My Issue with Negativity

Ryan    Uncategorized     Negativity, reddit.com, YouTube Comments

After some testing I’ve been doing with some bookmarking and tagging platforms, I’ve come across a comment that kind of led me astray.

On reddit.com, iesvs writes:

Dumbass spammer. Don’t you think if people wanted to visit soundcloud.com they would just type that instead of your shitty blog?

Although I kind of understand where this person is coming from, I don’t really understand the whole negativity aspect. My blog might be shitty sure, but I think that if he went about and read my actual blog post on SoundCloud.com, then he would understand that I’m not really trying to spam people to come to the site, but giving my own personal insight of it. It’s a blog.

No matter. I will let people feel the way they want to feel because they know deep down inside that they are correct and that I’ve done them some kind of disservice. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.. I just won’t let it affect me personally. Which I’m getting kind of good at.

A year or two ago though, I wrote another blog post on YouTube Comments. Although there are a few more outlets where people can rant or rave about something these days, my general consensus is that comments are open to 3 types of people.

1. Sincere Commentators – These people either have something good to say about something, disagree and want to shed light on their opinion, or wish to offer a resource to help you understand something better.
2. Spammers – These people are link building. Plain and simple, these people work for companies where their job is to flood boards or blogs with spammy comments so that they can increase their link volume by 1.
3. The Negative Nancys – These people really have nothing else to do, but try to get a rise out of someone else. They often add profanity in their comments, will let you know that you’re dumb and do not know what you’re doing, and they will also sometimes try to explain why they are better educated in whatever it was you were trying to write about.

At first, I thought that iesvs was a whole-hearted negative douche-bag. But then I realized, he’s actually just a Sincere Commentator. Without knowing it, I probably made my link on reddit.com look completely spammy! Although my blog title is right there in the name of the link, it maybe that he thought that I was trying to spam people into coming to my ‘shitty blog.’ In a way, he’s right, but I really just wanted to test out some traffic generation resources to see what kinds of things worked! Because the tone was negative, however, I was just thinking to myself that he was a completely negative douche-bag. Which again he is not.

What I am taking away from this experience: If I was to learn anything from this experience, it’d be that I should name my blog entries on reddit.com something different than what they actually are. If they are opinionated pieces..you better believe I’ll figure out way to get that across. That being said, I want to thank my non-douche-bag friend,  iesvs at reddit.com for letting me know how to do things correctly over there. As far as the negativity is concerned however, try and figure out a better way to get your point across, cause the way you do it now.. kind of sucks!

SoundCloud.com

Ryan    Uncategorized     Independent Music, Music Distribution, SoundCloud.com

It is kind of interesting to think about how personal publication has evolved over the last 10 or so years. First it was writers and their websites and blogs. Who would have thought that anyone and their dog could become widely read writers or authors in a day where national publication meant real success? I remember classmates of mine being overly excited because their poem was going to be published in a book chock full of hundreds of other poems just like theirs. Then came video. With the mass publicity YouTube generated along with the easy to use interface and the chance at YouTube stardom, people began pushing home videos left and right. But what about music?

There has always been music sharing and peer-to-peer networks since the dawn of age.. but we never really utilized these outlets to publish our own works. Sure there were some that tried this.. but there was really no way to market your junk unless you put a ‘Britney Spears’ in the title. Then people just hated you.

Podcasts came about and gave people the obviously clear opportunity to distribute whatever audio they wanted, but the use of the technology as a means to publishing original music never really caught on to artists and bands. So whats the deal?

Music, I think, is a touchy subject especially with record labels. Pirating music was, and still is, a major issue labels face. Does this mean that new and coming artists need to plan their success around this money dilemma? I suppose that all depends on what musician you talk to.

SoundCloud.com was founded in 2007 in Berlin, Germany and is one of today’s most utilized music distribution networks. If you haven’t heard of it, its basically a resource bands or artists can use to upload, collaborate, promote and distribute their music to an audience worldwide. With popularity of the service blossoming, its worth a comparison to that other social sharing network, Vimeo. Does this look promising?

