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How Video Bloggers Can Use Flow: 5 Questions to Ask to Improve Your Vlogging Skills

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Gideon Shalwick is one of my favorite video bloggers, and in this video, he talks about using “flow” to be a better video blogger. This is actually a skill you can apply to almost anything in life. Flow is what you might call “getting in the zone” and it helps you master a skill even when you’re starting with zero knowledge.

Here’s how Gideon suggests you use flow to improve your vlogging skills:

[youtube width=”560″ height=”315″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgNAHEc34H0[/youtube]

It boils down to asking yourself the following five questions:

  1. Why are you video blogging?
  2. What clear goals do you have have as a video blogger?
  3. What information do I need to reach my goal and where can I get it?
  4. What easy actions can I take to get a result that works toward my goal?
  5. Based on my results, how do I need to improve?

Again, although Gideon applies these tips to video blogging (and skateboarding) in his video lesson, you can use this same process to improve at just about anything! Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Vlogging. It’s all the rage!

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Session: Breaking Into Parent Vlogging in the Type-A Parent Track
Speaker: Jenny Ingram (Jenny On the Spot)

Vlogging. Definitely not one of my most favorite words… yet it is the wave of the online future… Well I think it is. But is vlogging only for the young daredevils, musical prodigies or hip teens showcasing their shopping hauls?

I say NO!!

On Friday November 4th I hope you will join the video savvy Clay Nichols of daldabs.com and me for our groundbreaking Breaking Into Parent Vlogging session in the Type-A Parent track!

Yes, I said GROUNDBREAKING.

Because that is an action word.

At this session we will be sharing ALL our vlogging secrets! You want to hear about time-saving tips? Come to our session! Money saving tips and tricks? Come on in! Questions about the basics… or where to publish those videos, or editing, or music… or…? We’ll address those things too! Time permitting…. And since it is Clay and me… who really knows what can happen.

Do you have any questions NOW that we can make sure gets to our session? Be sure to leave them in the comments!

Personally, adding the “parent” part to vlogging doesn’t make vlogging any different. Except the noise. And the distraction… and the unexpected element only children can add. Or animals. Other than that… it’s all VLOGGING!

If you are unable to attend… here are a few nuggets of advice to get you off to a solid start:

  • Never underestimate the power of GREAT lighting. Go the extra mile for that. A simple solution is using a lamp without a shade. And a white light – not yellow (to be clear). Set the lamp several feet away to avoid a hard light effect that sometimes gives an unappealing shine.
  • To save time, shoot more than one video at a time. I don’t get “camera ready” everyday, so often times I will shoot at least 2 videos. It saves time and it is really smart to save time. I’m not saying one must get “camera ready”. But some of us may see the value in that.
  • Talk to the camera like it’s a friend. That takes practice. So… practice. And also… make sure you are talking to the camera and not looking at yourself while talking “to” the camera. This also…. takes practice.

Oh, I’ll add a 4th… I’m a giver — PRACTICE. If you are nervous on-camera just shoot for the sole purpose of getting comfortable. Watch yourself. Learn about you and how you have that silly sniff or constantly pet your own hair when you are nervous… Learn about yourself. I learned I may or may not have one eye that is ill-sized compared to the other.

Maybe. And there maybe nothing that can be done about some things.

I have been vlogging since 2008. Since then, I have made every mistake in vlogging. Despite this, I have been invited into the YouTube partner program. See? Hope! I have co-lead several lead panels and workshops at other conferences (Blissdom 11, Evo 11 and BlogHer 11), and have learned that there are countless great questions to answer. I’d love to see the conversation begin right here – before we even get to BlogWorld. Video blogging can be as simple or as complex as one makes it. It is my hope that our session will help make vlogging be a fun and profitable add to your site.

Hear what else Jenny has to say about her session and BlogWorld LA:

Watch more videos and see why other speakers are attending BlogWorld LA. See all Speakers here.

