Archive for March, 2010

Posted on March 27, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

A location-based road trip to SXSW with TriOut badges, widgets and check-ins.

As some of you know I had the opportunity to attend SXSW Interactive, and participate in a great American Race style road trip/competition sponsored by Chevrolet. So while SXSWi was held in Austin, TX the road trip started for me from Atlanta, GA. For the road trip I traveled 3 other friends @TheRab, @Jakrose, @NikisNotes aka, Team NC. Chevrolet was a sponsor of SXSW and the hashtag we used while traveling was ChevySXSW.

As a location-based app fanboy and partner of a location-based service (TriOut) I was looking forward to not only checking in at various locations at SXSWi, but also checking in at new cities and venues I have never been before.

Prior to the trip I was talking with Lawrence Ingraham (@LawPower) (TriOut founder/developer) about how cool it would be if we had a widget that could display all the check-ins from the road trip and a check-in badge for NC residents who were attending SXSWi. Lawrence said no problem or something like that and thus we have the road to SXSWi check-in map via TriOut below.

Note you can create your own TriOut widget here: http://trioutnc.com/u/widgets.php

I was told by Jay Cuthrell (@qthrul) fellow NC friend who’s awesome that there were over 218 NC residents who attended SXSW. Although I wish all 218 were TriOut users, that just wasn’t the case but we did have 7 TriOut users checked-in at the Austin Convention Center. When they checked-in, they were welcomed to SXSW with the TriOut badge above.

While in Austin for SXSW I added every venue I visited to TriOut such as the Gingerman, the Hilton, Champions Sports Bar + Restaurant, The Belmont and more. One common question I received by doing so was that if TriOut is a NC location-based social network, why check-in at SXSW or add locations from other cites? My response was that even though we require TriOut iPhone users to be in the state of North Carolina to create an account and we emphasize on “Exploring the Triangle”, NC area, TriOut is also about NC residents as well. TriOut users let their friends know where they check-in to and/or where they’re on the way to. They write reviews about locations, post photos to share their experience.
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As a TriOut user this doesn’t apply to only NC locations but any location that he/she visits. Meaning if you’re a current TriOut user, it’s OK to check-in, add photos and reviews to locations outside of NC.

On the return trip back from Austin, TX Team NC took a different route back as you can see via the map. A big thanks to everyone who supported us and/or followed the check-ins, I still have a few more post SXSW articles to write in the upcoming days.

What are your thoughts on the TriOut check-in map and adding check-ins to activity streams?

Note: This was cross posted on the TriOut blog.

Posted on March 24, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Content Strategy FTW video & presentation from Kristina Halvorson @halvorson talk at SXSW

Photo by Warren Parsons

One of the most anticpated talks I was looking forward to at SXSW was by Kristina Halvorson @halvorson called Content Strategy FTW . I first heard Kristina speak at FOWA a year ago and I knew she would “crush it” at SXSW. A few of my NC friends such as Kipp Bodnar, Jeff Cohen and Jim Tobin attended the session as well and “over heard” how I thought Kritian’s session would rock and she didn’t disappoint us. Jim even wrote a great recap of here session called:Content Strategy is Much More than Web Copywriting: More SxSW Notes.

During her session I sat on the front row with my Macbook Pro and a usb webcam to live stream her talk. It’s a little shaky but I think well worth a listen if you’re in the content strategy/blogging/writing for the web business. Below is the video and her slides from Content Strategy FTW session at SXSW.

The SXSW Video. FYI it’s via the lap cam.

Also check out Kristian’s book called Content Strategy http://www.contentstrategy.com

*Discloser: No this is not a sponsored post. I just recognize awesome when I see awesome.

Posted on March 24, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

SXSW Presentation: Becoming Real-Time Video Blogger in 2010 – Future15 Session

I’m still playing catch-up from SXSWi but I wanted to share the presentation from the Future15 Becoming Real-Time Video Blogger in 2010 session I presented at SXSW. The Future15 sessions were new to SXSWi this year allowing for more speakers to participate in a 2 hour time block on a niche topic with each speaker having 15 minutes to present. I like to call it a mix of “ignite” like talks meets SXSW. Take a look at the presentation below and let me know what you think. It’s currently being featured on Slideshare’s Spotlight: South by SouthWest SXSW 2010 section today too.

