Can 'live tweeting' work at an event? Depends on the person

Cindy and I just wrapped up a very fun Creative Communications seminar in LA, and are heading home. Next week: Dallas and the Texas State Fair, where they put whole entire pigs and cows on sticks and deep fry them!

I had a real revelation in LA this week: Namely, that “live blogging” or “live Tweeting” an event can actually work!

For years, I’ve loathed live bloggers—those people who sit in a session and bang away at their computer the entire time you’re speaking, posting their thoughts to the Internet immediately, because their thoughts are SO IMPORTANT that their readers must have them RIGHT NOW.

I mostly loathe these people because I had a very bad experience with a “live blogger.” It was at a social media conference, and I was sitting on a panel discussing social media stuff.

And during the panel, I noticed this asshole in the front row, banging away at his computer the entire time. I mean, the entire time. He wouldn’t listen for a couple of minutes, think for a couple of seconds, gather this thoughts, and then type something. He typed the entire time.

I remember thinking at the time: God, I hope he’s not putting something on the Internet about this panel, because he’s not even listening to anything anybody is even saying.

Well . . . it turns out that the asshole in question was one of those social media “guru” assholes, who is very famous in the incestuous circle jerk that is the social media universe . . . and he was “live blogging” the panel.

So of course I went to his blog afterwards to check out what he wrote, and the asshole completely misrepresented everything I said on the panel. I mean, he got everything wrong. He couldn’t have got it more wrong if he sat down and said to himself:

“Whatever that Uncle Fester dude says, I’m going to write the opposite.”

I mean, he made me look like a moron. And I certainly don’t need some asshole social media guru’s help to look like a moron.

And, in a stunning bit of irony, when I tried to engage him in conversation about this on his blog, this asshole social media guru refused to talk about it. On his own blog. Leaving me to forever doubt the integrity and value of asshole social media gurus.

(Actually, I'm starting to believe that, with the exception of Shel Holtz, who is a God in my eyes, every "social media guru" is just a bedwetter who spends far too much time at the computer. Somehow, life has become one big "Revenge of the Nerds" movie.)

Anyway . . . for that reason, I’ve always been somewhat suspicious of “live bloggers.” But in the Creative Communications seminar, one of the attenders, Paula Cassin, told me she was going to “live tweet” the day.

Okay, I said. Not expecting much.

But she was fantastic. If you're on Twitter, you can read her tweets at #ec and #cresc. I mean she captured a lot of the substance of the seminar. I felt like I was learning stuff as I read her tweets . . . and I was the one she was quoting!

Writing tweets with substance really is an art form. And writing them on the spot, very quickly, is tough writing. But she did it, and she did it very well.

So it turns out that I was wrong . . . live blogging or live tweeting CAN work. It just depends on the person.

If you’re an asshole social media guru who already knows everything there is to know about social media and therefore don’t feel like you need to actually LISTEN to anyone else on the topic, then your live blog/tweets are going to suck.

But if you’re paying attention and thinking and actually listening, you can do your readers/followers a valuable service by reporting live from an event.

Who knew?

 

 

Comments

[Paula Cassin]

Hey, thanks Steve!
So glad you approve my efforts. You're very tweetable.

It's tough to find good internal comms-related content 2 tweet about, so it was great to have fresh insights from you worthy of sharing.

Here's three of my favorites:
from #cresc : leadership should communicate what & why down, ask audience how to make it happen (how up). no buzzwords #ec

Reason most co's fail at EC : they butcher the WHAT (with corporatespeak), never give the WHY, and don't ask audience for HOW. #EC #cresc

#cresc #EC Everyone's afraid to tell the C-suite that their corporatespeak-filled comms suck and employees don't understand it

[Becky Ryan]

I also find you thoroughly tweetable, Steve - which is why I was planning to tweet your Dallas seminar next week. I'll try not to make it redundant. I think I can add some interest by tweeting your State Fair Fried Food Fiesta. I dare you to finish a fried Snickers!

[Steve Crescenzo]

Hey thanks, Becky!

Make sure you introduce yourself . . . are you staying for cocktails after the event? I hope so.

And I WILL finish a fried Snickers. Right after a couple of corn dogs and a fried beef sandwich.

Steve C.