basically allows you to either show your support for a particular cause, or to create your own. Not only can you recruit “friends” you can also raise money for your particular cause.

The GA state parks friends group as a page, so when my boss wanted me to look into it for our own 501(c)3 friends group I was all for it. After all we are stretched pretty thin….budget wise anyways, as everyone who works for the state is aware of.

If you have a non-profit, what better way to reach out to people than through an online tool that reaches approximately 8 million people all over the world, second in the number of users only to Myspace. Started in 2004 by Harvard grad Mark Zuckerberg, the company offers the ad-supported site to anyone to use free of charge.

So if you are an organization that relies on donations, word of mouth marketing and viral buzz in order to survive, I can’t see a much better way than to take advantage of this awesome tool. Some are worried about credibility and not looking respectable but with our economy in the toilet and non-profits shutting their doors everyday, why not get creative and start looking to what’s out there. Maybe I am just realizing that the old adage is true. If you can’t beat ‘em…join ‘em.

See you online.

Today’s post was contributed by guest blogger, Milena Thomas. Thomas blogs about life, marriage, economics, and politics at Quiet the Thunder and Brazen Careerist. She is a wife, grad student in finance and economics, professional singer and voice teacher.

Enjoy!

I started blogging a little over a year ago, and I fell in love with it. Tiffany Monhollon of Personal PR describes blogging as, “unlike any other form of expression on earth…” Little by little, her sentiment has won me over. Blogging is incredible, precisely because it has expanded the ability for anyone to connect with total strangers, on a personal and in-depth level, on a wide variety of topics. How else would an Estonian man Google “is marriage overrated,” find my rant on the topic, and engage in significant discussion? How else would reading Penelope Trunk’s blog have led to fundamental changes in my thoughts about what a career can be, leading to quitting my job, and even meeting with her last week?

Blogging, and other forms of ultra-fast electronic media have expanded our communicative abilities, but I wonder if they have done much for expanding our minds. While I think it is wonderful bloggers need no credentials, it doesn’t do much for those who blog without authority or substance, and for readers who absorb their output at face value. I also think that attention spans have shortened, and the satisfaction from delving deeply into topics has been replaced by micro-blogging jollies on Twitter. I find that the internet sometimes becomes an echo chamber where the loudest and most obnoxious voices drown out others.

A few months ago, I naively decided to explore one of the most controversial topics of all time on my blog: abortion. I thought I was putting a unique spin on the subject, questioning whether veganism and pro-choice philosophies can truly coincide with one another. I also thought it sparked some healthy debate, but I quickly learned that most people either agreed with my views, or decried my existence. Still, I was determined to speak my mind and try to foster intelligent, rational dialogue. From that point, I embarked week after week presenting more hot topics for discussion. I was enthralled with the process. As soon as I’d release a post, it was like a blood scent was released into the blogosphere – the hounds came trampling and baying at the tree in which I quickly found shelter.

I don’t write about my experience to get sympathy for my politics, because I know there are plenty of my philosophical opponents hanging out in trees too. My point is that people can be nasty and narrow-minded. Things get ugly, personal, and communication shuts down – relegated to jabs and come-backs with no hope for resolution and understanding. The internet makes the hit-and-run attack so easy, and so difficult to defend. I have never experienced a salon, but I think luxuriating with friends, a glass of wine and a philosophical topic would be a wonderful way to spend an evening. I wonder if we can capture that as bloggers? I think so. Despite internet dogs on the prowl, there are plenty of wonderful commentators who show they are capable of civil discussion, even when it leads to disagreement.

As bloggers, I think we have a right to tenaciously tear apart ideas – not people. What are your thoughts and experiences on blogging and public discourse? How can we foster intelligent discussion on any topic?