During the Future15 Online Video section other speakers and friends presented on other video topics such as:

• Video Search Optimization Strategies To Grow Your Business – Bill Leake, Apogee Search
• Hyperlocal Focus: Growing A Vibrant Community Media Ecosystem – Bill Simmon, VCAM
• Just the Host: Web Video Divas Dish! – Amanda Congdon, Oxmour Entertainment Inc / Sometimesdaily LLC – Amanda Congdon
• Web Video: Can We Now Say Something Sucks? – Liz Shannon Miller, NewTeeVee – Liz Shannon Miller
• Attracting Big Sponsors With a Super-Niche Webshow, Freezer Burns, Gregory Ng

I lived streamed 3 out of the 5 presenters and will be posting some of their presentations and video from there talks too. After my talk Tod Plotki from Green Buzz Agency asked me what did I think about the role of video in corporate marketing. Here’s my video response below. Note: I think I was still nervous from the presentation

How do you see video being used in social web in the upcoming months?

Posted on March 23, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Win an iPad with @fragmentlabs 's Window Design Contest

This was originally posted on Fragment’s blog.

We have a serious offer for you that involves one of our most visible assets – our front windows. As you can see from the images on our website, we’ve taken a few creative liberties with them. Now it is your turn.

Here is our offer:

The four street-level windows of our prime Fayetteville Street location in downtown Raleigh are ready and waiting for your custom design to stop pedestrians in their tracks. To win our little contest, let our edgy FRAGMENT style cut through your window design, and the winner will see their vision realized within a $250 budget.

In return for your diligence, hard work and sacrifice:

You get the opportunity to have your design executed with the help of the ridiculously clever FRAGMENT team. Furthermore, you can build your portfolio, get name recognition and earn some serious street cred. (And we all know that goes a long way.)
Oh, did we mention that the winner gets a new Apple iPad? Yeah, that’s right, a real incentive to dust off your thinking cap.

So, you may ask…Who is eligible?

Our contest is open to everyone with a creative bone in their body. Students, freelance designers, art folks, the Triangle community at-large. Describe yourself. Okay, you’re eligible (as long as you are at least 18 years old).

However, you MUST do the following to get in on this sweet offer:

• Convey FRAGMENT style in a unique and original way, even if you submit multiple entries. This is a biggie.

• Submit your design(s) online by April 6, 2010 through our specially-designed entry form.

• Run wild with the rules. This is your opportunity to create a custom window display for all of downtown Raleigh to enjoy!

• Adhere to all official rules and regulations. If you think of any other jargon we forgot, please adhere to that too.

So, you may also ask…How can I submit my stuff?

You can submit your contest entry online by filling out our snazzy form, complete with your design description, and by uploading your window design mock up.

To simplify the design process, we’ve created a nifty FRAGMENT window template that you download here.

Yes, we are serious about our windows. Now, show us what you can do. All contest entries must be submitted by April 6, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST . You’re running out of time.

Posted on March 23, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

4 companies for startup stickers & the SXSW collection

I wanted to have something here besides the auto generated RSS feed shares post that have been publishing since SXSW. So here’s a simple list post if you’re in the market to buy some stickers.

The picture above is how my skinned MacBook Pro looked before SXSWi and below is how it looked afterwards. I wanted a few TriOut stickers to pass out during SXSWi myself and for the launch party. Here’s a list of sticker printing companies I found and were suggested via twitter.

1. http://www.stickergiant.com/
2. http://www.psprint.com/stickers-labels
3. http://www.contagiousgraphics.com/Stickers/stickers.html
4. http://stickerrobot.com/pricing/

Also check out some of the stickers I collected at SXSW, you may recognize a few of the companies.

Do you have a company that you use for stickers and what is your favorite sticker on the MacBook Pro?