There is nothing I love quite as much as a summer road trip. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the City of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. A family celebration was planned, so I took a couple of extra days on either end of the event to holiday and play tourist. Naturally, I posted about my journey across the Salish Sea on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Almost immediately, new followers
One of the great laments of the digital age is that we spend too much time on screens and devices. I can’t argue with that. For years, I have been advocating that we practice mindful digital habits. This advocacy springs from three sources. Firstly, I have a strong belief that a mindful life is a meaningful one. Taking time to pause and consider our choices and be present in our daily
The big news in the world of social media this week is the launch of IGTV, a feature that enables vertical, long-form videos on Instagram. It’s available in both the native Instagram app and a new standalone IGTV app. Until now, in addition to its beautiful and simple photo and video feed, Instagram users have been able to create short 15-second disappearing video in Instagram Stories, but
A quick Google search of “Father’s Day and social media” results in a long list of the best Father’s Day social media marketing ideas, Father’s Day posts your fans will love, and Twitter and Instagram tips for Father’s Day. It is fair to say that social media feeds on the day will be filled with both organic and paid content to help us celebrate and appreciate fathers and
What is our time worth? As I write this, I am sitting on the balcony of our sweet little condo in Scottsdale, Az. It is late May and the white-wing doves are nesting in the willow tree that shades my perch. They flap and coo, their throaty sounds a comforting burble. They are ground feeders and, tails flashing, the cote struts and pecks beneath the tree in the gravel alongside the cement
I recently had the privilege of sitting on the closing panel at Victoria’s Social Media Camp. The largest conference of its kind in Canada, the event brings together the brightest and best from around the world to exchange ideas, share learning, and offer insight into the ever-changing world of social media and digital marketing. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Restoring
Take charge of our data and organize our digital lives. We live in a time of strange tension between the digital and analog worlds. Technology advances at a mind-boggling pace. The constant demands of social media, email and the fast-flowing Internet can be overwhelming, in part because of our drive to connect and socialize. To keep up requires a certain kind of adaptability and an attitude
Throughout the month of February, I focus on ways friends, fans and followers can be more loving – to each other and themselves, both online and off. No reason that we can’t raise our online standards. Frankly, the world can use more love, and I want to do my part. Christina Crook, in her book The Joy of Missing Out, Finding Balance in a Wired World, says: “Love has arms.” This
The Internet promises to connect us with each other, yet despite Canadians spending an average of 24 hours a week online, nearly 40 per cent of us say that we are lonely. On a rainy Sunday morning, I joined a Twitter sprint, hosted by Simon Fraser University’s Writers Studio. The studio is a part-time creative writing program emphasizing learning in community and training in the theory, craft
Facebook recently announced an algorithmic change that will significantly reduce the organic reach of Facebook Pages for businesses. Simply put, this means that reaching potential customers via the Business Page has essentially become pay to play. The good news is the move will reduce spammy content and force businesses to produce content that actually engages, or buy ads. So, what’s a