Tech Resolutions for 2012

I've made a LOT of resolutions for 2012. There are several that are tech related.

#1: Less Facebook
Like most, I spend WAY too much time on Facebook. It's a time suck of little to no value to me and it's affecting my efficiency.  I vow to only check it at first a few times a day and once I'm weaned, even less. I'm not even a fan of the platform, I definitely shouldn't be awarding it with my precious time, energy or advertising revenue.  I have a horrible habit where I feel like I can't be online for 15 minutes without pulling it up. I've changed the majority of my friends' update frequency to "Only Important" or have unsubscribed, hoping it will give me strength. Facebook is like crack, man.

#2: Foursquare Specials
Not only am I blogging on 4sqDay weekly and help organize monthly meet-ups, but as co-community manager of Foursquare Houston, my goal for 2012 is every week to convince another local business to run a special. Houston needs more specials and perhaps 52 new specials will encourage other businesses to sign up.  Lofty? Perhaps. But let's give it a shot.

#3: Learn to Code (More)
With my job as an SEO, I find myself frustrated with my lack of coding skills. I can do the basics (uh, sometimes), but I spend way too much of my day attempting to decipher pages of code. SEO can be extremely technical and to advance myself in my career, I need to be on top of my code game. I've signed up for Code Year, which will send me weekly, interactive lessons.

#4: Let me Upgrade You
I still have the original Motorola Droid, which loses charge easily and has some severe senioritis going on. My Mac is celebrating its fourth birthday and its disk space is constantly full. I watch TV on a tiny boxset, without my DVD player hooked up (both hand-me-downs, by the way). I own the original Sirius radio in my car (hooked up with a tape deck!). I have a PC from 6 years ago that I need to turn on (hopefully) and salvage any special data. The fanciest console I own is a Gamecube. I don't need anything fancy or to upgrade everything, but I'd like to be able to clearly see the score of the football game when I watch. I just need to be on top of things.

Things I Won in 2011

another year of winning stuff of the internet. Let's make this a tradition, shall we?  Here's a tentative list which I will add to as I remember.

I also won this hangover and a trip to Cracker Barrel

• Vote for Mayor McCheese t-shirt for becoming the mayor of a McDonalds on 4sqDay
•  the Likeable Social Media book (two, actually)
• a Crave cupcake and t-shirt during their 4th of July giveaway
• Won the Little Bitty Burger Barn's new burger contest and now have my very own burger on the menu
• a Bizzy t-shirt (sniff)
• Second place for my work Halloween costume and second place for my Batty Bacon Balls.
• Got runner up in the Whole Foods' Smile for the Camembert photo contest (and scored a gift card)
• Won a $100 CB2 gift card in Kevin's MSI Chicago Month at the Museum sweepstakes

Comparing Check-In Apps 2011

Last September, I wrote a blog post detailing which check-in apps I used, what I checked into, and why. Things have changed a lot in the location-based world since that post, so I thought I'd write an update. I am a check-in all-star.

4sqday shirt with a GetGlue sticker

My 2011 check-in app roster:

1. foursquare
Last year: "I haven't been granted the editing power of "SuperUser" status (yet).... I'm even working on building a local foursquare community to encourage more usage and awareness in my area."
I did become a Superuser and I started Foursquare Corpus Christi.  Foursquare is my favorite location-based service and has grown up a lot since last year. They hit 1 billion check-ins last week!  They are LBS king. I have become heavily involved and err, somewhat emotionally attached to foursquare.  I really like the new direction they are going- with the "explore" feature, deal partners, and lists.  They still have a lot room to grow, especially in regards to NFC transactions and their recommendations.  I'm excited to see what their future brings.  I am the epitome of a foursquare fan girl: currently 1/2 of Foursquare Houston.


2. Gowalla
Last year: "I honestly am not as an avid user of Gowalla as Foursquare..."  Yeah, still not.  I like Gowalla, I do. I liked their attention to detail. It's pretty. It's from Texas! But.. I don't get it.  I'm even sure what to do with it, exactly. This month, Gowalla made it's "mivot," relaunching itself as city guides.  While I do think there is a disconnect between the majority of Convention and Visitors Bureaus and the LBS movement, therefore creating a void, I'm not sure if this is the answer.  The guides are nice, I guess - a list of popular places with "stories" - Chris at AboutFousquare sums up issues with the new Gowalla nicely after his recent trip to Disney World.  Win me over, Gowalla.  


