is considering paring down on a social network after a great first experience of Google +. Which would go for you – Twitter or Facebook?—
Andrew Conard (@andrewconard) July 09, 2011

After conversation with a good friend, I realized that there is value to maintaining connections with others in that way. So, I’ll likely be on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for the foreseeable future.

I have been wondering about the possibility of sharing my thoughts on faith, life and ministry at Google+ instead of WordPress.com. Here are some pros and cons of this switch:

Pros

• Google+ is built for sharing in a network, therefore, sharing thoughts, feelings and opinions that I hope might spread on Google+ makes it one step easier for people to share with others (instead of Tweeting a link to a post)
• Google+ is built to draw people back through integration across Google web properties – this would increase the possibility that people would continue to comment on a post, thus creating a conversation. Personally, I hardly ever revisit a blog post after leaving a comment to see if there are other comments added.
• Social profile and content creation are simplified for me by being at one location.

Cons

• Google+ is not yet public (yet), thus limiting reach
• Google+ does not have the ability to schedule posts in advance
• Google+ does not have analytics available around any particular post

I have reposted the content of several of my blog posts from WordPress over the past week and have received about as many or more comments on Google+ with the addition to a share. Will you please share your thoughts, feelings or opinions?

PS – If you want an invite to Google+ leave a comment using an @gmail.com email address and I will send you an invitation.

Will you please share your thoughts, feelings or opinions about this presentation? Is it helpful and / or applicable for you?

• Introduce Peers
• Tell Stories
• Stay offline when you’re tired or argumentative
• Brag about your fans’products and services
• Become the person you’d like to be
• Stay soft on people, hard on issues
• Thank often and liberally
• Adopt and credit good ideas
• Appreciate success is several years in the making
• Set a good example

My Experience – Day 4

• I discovered the Delivering Happiness Bus Tour with Gowalla and picked up a free copy of the book, Delivering Happiness.
• I stuck around in downtown Austin for John Oliver’s show and enjoyed dinner at Koriente – highly recommended.
• I cruised through the Trade Show – more updates in a post to follow

Tweeting On Weekends: Are We Becoming Socially Anti-Social?

• You have to decide where your line for using or not using social media. Consider why you are using social media and make an decision about where your line for using or not using social media will be.
• People draw the line for social media usage in different places.
• Be aware of not invading other people’s time with your social media updates.
• Considering the quality of your update will help you decide whether or not to share an update.
• The smart person in the future is not the one who has memorized all the information, but the person who is able to sort through all the junk to find the good stuff.

How to Personalize Without Being Creepy

How to Personalize Without Being Creepy

• Personalization helps the organization put something more relevant and likely more delightful in front of you.
• Transparency is important. There needs to be a clear communication about how data is being used and an easy way for customers to opt out and modify information if necessary.
• Personalization should be around data users chose to share – not assumptions that are made by the organization
• Let people know what inferences your site is making about them. Help them understand how it improves their experience.
• Explain why your user might be interested in something. “Because you liked X, you might like Y”

5 Steps to Bulletproof UX Strategy

• You need a user experience strategy. If you don’t have one, whatever you are doing is a fun guess.
• Start designing the user experience from the one thing that you want people to do on the site
• Steps to a User Design Strategy: Audit, Define the Vision, Plan, Implement, Measure
• A strong purpose communicated well will result in a successful user experience vision.
• Strategy session: “Tweak it until it’s perfect. Then leave it alone.” Measure, Iterate, Stop.

Game On: Design Patterns For User Engagement

• Game mechanics are design patterns that promote play and play-like engagement
• Game mechanics are powerful, because they connect with some of the most innate systems of reward that we have in our brain.
• Three primary design aspects involved in the user journey: Come and Try It – intial engagement; Bring Friends and Play Together – social; Come Back – creating repeat engagement
• Use metrics to determine if you are successful or not and be ready to implement based on learning gained from testing
• Determine what the metric will be for tracking any particular game mechanic

Comedy Showcase: John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show

• I was on the front row for the show and really enjoyed it.
• There were a series of comedians that will be on the show that will be on Comedy Central.
• The best part was during the final act, John was sitting just off stage and I could see him laugh and respond to the comedian on stage. It seems rare to see a professional comedian laughing along with the rest of the audience. It was fun!