Learn more about BlogWorld LA and register Here!

I am jennyonthespot on YouTube, @jennyonthespot on Twitter, and my blog… jennyonthespot.com.

Image credit Justin Hackworth

28 Brilliant Bloggers Talk About Creating Video Content

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Brilliant Bloggers is a weekly series here at BlogWorld where we look at the best posts from around the web all surrounding a specific topic. Every week, we’ll feature three of the most brilliant bloggers out there, along with a huge list of more resources where you can learn about the topic. You can see more Brilliant Blogger posts or learn how to submit your link for an upcoming edition here.

This Week’s Topic: Creating Video Content

You won’t see me dishing out advice about video blogging…mainly because I’m still a little to shy to do it very often. If you search hard enough, you’ll find a few videos where I get in front of the camera, but for the most part, I’m happiest behind the scenes. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t create video content. In fact, vlogs and other video content on your blog can actually spice things up enough to give you a good bump in traffic – and not to mention, if you’re good enough at it, there are also ways to monetize your video content.

So instead of someone who’s still a novice at creating video content trying to give you a bunch of tips, I decided to make this the topic of the week for Brilliant Bloggers. Check out what these much-smarter-than-me people have to say about creating video content:

Advice from Brilliant Bloggers:

The Best Tools for Creating Video Content by Brandon Yanofsky

This is a great post to check out if you’re brand new to video content and are unsure where to start. Brandon gives tips on finding the best cameras, lighting equipment, editing software, and more. If you explore his stie, you’ll also find some other posts about creating video content such as Why Should You Produce Video Content?. Brandon is on Twitter @byanofsky.

5 Common Misconceptions to Ignore for Video Content by Brent McCoy

Think you need to spend a lot of money on your videos? Or that they take to long to create? Think again. In this post, Brent covers these and some of the other common hangs-ups people have about making video. If you’ve been avoiding making videos, this is the post for you. After checking it out, you can follow Brent on Twitter @brentmccoynet.

How to Produce Video Interviews for Your Blog by Francisco Rosales

This is a really smart idea, especially for bloggers who can’t always make it to conferences and other industry events – and I love that Francisco gives a really simply step-by-step how-to (with pictures!), because I’m not the most technical person in the world. This post inspires me to get out there and do a few videos interviews – I really don’t have an excuse not to do them now! Follow Francisco on Twitter @socialmouths.

BONUS BRILLIANT BLOGGER: You should also check out the entire site Simple Vlogging Tips by Jendi (@jendisjournal) for an entire awesome site about creating video content!

Even More Brilliant Advice:

Did I miss your post or a post by someone you know about creating video content? Unintentional! Help me out by leaving a comment below with the link!

Next Week’s Topic: LinkedIn

I’d love to include a link to your post next week – and if you head to the Brilliant Bloggers Schedule, you can see even more upcoming posts. We all have something to learn from one another, so please don’t be shy! Head to the schedule today to learn how to submit your post so I won’t miss it.

Do You Make These Content Mistakes?

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There’s no lack of advice for bloggers, podcasters, vloggers, and other kinds of online content creators. Every year, we feature hundreds of speakers at BlogWorld Expo who give just that type of advice, and that’s just representative of the huge number of proposals we get every year – not to mention the people out there who don’t send in proposals, yet give great advice on their own sites.

It can be overwhelming and even a little confusing to new content creators and those who are experienced alike. Should I use pop-ups? Do I need a mailing list? Is there one best way to use Twitter? The list goes on and on, and with each question, it seems, a debate is raging.

These questions aren’t easy to answer…so instead, start here. There are the most common content mistakes I see; make sure you don’t make them:

1. Thinking You Must Conform to Find Success

Those giving advice about content creation typically have your best interests in mind. That doesn’t mean you should take their advice. Treat everything you read (yes, even this post!) as theory, not fact. Often, the content creators that break the “rules” are the ones who are most successful. Listen to you gut, even if it’s telling you to do something that others might consider wrong. Yes, you can learn from those who have come before you, but sometimes it pays to take the road less traveled…or create a road of your own.

