The Internet is in Session!

It's amazing how quickly people move on online. Last night, my Twitter feed was clogged with fans praising Christian Bale for being a "real life hero." I'm sure you've heard about last week's mass shooting in the The Dark Knight Rises Colorado premiere by now. An online campaign urged Bale to visit the victims, which he did yesterday afternoon.

That was old news by the time I woke up this morning. Kirsten Stewart had just issued a formal apology for cheating on Robert Pattinson with her Snow White & the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders. Out were the "what a guy!" comments and in were the "once a cheater, always a cheater" cracks.

It's like high school all over again, except in cyberspace and with the entire world. Brands, celebs, even regular people -- there's no escaping the watchful eyes of the net. Here are a few things that make the Internet like high school: 

Gossip

Doesn't matter if it's fact, rumour or theory. Netizens love good gossip. No surprise here, given that the web's #1 selling point is real-time reporting. One semi-interesting Tweet is all it takes.

Bullying

The people insisting that the kids from the bus monitor bullying incident should be whipped and sent to juvi need to get off their high horses. How many of the same folks have Liked, shared or laughed at a Justin Bieber or Twilight meme? On- or offline, bullying is bullying. 

Cliques

You've got your social network addicts (guilty), gamers, lurkers, trolls, online shoppers, love seekers, etc. Not exactly the high school cliques we know and love, but it's the same principle (or principal. Get it? Haha. Okay no). 

Grades

Thought you left grades behind when you graduated? Think again. With metrics like Klout, Kred, fans, followers, views, shares, Likes and mentions to name a few, I wouldn't be surprised if online profiles included a "Report Card" section in the future.

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I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones off the top of my head. It just goes to show: we may have graduated high school, but there is no escape from Internet High.

Til then,
Mae

If Content is King, then Quality is Queen

Online marketers, copywriters and bloggers: If we got a dollar for every time we see or hear the phrase "content is king!" then we'd all probably be billionaires, so freaking bad.

True. All the money and best advertising in the world would lead nowhere if you've got nothing (or crap) to offer. However, if Content is King, then I crown Quality Queen. You'd be surprised at how much good content there actually is on the web -- it's just that its packaged so badly that we tend to miss it.

Let's take YouTube celebrity Michelle Phan, for example. What makes her makeup tutorials "better" than the thousands out there? She has great content for sure, but so do a lot of others. What makes her stand out? What made Lancome hand-pick her to be their first-ever online brand ambassador?

http://www.youtube.com/user/michellephan

The answer is quality. Her videos are well-lit and well-edited, with clear step-by-step instructions. Her commentary is friendly, useful and straight-to-the-point, and she always includes a complete product list and related links in the description. With all the low-quality user-generated videos out there, hers are truly a breath of fresh air!

As the Internet grows denser every second, I really do believe that quality has made its place alongside content when it comes to gaining and retaining followers. It's sort of like chess. To stay in the game, you need the King. To survive in the competitive online landscape, you need content. No King, no game. No content, no presence.

The Queen, on the other hand, is the driving force that defeats the competition and ensures that the King stays alive. Likewise, quality (whether in the form of a sleek website design, catchy copywriting, or well-edited videos like Michelle's) may be the deciding factor that makes users choose you over your competitors and ensures your content gets the attention it deserves. Imagine losing your Queen in chess. You'd still be in the game, but not for long!

So put in the effort, people! It could make or break your game.

Til then,
Mae

What Captain Planet Can Teach Us About Making Websites

Earth

Stay grounded. Think about what you want to achieve and be realistic about what your website can/can't and should/shouldn't do. What is the main purpose of your site? Who is your target audience? People don't visit websites for flashy effects, but for relevant content. Build a strong foundation first and the fancy stuff can come in later.

Fire

Just because your website is grounded doesn't mean it has to be boring. To attract and retain visitors, it must have oomph, flair, spark! Differentiate your site by adding a personal twist or offering something others aren't. Make it interesting enough and it will spread like wildfire.

Wind

Everyone has access to wind and air. Expand your reach by making your website as accessible and easy to navigate as possible. It is cross-browser compatible? Is it mobile friendly? Consider factors such as loading time, screen resolution, JavaScript availability and color limitations, to name a few. It doesn't matter how awesome your website is if people can't see it.

Water

Be "fluid" i.e. adaptive to change. Keep your website up-to-date and flowing with fresh content. Some people think building a website is a one-time thing; after all, there's not much to update when it comes to About or Contact Info. Point taken -- add a News or Blog section then. No need to update it everyday, but don't let it become stagnant either.

Heart

Never underestimate the power of heart. Your passion is what motivated you to create your website in the first place, and it will continue to motivate you to make it better. If your audience can feel how meaningful your work is to you, then your output will become meaningful to them. Nothing produces (quality) traffic more than an emotionally invested audience.


That, dear readers, is what Captain Planet can teach us about making websites. And remember:

Til then,

Mae