3. GetGlue
Last year: GetGlue is addictive... I still check into my tv shows, books, movies, music, etc, almost everyday. It's mostly for myself or whoever is paying attention there (not sure that's anyone). I'm interested in my friend feed, in what entertainment my friends are consuming. It tells me a lot about them, somehow... how they spend their downtime.  What do I get out of it? Not much. I've looked at their recommendations - there's been some really great stuff, but I haven't run out and bought anything. I've gotten my stickers (one in the picture above). I've seen some contests and campaigns from brands and this weirdly unlocked "say GetGlue at the register" GAP discount that's going on right now.  The DIRECTV partnership announced today is promising. Media companies seem to be extremely interested in advertising with GetGlue because it seems I can get a sticker from just about everything I check into. It's almost ridiculous.  I do wonder if Netflix's partnership with Facebook with give more credibility to GetGlue or leave it in the dust.  Also, they took the wine I mentioned last year out of the mobile app completely. Dang. I've got tired of checking into both Miso and GetGlue - so I've abandoned Miso. 


New apps since last year's post:


4. Untappd
In last year's post, I checked into beer using Beerby. In October 2010, Untappd was launched and after checking into both, I switched over to Untappd after a month or so.  Untappd is unique because it's an app on a mobile web platform with a great UX.  They have a partnership with foursquare, a well-maintained database, and a lot of awesome badges. They recommend beers I might like to try, I get to see what my friends are drinking where, and I have a record of my alcohol usage online for anyone to see! No, really, I don't care. I love Untappd. NB: the only reason I haven't checked into Untappd in a month is because I've been on a stupid diet. Come Halloween, I'm knocking back some check-ins. EDIT: Breaking news - Untappd launched native apps today - now we have a picture function!

5. Foodspotting
I LOVE Foodspotting. Foodspotting is a picture sharing app where you check-in to dishes at restaurants. I'm a huge fan of foodporn - so I really enjoy sharing dishes and looking for dishes around me.  Now that they're partnered with Facebook, I'm sure they'll blow up like they deserve.

6. Bizzy
Bizzy is a check-out app. Sure, a place might be "popular" on foursquare, but does that mean it's good? Not necessarily.  When you check out on Bizzy, you easily mark if you Loved, Hated, or if your experience was just OK. You have the ability to comment and add pictures.  Bizzy is developing a very smart recommendation engine.  They're also working with foursquare so now you get a reminder to check-out. It's super helpful because I wouldn't use it often because I would forget. Bizzy sent me a free t-shirt! Awesome!

my blog is just pictures of me in t-shirts

I've checked in through Google+ (and formerly Latitude, twice) but it doesn't mean anything. I no longer use SCVNGR, but their new product LevelUp has an amazing concept which I'd be all over if it was available here.

Is there a check-in app you've abandoned in the last year? What is new that you use? 

MozCation in Houston

In case you missed my I-changed-jobs-and-relocated-post, I am brand new resident of Houston. The Bayou City - hometown of things I adore - Beyonce, Shipley's Do-Nuts, Saint Arnold's Brewery, and the Galleria.  Needless to say, I am in love with this city.  What I didn't expect to find: a nerdy underbelly of tech-savvy, app-wielding search enthusiasts!  A true marketing community with digital conferences, tweet-ups, and a foodtruck-catered 4sqday.

When SEOmoz announced they were hitting the road on MozCation, I knew I had to nominate H-town. All of this has happened in the month that I've been here:

• Fast Company honored Houston with City of Year
• Travel + Leisure declared Houston America's #1 Burger City
• Budget Travel Magazine touted Houston's diverse ethnic cuisine
• Rent.com names Houston Best City for Bachelors (meow)
• Robert Pattinson said Houston was his favorite city in America (suddenly Team Edward)

I would love to see "first official MozCation destination" added to this fabulous list. Please, SEOmoz, come to Space City. I want to go exploring with the Mozzers and Roger! 