2. Leaving No Space for Alternative Views

The best content, in my opinion, acknowledges that there are alternative views out there. I took a debate class once in college and one of the best lessons I learned is that you can recognize an opinion even if you don’t agree – and you can do so respectfully. Listen, we all get passionate at times. I’m guilty of that just like everyone else. But when you write something, try to think outside of absolutes. Few things in this world are absolute.

To summarize this point, let’s just say that there’s a reason that I used a picture of a stubborn monkey to illustrate the idea of not leaving space for alternative views in your content.

3. Content Creation without Confidence

You rock. Seriously, you do! I can say that all day, though, and if you don’t believe it, your content will never be awesome. It’s okay to recognize challenges and even failure. In fact, I think it can make your blog stronger if you admit that you aren’t perfect, at least occasionally. But when you’re teaching someone something or voicing your opinion, if you don’t have confidence in what you’re writing/saying, that shines through, and over time, your audience will start to dwindle. Look in the mirror and say it right now: I rock. I create awesome content. Now, believe it.

4. Giving You Audience What They Want

I’m a big fan of tuning into your community, understanding your audience, and being a team player. I’ve never been a huge fan of bloggers who give the middle finger and say, “I don’t care about my readers, because this is my site! Like it or leave it, suckers!” So why do I think that it’s a mistake to give audience members what they want?

Because what they want  isn’t always what they need. Your readers might absolutely love it when you post funny pictures of your children, but if you blog about disabilities, the posts they need give advice or voice opinions. Don’t lose sight of that.

It is your blog – you should write what you want to write, but don’t make the mistake of not caring about your audience. If you honestly don’t care about them, don’t put your ideas online. Just keep a diary. At the same time, don’t let your readers run the show. Writing link bait or otherwise just catering to the popular opinion for the sake of some traffic only hurts your goal in the end.

5. Being Satisfied with Your “First Draft”

Remember what I said about some content creators lacking confidence? It can go the other way as well: it is a mistake to be overly confident. Sometimes posts simply flow. Other times, it takes tons of time to contract a simple sentence. I don’t personally podcast (anymore) or do many videos, but I suspect content creation is the same with those types of media – sometimes, it’s easy, while other times it’s like pulling teeth. Even when your content creates itself, though, take the time to perfect your pieces before you hit the publish button. At some point, you need to stop nit-picking and actually present your content to your audience, but don’t fall into self-devise trap where you don’t take care with your content. Have a little pride in what you do.

Vlogging When You’re Shy

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Earlier this month, Nikki made the excellent point that we should all be including more video blogs – or vlogs – as part of our monthly posts. While it is true that vlogging can help you connect with the reader, I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that vlogging still makes me a little…itchy. I’m just not 100% comfortable in front of a camera yet, and even though I’m pushing myself to be more and more outgoing, vlogging is tough for me.

Yet, I love making videos.

I find that not only are videos fun for the reader, but they get my creative juices flowing, stretching my innovation muscles in ways that traditional writing doesn’t do it for me anymore. I love all aspects of direction, editing, and producing videos, and I have since I was in high school. I’m just not a fan of being the star.

So what’s a girl to do? How can I vlog more often, even though I’m still shy in front of the camera? The answer is easier than you may think: Don’t be in the video.

Yeah, right. How could that possibly work? I know, I know, that’s what you must be thinking. But oddly enough, with a good starting concept, you don’t have to be the person speaking to the camera to create an awesome vlog for your website.