Next Steps for Resurrection Online

• Pay careful attention to the updates that we encourage people to make about Resurrection Online
• Do not force people to log in or share contact information to worship
• Clearly communicate what will be done with information that is received in the attendance form
• Audit the Resurrection Online website
• Create a vision onesheet for Resurrection Online
• Intentionally design a user experience strategy for Resurrection Online
• Design game mechanics for Resurrection Online including: Come and Try It – intial engagement; Bring Friends and Play Together – social; Come Back – creating repeat engagement

Next Steps for Me

• Intentionally create boundaries for my use of social media and communicate them with friends and family
• Investigate:
  • https://learnable.com/
  • Start with Why by Simon Sinek http://amzn.to/he5lKL
  • http://www.uie.com/articles/creating-design-principles
  • http://www.rexbox.co.uk/epicwin/
  • http://www.recyclebank.com/
  • http://www.chorewars.com/
  • http://grockit.com/

Column at the Austin Convention Center

I came to SXSW Interactive 2011 to gain perspectives, discover technology and learn practical steps that will help Resurrection Online fulfill our purpose of building a Christian community where non and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. I hope to share some highlights and next steps from the day for Resurrection Online and myself.

My Experience – Day 3

• It makes a difference if you choose a workshop that doesn’t interest you. I am thankful that it is okay to get up and leave as long as you do not disrupt other people. I took advantage of that to get out of a workshop and in to the TED presentation.
• Free food is good, but not always worth the wait.
• I have seen or received more randomly free things than I can remember.
• It was good to worship with Resurrection Online. I happened to find a place outside the Microsoft Interactive Lounge.
• Sleep is a very good thing.

Radical Openness: Growing TED by Giving it Away

• TED Talks principals: embrace open models, design for a small screen, start strong, evoke contagious emotions
  

  Worship with Resurrection Online

• Only half of what you get from a conference is on the stage – the other part is having the inspired conversations with people around you who have just experienced the same content.
• We don’t have a monopoly on good ideas.
• Openness works when you: Put forward a clear goal that inspires; draw a passionate user base; Provide clear guidelines (with rewards + consequences); Allow the community to police itself; Make your contributors rock stars.
• Openness isn’t easy: It is actually much easier to stay closed than to open up; Openness goes against most of our human tendencies; It can be quite challenging to fight against the fear of letting go; The rewards can truly be extraordinary

Better Crowdsourcing: Lessons Learned From the3six5 Project

• Setup: Tell the story of a simple idea to get people involved. It is important for something brand new to have an idea that people can wrap their heads around
• Managing People: Set up the rules and pay attention to the human interaction
• Rewards and Recognition: Have a clear hierarchy when it comes to user involvement, reward people who are active by allowing them to take the next step and become editors or moderators. People that may not have had a voice before, suddenly have a voice.
• Ending Gracefully: Set clear guidelines and pay attention to scaling from the beginning
• Engage with people who you may not recognize as influencers.

Keynote: Christopher Poole – Founder of 4chan/Canvas

• I did not hear any thing helpful at this presentation

Nonprofits and Free Agents in A Networked World

Nonprofits and Free Agents in A Networked World

• Introduce people to others to create meaningful relationships
• A networked non-profit is a simple agile organization that is transparent enough to let insiders out and outsiders in
• Make connections with people who don’t care about the logo or branding document, but care about your cause.
• A network weaver introduces people to others to create meaningful relationships.
• Some non profits are a fortress that has trouble adopting and working with social media

27 (Fun!) Ways to Kill Your Online Community

• Have a clearly defined audience
• Have user guidelines
• Set a good example for everyone on the site
• Answer repetitive questions in a respectful manner
• Don’t do everything that you can do

Next Steps for Resurrection Online

• What if we allowed Resurrection Online to be embeddable on other sites?
• Explore the possibility of allowing users to tag, rate, connect and organize Resurrection’s sermon archive.
• Ask for ideas to improve Resurrection Online from regulars.
• Expand the Resurrection Stories shared via the GPS beyond Lent.
• Explore open projects for the people of Resurrection Online
• Engage with people who I may not recognize as being an influencer
• Set up a crowdsourced project for the people of Resurrection Online about how they became connected with Resurrection Online called Why Resurrection Online?
• Introduce members of the Resurrection Online community to one another.
• Pay attention to guidelines for building an online community as development continues with Resurrection Online
• Visit the communities where I hope to build Resurrection Online frequently

Next Steps for Me

Squarespace Food Truck

• Be surprised by the communities of which I am a part
• Remember that losing control is the only way to do some things.
• Be a network weaver who introduces people to others to create meaningful relationships.