This  basically shows that SoundCloud has gone from nothing to a search index of over 2.0 in just about 2 years. As a comparison, Vimeo went from nothing to a search index of over 2.0 in over 3 years! While I know this is not saying much, I do have to think that there could be some big things coming from SoundCloud in the near future. While more and more artists and bands learn about the simplicity SC has to offer, along with the opportunity to truly distribute their art in way where they have complete control… who knows.

In the mean time, go check out some new music at SoundCloud.com. If you like it, tell your neighbor, or heck.. stick it straight in your blog! Maybe we can start a trend.

The World is my idea, by AEHaller

Andy Haller is a friend of mine.. check him out.

Google StyleBot

Ryan    Uncategorized     Google, StyleBog

Just when you thought you had figured out all of the CSS issues between browsers new and old, here comes Chrome’s StyleBot… a plug-in that allows anyone and everyone to come in and fool around with your precious style sheets.

Actually, I personally  think Google’s StyleBot is pretty cool. But that’s because I’m kinda into the whole CSS thing… especially tinkering around with WordPress and other CMS themes.

No matter what site you are on.. Yahoo!, Google, CNN, Amazon, or RyanJin.me, with StyleBot, you now have the capability of changing or customizing any object on that page with your very own custom CSS. That could mean anything from changing all the fonts on Google to Times New Roman, to turning off all of the images of a webpage! Really, if you have any degree of knowledge with CSS, you can pretty much do anything, especially with the ‘Edit CSS’ button that allows you to go right into the styles themselves.

The benefit? For me, there is a huge benefit with StyleBot. For one, I am really into customizing WordPress themes, but because I’m not 100% in the know of how every single element of a WordPress blog behaves, I can use this plug-in to make sure I’m changing the right element at the right time. No guesswork! While the web design aspect is pretty convenient, the actual benefits users can get out of this plug-in is up to the individual person.

If I was partially blind and wanted to read some small text, this would be a handy tool.. just as much as ‘Cntrl + Scroll’  is a handy tool. But also, if some some wacky designer decided to put some green text behind a red background, or there is some text that doesn’t show up because someone screwed up some color combinations… well, StyleBot can help. Sure, the average Joe might not get a huge kick out of this thing, but  it’s all about the designer right? JK

Google’s StyleBot should be in the hands of anyone who is either learning CSS, utilizes CSS to build themes, or just enjoys CSS and and other design elements for the web. Check it out here!

Millennials and the Issue of NOW

Ryan    Uncategorized     Immediate Impact, Millennials

After a meeting yesterday with some interesting intellectuals, the topic of Millennials (you know that buzz word) came up. Although the the actual topic doesn’t necessarily figure 100% into the millennial mindset, it does have a major influence on almost everyone today. I’m talking about the issue of Immediate Impact.

Think of Environmentalism, Volunteerism, etc. The thing people today want to see a lot of is impact. “Impact Change!” I’m not quite sure what has brought this on, but people aren’t really motivated to stay at a job for 40 years, get a decent retirement, and then retire as a 100% consumer in today’s world. Millennials, and everyone else today, want to see how they can impact their community, their world, and their future… why do you think the environment is so important? Its about not screwing it up for ourselves later! That’s a whole different issue though.

The issue of ‘Change Now’ is a mindset that many people feel today, and why shouldn’t they? From entrepreneurs to religious missionaries or green buffs, people desire the knowledge and satisfaction that comes with doing something that they believe in. There may be monetary benefits, health benefits, or whatever, but still, it is the drug for self empowerment. I can totally understand this as I am constantly in search for something where I can be a part of the change. That is why I try to write in this blog! It might not be the end-result, but maybe it can one day chronicalize my search… and when it is found.. will be kind of hilarious to read.

Do you feel like you need to do something where you can understand, see, or feel the impact ASAP? Maybe this is why entrepreneurs have such a hard time staying still. There is always something better and more exciting just around the corner right?