Point in case: This past weekend, as I’ve mentioned before, I was at a gaming conference, and while there, I did some freelance work for video game website Spawn Kill. As part of my post for that site, I created a video called What Is MAGFest, which I fully intended to actually be in…before I got sick and totally lost my voice. The content was getting less and less fresh each day that I was sitting on the project, waiting to feel better, so I decided to roll with it. I used the clips I had, created some transitional message slides, and finished the piece, all without being on camera for a single second. Take a moment to watch the video and you’ll see what I mean:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exAKOAiiR9c[/youtube]

This isn’t the first time I’ve created awesome video content for a website without being in the video at all. In fact, after BlogWorld Expo 2010, I created a video from the conference that didn’t have me in it at all:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hewbnk9K6I[/youtube]

I’ve done other such videos for various websites, all fairly well-received by my readers, none with me in them. What did all of these videos have in common though?

  • Faces: Mine wasn’t in them, but others’ were. It’s hard to make a video interesting when it doesn’t have any people in it. I should clarify – it is important to not just have people in your video, but people actually talking to the camera in some way. It just helps the viewer connect.
  • A Strong Concept: Before you begin filming, it is important to have a strong concept for your video. You won’t be on camera to lead the conversation, so you have to ask pointed questions and encourage people to answer in a way that restates the question when possible. Know the story you want to tell with your video, and filming will go much more smoothly.

Of course, this type of video typically includes many small pieces and not only takes a long time to film, but a very long time to piece together. Not counting filming or uploading at all, the MAGFest video, which was less than five minutes long, probably took about four hours to create. If you simply record yourself speaking to the camera, it takes a lot less time to create a vlog.

The bottom line? Don’t let your shy nature stop you from vlogging. With some creativity, you can create video content even if you don’t want to be in the actual video.

The Halo Moment (Or, How I Learned To Get Over My Video Fears)

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If you call yourself a geek in the slightest, chances are that you’ve been playing copious amounts of Halo:Reach over the last day or so. If you’re not a geek, allow me to explain. Halo:Reach is the final installment in one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. Oh, there may be more Halo games, but the developers have turned over the property, so this is the last game they’ll be doing, at least for a long time. For fans, it’s a big deal, and I’d be really surprised if this game doesn’t break all sorts of sales records.

To the point, Allison. Blogging tips, not video games!

Today, I wanted to talk a little about videos and how I used to be scared out of my mind to do them. (Still am, if we’re being honest.) Fear is a total buzzkill for bloggers, and although many say that they don’t do videos for any number of reasons (I don’t have a camera, I don’t know how to upload videos, I don’t have a good place to record them, etc, etc, bullcrap etc.), the real reason that most bloggers don’t do videos is that we’re scared of them.

It makes sense for bloggers to be uncomfortable at the prospect of recording videos. We spend most of our time behind a computer screen. Heck, there are some days that I don’t even put on pants (my apologies for any visual that notion has given you). People judge us by our thoughts and ideas, not by our looks, and that is extremely liberating. So, adding videos? Ugh.

Let me tell you a bit of a story, and the reason I started off this post talking about Halo.

Back when the Halo series was a lot younger, I used to play with three friends of mine. You can play Halo either online or locally, and we would just play locally because our Internet connection wasn’t really good enough for online play. It was a lot of fun, and since I was playing with friends, I felt comfortable and secure with my skills, even though they were all a lot better than me at the game.

Then, I started playing online a bit. I was able to get a connect that was good enough to play with people from around the world, and with my gender-neutral name and lack of girly customizations, I was just another one of the guys. Usually, I ended games middle of the pack – I wasn’t an outstanding player, but I also wasn’t a joke.

One weekend, my friends asked if I wanted to play with them in a tournament. My initial reaction was to say yes, but then I realized that I’d be meeting the other players face to face. That prospect intimidated me a little. Well…a lot. I was afraid that people would write me off as any kind of competition, just because I am female. I was afraid they’d laugh at me or roll their eyes every time I died. I knew then as I know now that I’m not, by far, the only female gamer in the world, but all the other girls seemed so good at Halo…and so pretty and so cool. I was self-conscious and afraid to take my gaming beyond the screen and into the real world. It was easier just to hide.

