I know everyone is tired of the “what is social media” question, but I found this article to be a great quick-and-dirty argument for embracing social media as it happens. It really nails down how the internet became an essential part of business (apparently sometime in late 1997) and concrete examples of how companies jumped [...]

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It’s one of those bloggy quirks. You’ve done it 80 times before, even like, once last week at least. But you’ve gone and forgotten how to embed a video again. Relax. Bookmark this page.
Go to the video’s page and get the embed code there. Pretend Wordpress doesn’t have a button to embed YouTube videos. Just [...]

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Instead of sending online shoppers coupons or information about sales, executives and employees at Henderson, Nev.-based Zappos.com regularly tweet about what happens to them at the airport, the fact that they eat marshmallows in between phone calls and the state of the economy.
This article in the New York Times is so informational, I can barely [...]

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What exactly *is* Twitter? And why do I need to use it?
I get this question from clients a lot. The other part of the Twitter question seems rooted in misconception. No wants to read you liveblogging your lunch! Until not too long ago, I was one of the people that didn’t really “get” Twitter.
Then I [...]

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And with a VA, you’ll have more time to nip out to Starbucks. This article, via the Examiner, goes through some more basics of finding and using a VA.
My favorite points from the article, quoted below, address the versatility of a Virtual Assistant versus having on-site staff.
I will admit that previously visions of Sci-Fi men [...]

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Interesting piece on Web Worker Daily on how smart talent is adapting hard and fast to the changing economy and career trajectory they inevitably face. This post dubs the phenomenon “Giganomics.”
Most of the web workers I know tend to be college educated people with reasonably good incomes, and I suspect that most of the people [...]

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Via Time.com, a list of 99 pop-culture reference points since the internet became memetic. Just in case someone, somewhere is still Rick Rolling anyone.
Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced On The Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something. (Warning: links may contain some off-color language, questionable humor, and [...]

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I will admit it- even as an early adopter, I was slow to “get” Twitter. My account sat dormant and silent for months, and when I came across Twitter-related news, I kind of glazed over. But fellow VAs (thankfully) kept banging on about it, and I started knocking around on the site- and it’s been [...]

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From Laptop Hobo, a list of basics to do business any time, anywhere. Just in case you were feeling your office was underequipped.

Hardware:

Laptop (preferably “ultra-portable”)
Back-up medium (external drive or disks)
Power-surge protector
Mobile/cell (tri-band) phone w/Bluetooth
Bluetooth, Wlan capabilities
External mouse or trackball
Headset (for telephony access)
Carrying case (preferably a hard-shell case)

Non-Hardware:

Dial-up access (Access the [...]

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I’m still amazed corporations aren’t luring top talent like this in droves- staffing firms can serve a purpose, but focused virtual workers and virtual assistants are infinitely more economical for big and small companies in this economic flux period. And, as the writer below keenly observes, perhaps when the dust settles we’ll all be left [...]

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In my last office gig, I heard time and time again that internet marketing wasn’t worth pursuing because the demographic we served (Boomers) didn’t “get computers.” I suspected that the 50+ crowd was being underestimated technologically, and it turns out they’re gaining ground.
I came across this piece and wanted to share it- it breaks down [...]

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Via JK Virtual Office Resources, a cautionary tale for the internet age about the power of good and bad internet attention and your brand. Background: Motrin created some ads that unintentionally portrayed mothers in a less than flattering light. From the article, some key points:
…outraged mums, furious at the suggestion that their babies were a [...]

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Brilliant! Plans are underway to open the first free, online university for people across the globe. While rigid academics might balk at the idea, the fact remains that post-secondary education is and will remain out of reach for the vast majority of people who need it most. From the article:
An Israeli entrepreneur with decades of [...]

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By now, most tech-savvy marketing strategies include some social media marketing. This cool Mashable post highlights 30 new applications to do more for your business with Facebook.
And none of them involve saving the rainforest through the exchange of virtual plants, thankfully.
Think LinkedIn is the only place for business? Facebook is growing rapidly and it’s becoming [...]

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Well, this is cool. Anyone who has quietly gone crazy navigating a phone tree that needs serious pruning knows how frustrating blind waiting can be. (Is this going to be five minutes or five hours?!?)
Bank of America has been using Twitter to help customers more thoroughly and expeditiously. If Bank of America can use that [...]

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