Encouraging Post Development and Links

February 4, 2009 · Comments

seed Michael Calienes is smart. I’m learning how smart each day. First, he sends me a beer from a thousand or so miles away. Then, I see his Twitter avatar change to have a mug from the same bar (at the time of this writing).

Now, he’s written a post called We are Presence Engineers. The idea is that we’re using these tools to define a new kind of presence. This is powerful to me, because it’s something that Jeff Pulver has spoken about for quite some time that’s finally rattling into place in my brain.

What’s smart about Michael’s post is this: it’s really brief. It’s not what I wanted. It makes me want to write a post that fleshes out the thoughts a lot more. But of course, that means I’ll link to Michael’s post, because he posted about it first, so he’ll get inbound link traffic, and it’ll mean that my work is derivative, and it means that others will blog their take (if they get what Michael was going for, and dig the idea).

Planting the seed to a good blog post is sometimes better than writing the entire post.

Photo credit Noel Zia Lee

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  • Clever idea. It really encompasses the brevity and teaser nature of twitter.
  • That Jeff Pulver line has been bouncing around in my head for many months: Presence is the new dial tone. Presence is the new dial tone. Presence...

    The term presence engineering occurred to me yesterday. I was driving South on Thomasville Road in Tallahassee, Florida, just across from the library, talking to a client about how to expand his digital footprint. I'm making him some very big shoes.

    Thanks, Chris. Onward to more expansive and engaging territories -- and beer.
  • Chris, next time you're in Florida and really meet up with Mike for a beer, count me in too! Just moved down to the Orlando area...
  • very much thought inspiring...could be Presence Architects as well or perhaps?

    I recall the Presence Management push in IP Telephony in '01 so I have to get that out of my head! It is in part the underpinnings technically of presence engineering...
  • This just goes to show that the web is now able to create physical interaction with others even with thousand's of miles in between. You can create a physical presence from anywhere just by knowing where to look and how to act on what you find. I did something similar to Mike, right before Christmas, I helped a friend of mine, who got stuck in an airport in Montreal with no form of money, get food from my home in West Virginia.

    Can't wait to see how you extend Mike's idea.
  • Very interesting idea Chris. You're very good at writing teaser copy and leaving your readers panting for more!
  • stevenimmons
    I enjoyed Michael's article and ideas - thanks for sharing. I think there is scope for expansion, and there are some really interesting philosophical questions around the definition of presence. Web2 seems to fragment as well as unite and the ability to over-arch presence across Web2 'silos' is really quite interesting. I also hereby claim the term 'gravitas engineering' :-)
  • Wow, this is a great idea for blogging and while some may just call the root blogger lazy I think he is just leaving open doors for others to venture into. This reminds me of an assignment I had in English one year where the class split into groups and in each group one person started writing a story and passed it around the circle for each person to add on to it. By the end of the hour each group had a well fleshed out story that was good regardless of whether or not it turned out the way the story starter intended it to. Thanks for the post Chris, I hope I can use this idea for something really kickass.

    ~Freddy G.
  • Very well done Michael and once again clever wins out over spammy, in your face, creis for attention.

    Who would have imagined this a few years ago? A beer, an avatar update and then a feature on Chris Brogan's blog... welcome to the new world of marketing!
  • I'm rather curious as to how that beer tasted.
  • I think the beer tasted better to me than it did to Chris. And I didn't even get a sip.
  • I totally rely on short posts like that to spur ideas for my own blog. I just started working in marketing for a new start-up and I'm definitely shifting how I'm thinking. I've been using social media for my own personal brand, but to help a company brand with so many resources and excitement and other people in it opens up endless possibilities for me. I'm just so excited. It's so corny, sorry. Today was an especially good day :)
  • the original post was longer but I realized I was simply creating another box. didn't need that. more to come. cheers.
  • Way to see that one coming. Fabulous idea. I guess the question is...haven't you written the post yet?
  • Great article qnd post. "Presence Engineers" is a great phrase for social media marketing as you MUST create a presence today- but it must be engineered right and effectvely. Most are too busy working on their message and not the total of their presence. Great heads up! - as usual. : )
  • Tre
    Nah, you got it all wrong Chris. Mike just wants YOU to send him a beer from Boston and switch YOUR avatar. This has ZERO to do w/ linking back and blog posts and sharing important info. ITS only about the Beer and the Image. Honest you peeps who think you know something about social media. :)
  • We are - and always have been - engineering presence. In everything we do on the internet, in putting ourselves or our clients online, in everything we say or communicate through technology, whether that results in an online or offline interaction, we're creating presence.

    In fact, about 12 years ago in 1997, I opened my business website by saying that "creating presence" through the internet was more than just about creativity. You're right, all of this journey is about creating, engineering, presence. And it's very deep.
  • Very Large Social Network Directory
  • hey jason. thanks a bunch for commenting. i’ve looked on port80.com but can’t find the term “creating presence.” love to read more about what you wrote — perhaps an archived page? in my opinion, the term “creating” isn’t quite as accurate as “engineering” since the creation of presence alone doesn’t imply a planned process and implementation. we can certainly "create" a presence on twitter, facebook, et al, but only when that presence is “engineered” do we create it with the intention of achieving certain goals through the implementation of strategies and tactics through the appropriate channels. but like i said, that’s just my opinion. cheers.
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