I ended up going to the tournament after all, and you know what? A few guys commented how it was nice to see a girl there (there were only two of us in the room I was playing in, out of 20-30 people total). Other than that, I was the same as I was behind the television screen – just another gamer. I’m guessing that some guys inwardly made fun of me or felt like I didn’t deserve to be there, but the general feeling I got from almost everyone was that we were just there to play the game.

And as I looked around, I realized that we all had things to be self-conscious about. While I was worried about being a girl, I’m sure other people in that room were feeling self-conscious about their weight or height or even skin color. We all have insecurities. So what? None of those things matter when playing a video game, and because we all showed up despite our insecurities, we had a total blast that day.

And for the record, I ended up middle of the pack again. So, that just went to show that people were playing with me in real life the same way they played with me online, where they probably assumed I was male.

I began to realize a few months ago that I was having a Halo Moment about posting videos on my various blogs. I’m self-conscious and insecure about my looks and voice, and I worry that readers will roll their eyes or not take me seriously. It’s easier to hide behind the computer screen and control what everyone sees by choosing what pictures of myself to post.

Do you need videos on your blog? No. Will they increase the value of your blog, help you find new readers, provide extra income opportunities, and just all-around show that you rock? Yes. Yes, they absolutely will. I was avoiding them for a long time, but the truth of the matter is that almost every blog out there could use a few videos.

So, a few weeks ago, I took the first step and ordered a Flip video camera. You all (well, most of you – I won’t speak for everyone) don’t care what I look like or what my voice sounds like. Neither do the readers of my other blogs. You care about my message.

I deleted the first video I made because I didn’t think I looked cool enough. That was a stupid Halo moment, because it was actually a decent video. It’s a process, learning to get over the fear of making videos for my blogs. I’ll get there, and hopefully have some videos to post in the coming months.

I hope you’ll take the first step with me by starting a fund today to buy the equipment you need to start making some videos. Or, if you already own even a crappy webcam, recording a few minutes to post on your blog.

At least track me down at BlogWorld and make a video with me. 🙂

Throwing a Vlog Into Your Blog

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I’m terrified of vlogging (video blogging). I admit it. But every time I create one, I get a lot of great feedback and tons of comments. And when I view a vlog, I tend to leave more comments – it probably has to do with that feeling of closeness that you get with the blog author, and a better sense of relating to them. So if you’re looking to add a touch of personalization, or encourage more interaction with your readers, try adding a vlog!

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned from the (few) vlogs I’ve created:

  • Keep it Natural. I try not to be too scripted, although I think about the points I’m trying to make before I actually begin filming!
  • Do a Couple Takes. It’s fine to redo your video – once, twice, even twenty times – to get it to the point you’re comfortable putting it online for the world to see!
  • Look at the Camera. It may feel awkward, but it will feel more awkward to a viewer who watches you staring out the window while talking!
  • Get Creative. Try a fun background, use props, or inject some personality into your video. Use body language and humor to make the video interesting.
  • Keep Your Audience in Mind. Always keep your blog readership in mind, encourage them to join in the discussion, but be careful of your word choices!
[Don’t forget to join us on our BlogWorld Facebook page! “Like” us for more information and event buzz]

Nikki Katz is the Managing Editor for the BlogWorld Blog. Feel free to follow her Twitter @nikki_blogworld and @katzni

Image Credit: SXC

Blogworld Expo Speaker Interview: Roxanne Darling

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Another in our series of Blogworld Expo speaker interviews: this is with Roxanne Darling, who blogs from the beautiful state of Hawai’i.

Q: In two sentences, highlight your background and professional experience to date. One bonus sentence: how’d you get started blogging?

I have had several careers ranging from marine biologist to motivational speaker to health coach and working the past 12 years as an internet developer and consultant.  Our company, Bare Feet Studios, thrives on the possibilities inherent in the internet, and we live out in the forward edge looking for and testing new trends. My first blog? Something on eWorld or that very early Apple community platform back
in 1995, long since gone.