I think your Google search after reading this post should go something like...

If you would like to support Houston's bid for Mozcation - please tweet the following:

I nominate Houston http://seomz.me/k2u2PZ for an @SEOmoz #MozCation - More info here: http://seomz.me/mozcation

New Job, New City, New Posts

Apologies, it's been a while since I've posted here! I did want to give an update on what I've been up to -
I left my previous employer, USDM.net, in Corpus Christi and now work for TopSpot Internet Marketing Solutions in Houston. I'm excited for the life change and career opportunities.  Their social media/blogging policy (yay! they have one!) forces me to say this blog and viewpoints expressed within doesn't necessarily reflect their own.

USDM taught me a lot about how an agency operates and what a true office environment entails. I learned to be passionate about search, social, and standards. I developed deep, lasting relationships with my bullpen-mates. However, I felt that certain things kept me from truly learning, gaining experience, and delivering the results I wanted. So, I made a change. Contrary to popular belief around the office, I did not leave to pursue social media. In fact, I'm doing much less social due the nature of the clients for which I am working.

I'm in my third week at TopSpot and perhaps I'm still honeymooning, but I adore it. My favorite thing about the company is their emphasis on education. They request you spend a good chunk of time keeping up with the latest news and not only sharing it with your department and conversion team but with other departments as well. They attend and send employees to important conferences - which is a big deal to me. As you may have seen me complain for an entire three months on twitter - I REALLY wanted to go to SXSWi. Our department even requested for a few of us to go, but received zero response. It was very disheartening to me and kickstarted this whole change.

I have a lot to say about the future of CVB/DMO websites, social, and location-based services, but I'm going to save that for future posts. In the meantime a few photo-memes from my USDM days.

First: a collection of pictures taken upon exiting late. I normally left way after dinnertime and it was a drain on me. Below are a tiny, tiny fraction of my late nights. In fact, my new year's resolution this year was to leave work on time. It lasted 2 weeks. For the record, USDM did not condone or comment on my late night work. However, it allowed me to research and get work done. My parents did not appreciate not seeing me most evenings. They thought for sure I was seeing someone. My response... "Google is my Boyfriend." My favorite was when I left one night at 3:45AM to find my car had a flat tire. Fun times!

April 9, 2010 6:53PM

Garrick & Me Showing off his new Droid
Not too late - July 20, 2010 5:52PM

October 5, 2010 1:05AM

October 7, 2010 1:03AM

January 14, 2010 12:35

January 20, 2010 12:48AM

January 22, 2011 1:26AM

Second: Pictures taken during meetings.

Real posts and real content coming soon!

Things I Won in 2010

As I reflect on 2010, I feel like I accomplished a lot. For example, I started this blog (and 2 others), I learned a lot about social media and search engine optimization, and I embraced geolocation apps like they were all my babies.

But my favorite thing I did in 2010: win stuff from the internet. 

Things I won:

• A dinner for 2 at Francesca's from the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio
• A Kena Kai datasafe passport wallet from The Window Seat Blog
• A deluxe stainless steel cheese plane from Wisconsin Cheese Talk
• Robyn Zoya nail polish from Zoya's Facebook page (which I rocked all summer)
• A video highlight award for "Best Strut in a Lab Coat or Apron" for my video application for the Museum of Science and Industry's Month at the Museum (I'm most proud of this one)
• A hotel and spa stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas from the Travelocity Roaming Gnome
• Miss Movember for my online efforts to raise money for the CCMoBros (I also won a $100 gift card by buying one of my own raffle tickets!) 
• A hotel stay with Georgia Aquarium tickets from Hilton Atlanta
• $10 gift card for a Bedroom Intruder Christmas door/song

I'm probably forgetting something. But yeah, I feel pretty good about that.

Here's to winning even more stuff in 2011!

Be Still My Heart - Boutiques.com from Google

Happy Holidays to me! Google brings us Boutiques.com, a personalized shopping service.  This. is. FABULOUS. And just in time for the most important purchase I make all season: nope, not the perfect present for my secret Santa recipient; my holiday party dress! This year I have the added pressure of a New Year's Eve wedding - so this Google gift is quite timely.