Colors of the Web

Ryan    Uncategorized     Color

Recently, I’ve been working around with colors to utilize in a new webpage, and came across this gem of an InfoGraphic off of www.colourlovers.com.

For me, the color and the colors of webpages/logos, etc. is a pretty interesting subject. As you can see, there are trends to some degree, however you could make the argument that color theory in general is practiced in every form of media. While gives off a Fresh, Natural, and Calming vibe, it is Red that imposes a sense of Power, Love, and Attention. Do you see that here at all? Do you see contradictions?

Still.. as a person looking to brand something of my own (one day), I feel like I kind of need to make a huge decision… do I jump on the bandwagon that is the glory of Red or Blue, or go for something different and a little more unique? I think there is a tendency to want to do something different in every one of us, but Red and Blue, on the internet at least, is a very strong force to reckon with.

I do have to say this… when I was younger.. I could have been swayed a lot easier to the houses of Blue or Red than I could today.. that is why I think I need to try something different. Who knows though… maybe a my blue social network will catch on..? It’s fresh and very ‘universal’…

Naver

Ryan    Uncategorized     Baidu, Naver

After a wave of inspiration this last weekend, I stumbled upon Naver, South Korea’s #1 search engine.. by far. Being the American search guru that I am, I had never really made any effort to understand search in other parts of the world, let alone Korean (which is where I am from), so I figured… Google is gargantuan, maybe everyone just uses Google. Absolutely not. (And I really wasn’t being serious)

Naver is the fifth most used search engine in the world after Google, Yahoo, Baidu, and Bing. In addition, Naver and its parent company, NHN Corp. represent South Korea’s largest internet company, as well as the largest market cap of all KOSDAQ listed companies. Kind of a big deal right? I’m not here for numbers though. Some of the most interesting things that have come from Naver are actually things we use on a day to day basis.

You know Google’s Universal search? Naver launched their “Comprehensive Search” feature in 2000. A feature that placed search results from different categories and types on the same results page. Have you ever used Yahoo Answers? Naver released their “Knowledge Search” in 2002 to help aid in the creation of Korean specific content when most websites on the internet back then were in English. In terms of content production, and even search, it looks as if Naver has played a pretty substantial role in how we use search today, even in the states!

Naver, combined with Baidu (China’s #1 search engine) and a bunch of other search engine renegades out there represent a large or actually substantial percentage of users and searchers online today. Sure they may not all live in your same area code, but if global capitalism and the desire for continued growth is any kind of sign of things to come, one day, as search engine marketers, we’re going to be faced with working, and optimizing for these foreign gold mines. While we don’t need to pick up a copy of Rosetta Stone any time soon, it might not hurt to keep up-to-date on trends and analysis of whats happening in other parts of the world. How do  people search exactly in Korea? If you happen to work for a business that works globally, take a minute to see if there is anything you can do to help ‘motivate’ your overseas client base! A simple ‘annyo!’ could go a long way!

Ryan

Google Instant

Ryan    Uncategorized     Google Instant

So I just found Google Instant. (I did not alter this image in any way)

When I thought Google couldn’t get any more crazier, this kinda crap happens! Let me back up for a minute. After waiting maybe hours for my Google Wave to open, I decided to go and Tweet about my frustration.. also I wanted to see if it was just me of if other people were facing the same problems. Any ways, I stumble upon an entry talking referencing some new and wacky thing called Google Instant Search! Wait a minute.. Instant Search… is this another new thing that I have to take into account when doing SEO? The short answer, I don’t think so.

Basically, what it is, is a ‘time saving’ helper tool that displays real-time search results while you type in your search query. Do you want to be thoroughly confused? They say that with Instant, you’ll be able to shed between 2-5 seconds per search. Oh gosh, those precious seconds that are wasted between key strokes. I think that if you try it now.. you’re going to be adding time to your searches.. that is until you realize that Google Instant is kind of a waste of time.