Q: How often do you blog?  What platform do you use?  Why?

Roxanne Darling

Roxanne Darling

Daily across numerous platforms. I share a video blog, Beach Walks with Rox, with my Secret Cameraman, business partner, and boyfriend, Shane Robinson; I talk and he walks backwards capturing the beautiful scenery of Hawaii and our dog Lexi chasing her ball into the water. This is truly where my voice resides. I cover all sorts of topics, it is unscripted, and I love the freedom it affords me I love the power and impact that video conveys, and having the backdrop of this beauty is breathtaking even for me who sees it daily! I never knew what an impact we could have on people’s lives. The loyalty and appreciation of our viewers is
astounding, and the opportunities this show has created for us also amazing. We do our very best work here, technically, and allow our heart energy to be the director. It is a winning combination.

You can see some of our favorite episodes here: beachwalks.tv/favorite-episodes. This is a WordPress blog.

I also text/audio/video blog on our company site, www.barefeetstudios.com, about once a week.  I have way more ideas than time on this one! We do cross post our Beach Walks episodes here, as I often talk business and technology on that show. Our blog is not so much for the choir but for companies and entrepreneurs who want to learn how to use these social web tools smartly. We are big on testing and training, and we love sharing our experiences to help others be more efficient. It is also a WordPress blog.

If you consider Twitter a microblog, yes I am there, and post frequently since mid 2007. I’m @RoxanneDarling. I love Twitter for being able to have a real-time, energetic connection with people around the world. We are so geographically isolated here in Hawaii. And having said that? Twitter has enabled me to meet people in my own back yard who I love dearly and am doing deals with. (Try twitterlocal.net or Twinkle on the iPhone.)
Ditto for FriendFeed. When I am doing low intensity work, I like to keep a small window open on my desktop and drop into conversations there. I’m roxanne on friendfeed.

I have a personal blog, www.inthetransition.com, where I put things I want to get out but that don’t fit elsewhere. I do exploratory writing over there and it is very erratic.  It too is a WordPress blog. I have a Tumbler microblog account, roxannedarling, also for posting snippets of ideas, pics, links, etc.   I also have accounts at dozens of other services that cross-post for me.

Can you tell we love WordPress? Plug-ins we use religiously are  Akismet and Textile 2.

Q: Point us to one or two recent postings on your blog that you think were superb, and tell us a bit about your writing process. How long did it take for you to come up with the topic?  How long to write?

On Bare Feet Studios: Using Social Media to Promote Your Event: Step 2

We try to leverage as much as we can in terms of being aware of our process and work flow so we can share it with others. We continually discover that the things we do “automatically” do not come naturally to others. By taking the time to reflect in that way, we get to both fine tune and archive things for ourselves while sharing really useful information with others.  We are currently planning Podcamp Hawaii. Part of the agreement with the Podcamp Foundation is that no one gets paid = we are all volunteers. So I am using whatever I can to build value for ourselves and others out of our (extensive!) labors.

This is a series I am creating documenting how we are building the event, and then showing how others can use these tricks to build *any* event, not just a podcamp or unconference. Fortunately, I pretty much can’t help but think in step-by-step fashion, having been a formal trainer for much of my life. That skill comes in handy for this type of posting. This post took about 1.5 hours to write, grabbing the graphic and all the links (essential to a good post IMO).

On Beach Walks with Rox: Beach Walk 669 – Bikini Madness!

This is not one of our special episodes but one of our every day, typical episodes. I get an idea on the way to the beach (7-minute drive), we shoot it in one take, then edit, encode, and post it on the site. It’s an example of how I take an idea out there in the “group mind” and attempt to shoot some holes in it with the goal of creating less stress, more freedom and light-heartedness for us all. We rely on good equipment and skills, our beautiful scenery and adorable dog, and one of my quirky ideas with a little science thrown in, to deliver a short, 4-5 minute tonic to the stress of daily life.