The theory behind Boutiques.com is the brilliant combination of celebrities, stylists, designers and fashion bloggers and Google (goggles?) technology of patterns, silhouette, price, and artificial intelligence.

This meeting of minds is designed help you create your personal boutique with recommendations based on your previous tastes. It's absolutely genius. It's like GetGlue.com for clothes but even smarter!

Hello my lovelies!

Comparing Check-In Apps: the Location-Based Check-In and More

When I first saw this Status: THIS comic back in January by the awesome Andrew Jones, I chuckled.  Foursquare had just gone global and I was doing my part to remember to check-in where ever I went.  But there was no way I would ever get as bad as the guy in that comic.

Well friends, after looking at photos from a recent trip to Minnesota, I decided that I'm there. I have check-in fever.

annoying friend with her nose in her phone - I'm in this very position in several pictures. 

What am I doing in that photo? Getting a "crunked" badge for my client. Yes, I checked in as myself, logged out, logged in as my client, and checked in again.  I felt like a stick in the mud pulling out my phone every time we went somewhere new and kept apologizing to everyone.  But on the other hand, I wanted to share my cool vacation with my friends/followers who likely weren't following my every move anyway.  There is an unfounded, almost unexplainable gratification checking-in somewhere the first time, getting mayorships, getting stickers, badges, pins, points, whatever.  

If you think checking-in is strictly about location, you are mistaken. I think I check into most activities I do and I know that I only use a fraction of the possible check-in apps.  My check-in apps:

1. Foursquare

Although they don't have the most users for a location-based geosocial app (iPhone-only MyTown does), they get the most hype. I'm personally a giant fan of the Foursquare platform.  I haven't been granted the editing power of "SuperUser" status (yet), but I'm actively participating with tips, adding locations under the approved address style, selecting categories and the like.  I'm even working on building a local foursquare community to encourage more usage and awareness in my area. 

2. Gowalla

I honestly am not as an avid user of Gowalla as Foursquare, but I do like a lot of their features: user created "trips," photo upload ability, and their new "highlights" addition.   Their highlights component allows users to tell stories about locations; ex. "Best Slice" and "Popped the Question" - giving more personality to places/users.  I also like that you can win things easier on Gowalla.  Y'all know how I like to win things. 

3. GetGlue

With GetGlue I have the possibility to check into television, music, books, movies, video games, "topics," gossip, and my personal favorite - checking into wine.  GetGlue is addictive because you can forever browse movies, shows, recording artists, etc Netflix-style and select things you like, dislike, and your choose your most favorite things. GetGlue then suggests other things you might enjoy and alerts you to new releases you should look into based upon your interests. 

4. Miso

Miso is a lot like GetGlue, but with a simpler interface; it's just TV and movies.  They recently added the ability to check into individual episodes of a show, which is great. The battle between Miso and GetGlue reminds me a lot of the showdown between Blu Ray and HD DVD. I'm using both, but I don't think both will ultimately end up surviving. It's interesting to see what brands/channels/shows decide to support which app. 

5. SCVNGR

I downloaded SCVNGR and used it when I visited a museum because I had seen the location was part of a "trek." I'm also into the true gaming aspect SCVNGR uses. However, perhaps because it's a user-generated trek, I found the challenges clunky and unrewarding. I haven't used it since. My coworker did get a great coupon at our local mall using SCVNGR, so I may give it another shot.

6. Beerby

I'm a big fan of beer, so when I found there was a check-in app for my beloved drink I was overjoyed!  I think the app still needs some work (at least the Android version), but I adore the concept. 

I don't Loopt, Yelp, or many of the other apps that you can use to check-in. And I most definitely do not use Facebook Places or a Twitter locator (bleh!).  And yes, all of these are through my Droid, so I can check-in on location, unlike reviewing something on Amazon, GoodReads, Netflix, etc. 

If you'd like to be friends with me on any of these platforms, let me know (or check my google profile, I have them all listed). 

What are you using? I shudder to inquire, but is there something I should be using?