Google Instant Homepage

So what does Instant give us today? I think we’re seeing Google help us rank websites based on popularity. Type in a single letter.. what do you see? Chances are, those first pages that make up your search are for big name brands, sites with lots of traffic, and paid ads that might just get more oomph because now you’re being served ads you would have never seen in the first place. Sure you can argue on behalf of the consumer, but really? 2-5 seconds for something that can lag 2-5 seconds? Once results are fast enough, then maybe we can talk… otherwise, I feel that this is a big waste of time… kinda like Wave.

Ryan

Fall, New Projects, and a 4-Month Old

Ryan    Uncategorized     Fall, Start Over

With the end of summer at large, at least back in WA anyway, I suppose it is time I get back to doing something on this blog. I think that hosting change knocked the wind out of me back in July and it’s been hard getting up ever since. By the way, that’s my dog Ginny playing on the beach. (Named after Ginny Weasly)

Just to give you an idea of what has been going on though:

I arrived back home in Phoenix last month after 3 weeks of being away with family. It was a very relaxing vacation. And then Andrea arrived a week and a half later with baby and dog. X turns four months old on Friday, and is getting bigger and bigger by the day… and then I am back here at work doing what I do best. Not blogging. Don’t worry though. Both Andrea and I are taking it upon ourselves to blog more because we know just how rewarding it can really be! If you haven’t visited her blog yet, check it out at www.MakingHappyHistory.com

With the plethora of side projects I was looking to begin a few months back, my time away really allowed me some time to prioritize what it was I really wanted to do. The conclusion… back to the drawing board. With LocalFollowing and theCollegeFair on a temporary hiatus, I thought it was time to focus back here where it all started… RyanJin.me. While I know it’s not the best reading material you could stumble upon, it is a kind of “start over” for me. My ideas could flow through here, while I worked on other things… but not until I nursed this back to some kinda of health. Bare with me.

So what’s next?

• A redesign
• A navigation update
• A category update
• Better content
• and some kind of traffic plan.

Sounds reasonable right? I mean, I do marketing, I’m online… I should be able to figure something out. Plus, with the help of some things I’ll be starting with Elliott, maybe I’ll have another thing or two to write about. Any ways, keep your fingers crossed, and lets hope I can revive this dying carcass of a blog.

Ryan

Stuck at an Airport

Ryan    Uncategorized     SeaTac, Stranded

For some reason, and for some obvious carelessness, I now find myself stuck at Sea-Tac Airport for the next 11 hours. The reason? I missed my flight.. yesterday -_-.

Don’t ask me why or don’t ask me how it escaped me, but after some failed attempts at checking in at my Alaska Air kiosk just a few short moments ago, I proceeded to double check my email and make sure I was typing in the right flight number. “Sat”. Damnit. Customer Assistance… “Tonight at 6:50.” Damnit x10.

To say I feel lost is kind of an understatement. If I could sum up my feelings at this moment, it would have to be feelings of great stress, mixed with emotional letdown, and above all else, sadness. I’m leaving my family, my baby, my home for whatever it is Phoenix is, and at an airport…? I can’t even check my bag yet! Sure I could have someone drive down to keep me company until 3 or so, but do I really want to do that? Quite honestly, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more alone in my life.

But to sit around and sulk at my current misfortune, I suppose it is in my best interest to work.

Peace

Loss of the Image

Ryan    Uncategorized     Images, Rebirth

In the effort to stay on top of my own ramblings, I’ve managed to switch my hosts so that everything I own is pretty much under the same roof. That being said, it is quite unfortunate to say that during the process, I’ve lost the majority of my images in all of my posts as well as my themes and all of my settings. Yep. Everything I edited, created, or whatever else has been lost.  But although I might be able to located it at another point in time, I really have no intention of going back to edit everything.. at least right now. Instead, let’s just call this a rebirth of imagery and imagination on RyanJin.me.

I hope you understand.

In the mean time, and while I’m here in Washington on vacation, get ready for some new exciting posts on search, social, and everything in between.

Peace