Each episode takes us about 15 minutes to film; setting up the gear, shooting, and putting the gear away, so we can then go swimming! It takes about 45-60 minutes to import, edit, add effects, and encode. Then about 30 minutes to upload and create the post. The more complex the show, the longer all of this takes. An episode like Island Adventure was filmed over an hour and a half experience, and took nearly 6 hours to edit, as we had thre cameras on that shoot and lots of cuts.

Q: How often do you leave comments on other people’s blogs?  How do you find their entries in the first place?

I leave comments for others at least once or twice a week, in bulk. Meaning, I like to do my reading on spurts, and leave many comments at the same time. I subscribe to blogs, and if I am on the page, I will almost always leave a comment. I believe in supporting the work of others, and I understand that letting someone know you were there and appreciating their work is meaningful. I am not a huge fan of the piling on style of comments, so I do my best to add something relevant or meaningful, if not always agreeing.

The main obstacle I find is using my feed reader on my phone. I am often lazy about doing the typing on my phone…

Q: Tell us a bit about your talk at Blogworld Expo. Topic, key points you’ll cover, etc?

My title is “Finding Your New Media Voice.”  I will cover both the right brain and left brain aspects of answering this question.  I have found that there are actually relevant connections between your personality type and your preferred style of communication – writing, talking, or being on camera. There are also many options technically for using each of these methods, so we will look at out how to actually figure out which modality suits you best, and then what tools will make it easiest for you.  I love these type of talks because we can discus things that are usually isolated from each other in one place.

There are the gear heads right? and then there are the “communicators.”  I will attempt to merge wisdom from both sectors so people can leave here knowing what to do next – even if they have already been doing a form of communicating but not really loving it. They may just want to switch the tool they use, from keyboard to microphone to camera, to better suit their web DNA.

Of course I will address the pros and cons of each type of communication too, as that certainly weighs in to the discussion for a business considering how to use new media/social web communication

While at Blog World, I will also be announcing a new business  community site we are building, Know How Cafe. It will be the place where we take all of this stuff we have learned as web leaders, business consultants, and experimenters and share it with others. Most of the effective and engaging social media tools are free, but knowing how to use them is confusing for many.  It will be a fee-based membership site. Your readers can sign up for the early release and get a 30% discount by using coupon code “dave.” We are so excited about this! The site will let us walk our talk, and provide how to  information in many different forms – text, screen casts, videos, tele-seminars, discussion forums, etc. We will have multiple tracks based on topics. And unlike a lot of training/coaching sites, we will be home there, engaging with our members frequently while also enabling them to “self-service” at their own pace.

Q: How do you recommend new folk best experience a major conference and expo like Blogworld Expo?

Have a plan and then go with the flow.

One of my Twitter friends, Tawny Press,  just compiled a great post on
this topic: Getting Ready for Blogworld Expo in Vegas

I am often amazed at the number of people in a given industry who do not attend conferences…though they can be overwhelming and are virtually always done before I am even half started (!) they are one of the most efficient ways to ramp your personal brand to the next level and to make valuable personal and business connections. I video’d my odd take on my first SXSW conference last spring – in the end the best way to do a conference IMO is to start with a plan and then follow your instincts. The little monkey mind will always be pushing for more or different, but sometimes, it really is just one person who is going to make the big difference in your life. No need to get distracted trying to be everywhere.

Q: Easy ones: Mac or PC?  Ipod or Zune?  Iphone or Blackberry?

Mac. iPod. iPhone.

Awesome, thanks, Rox!  Hopefully you’ll bring some of that glorious Hawaiian weather to Vegas with you, so we don’t melt in the desert heat!

Interview by Blogworld Expo co-host Dave Taylor, who is connected to Rox on just about every network online. He can also be found on Twitter as @DaveTaylor and if you’re into film and the movie industry, you should also check out @FilmBuzz, an experimental news feed he’s building.

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