The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted. By Oyl Miller.
‘TWEET’
Written by Oyl Miller
Soundtrack by Oyl Miller
Starring Bryan Bernart
Directed, Shot, and Chopped by Joe Aimonetti
1. TUMBLR
Tumblr is the hub of the creative web. Their platform has found a way to intuitively include multimedia content creation from across the whole web. Tumblr’s image is of cat photos and animated GIFs, but the platform itself is much broader than that. You can shape your Tumblr to reflect yourself as a creative person.
2. TWITTER
Twitter is the best way I’ve found to attract a creative audience. Facebook can generate content views among your friends, but Twitter is public facing. When you create content and broadcast it through Twitter, there is no telling who it can reach. Audience building is a core requirement of any creative person looking for more opportunity. Twitter can get you there.
3. FACEBOOK
Facebook is great for contacting your pre-established network and base of loyal supporters. They can be your messengers and evangelists. Facebook Pages provides a way to establish a more outward facing front to your creative web presence.
4. LINKEDIN
LinkedIn has become a vital part of how I operate on the creative web. For some, LinkedIn is seen as little more than a resume, but I see it as a way to network with creative talent, share inspiration in groups and even make yourself available for job opportunities and collaborations.
5. GOOGLE+
Google+ is new to the game, and I’m still working on building my initial audience. But I’ve already seen the value of how it is set up. I don’t see Google+ as a competitor to Facebook. Google+ is a social network based on shared interests. Facebook is a social network based on existing relationships. I see Google+ as valuable moving forward as a way to connect with a vast network of creative individuals. The possibilities feel much more open than on Facebook.
6. KLOUT
Visiting Klout has become a part of my morning routine. At first it was just my early adopter friends on there, but now I’m seeing a lot wider base of people. Klout seems to be the place to go if you want to be known for something. I think this will prove valuable moving forward. On the creative web, it’s vital for people to know if you are a photographer, a director, a writer, etc. I see Klout as a way to help people connect the dots about you. It gives people a snapshot into what region of the creative web you hang out in. What conversations you engage in most.
7. INSTAGRAM
Instagram has redefined what a social network can be. They have effectively fired the warning cannons of Web 3.0. They are mobile, social, intuitive and now officially validated with their 1 billion dollar sale to Facebook. The upside is unlimited. On the surface it’s ‘just a photo-sharing app,’ but within its experience lies far more than that. It’s a way to share real time experience in a more visceral way that moves beyond the tired confines of status updates. It lets you connect lightly (likes) or deeply (comments and discussions that can unfurl beneath a single image). It’s searchable, it’s scaleable and for some reason, the photos always look great. Look for more companies to erect social networks around deceivingly simple premises, that engineer a ton of depth and emotion into the user experience.
When it comes to new websites and networks, I am an early adopter. I sign up as soon as I hear about a new service and start testing it out. Maybe I’m too early of an adopter because there must be over a hundred things I’ve signed up for and never done much more with than the preliminary account setup. It’s interesting to see what platforms have legs and which things never catch on or are quickly replaced.
At this point, several of the major networks have developed sturdy roots. Twitter proved it was more than a passing fad. Facebook has long since vanquished Myspace. And LinkedIn has managed to keep it’s professional front. I’ve been a big fan of Tumblr from the beginning, although it hasn’t achieved the same kind of critical mass as the other services I mentioned.
Since some of these services have proved their staying power, it makes me think how they can all be used most effectively. How they can be combined. How I can use each of them separately to represent myself online. I want to use the best digital tools and networks to express myself, further my creative pursuits and find new opportunities that allow me to grow both online and off. I explain this to most people and am met with blank stares usually. But as a creative person who thrives off of making things myself, the Internet is the greatest invention for finding an organic audience. I can make my art, my writing and my music and then input it all into the proper channels and have the ability for anybody in the world to find it. Every creative person wants to be heard, and the series of networks that make up the Internet offer that potential.
I want to create a personal digital ecosystem that lets me make my art and then distribute it throughout my various networks. I want to have discussions with these same networks and find out what is inspiring them. I want to have every little tweet, comment or share to reflect a tiny piece of my greater mission. I want to rain content and have my digital ecosystem grow. The kind of growth I’m interested in is more connections, more opportunities and a larger audience.
I call it a digital ecosystem. Maybe I’ll call it something else next week, but today I like how it sounds. It feels like it has evolved past the notion of networks. It feels like it can support a variety of activities. And I also love the idea of combining technology and analog metaphors to create new meaning. We’ll see how long I stick with it, but for now, I’ll call my mission an effort to build a personal digital ecosystem.