Sites to Investigate

• south-bytes.com
• victorsandspoils.com
• sixitemsorless.com
• the3six5.posterous.com
• appconomy.com/apps
• groupme.com
• storify.com
• connect.me

Interactive Badge

I came to SXSW Interactive 2011 to gain perspectives, discover technology and learn practical steps that will help Resurrection Online fulfill our purpose of building a Christian community where non and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. I hope to share some highlights and next steps from the day for Resurrection Online and myself.

My Experience – Day 2

• Groupon was originally a spinoff to financially support a social good website - http://www.thepoint.com. They are now living out this mission through http://www.groupon.com/g-team.
• I enjoyed using Uber to catch a ride on a pedicab for one trip between venues.
• Great time sharing meals and conversation
• Lunch with Vince Marotte, Matt McKee and Andre Barnes
• Supper with DJ Chuang

How Many Rungs?: Social Change & the Engagement Ladder

• Most of the most important actions you may hope to influence do not happen online.
• Micro-donors are making an emotional connection to a cause – They don’t care if you are tax-deductible or not.
• Help everyone take the next step in their engagement instead of focusing on how many people are at a particular engagement level.
• Choose one technology platform that you can use well instead of multiple platforms that you do not use well.
• Help people know that they are truly able to make a difference in the world.

Are Your Customers a Crowd or a Community?

• Crowds: receive information passively; have pride; are looking for benefits; driven by connection; prefer to get; powered by inspiration; are sustained by service
• Communities: need a forum to communicate and interact; have purpose; are looking to belong; driven by collaboration; prefer to give; powered by influence; are sustained by story
• Belonging can never be commoditized.
• You do not have to scale the resources to connect the community and organization if you allow the whole community to belong to each other.
• Do you have more places for your constituents to connect (listen and respond) or collaborate (influence next steps)?

Keynote: Seth Priebatsch

• The previous decade was about the social layer – taking connections to family and friends online.
• The next decade will be about the game layer – using game mechanics in the real world to motivate action.
• The game layer may give us tools to make an impossible problem possible.
• It is a huge win to move a problem from impossible to very difficult.
• A group may be able to quickly solve a complex problem when given clear rules.

The Behavior Change Checklist. Down With Gamefication

• The secret to behavior change is a feedback loop - an understanding of what one’s actions and how they affect things.
  

  The Behavior Change Checklist. Down With Gamefication

• To create a feedback loop move data to meaning, meaning to actionability and actionability to data.
• Our mind turns a feedback loop into a game.
• Time discounting and delayed gratification are two major barriers to behavior change.
• Time discounting refers to the greater value that is placed on enjoyment now over enjoyment in the future.

Lurkers: Your Most Important Community Members

• At times, lurker = learner. People want to gain more information about the organization.
• Everyone who becomes an active part of a community begin as lurkers.
• The most active community members will cycle in and out over time.
• Helping lurkers take one sharing opportunity is critical to ensure a continuing active community
• Create the opportunity for people to engage as soon as they begin.

Next Steps for Resurrection Online

• Focus on a single platform and use it very well before expanding.
  

  Inside the Austin Convention Center

• Encourage offline actions (love your neighbor) through what happens online.
• Develop a way to share and receive stories of people who worship with Resurrection Online.
• Create opportunities to live out attributes of a community for Resurrection Online
• Create opportunities for Resurrection Online regulars to influence future development.
• What would a game layer would look like for the journey of knowing, loving and serving God?
• What would a game layer would look like for worship at Resurrection Online?
• Create feedback loops for membership expectations.
• Pay attention to whether those that share feedback are regulars at Resurrection Online
• Practice random acts of connection among regulars – email, phone, letter.
• Create predictable programs to invite people to engage – once a week, first Monday, etc.
• Facilitate connections among regular worshipers that are in similar situations
• Create the opportunity for people to engage from the very first time they worship online

Next Steps for Me

• Where can I be involved in making a difference that has a multiplier effect?
• Be active in communities of which I am a part.
• Try out http://scvngr.com.
• Check out TED Talks, each from a Seth - http://bit.ly/glpy5p and http://bit.ly/fNaJPC
• Create additional feedback loops around my desired behavior change.
• Become a lurker/learner in some new online communities.

Sites to Investigate 

Downtown Austin

 

• volunteermatch.org
• causes.com
• change.org
• jumo.com
• thelevelup.com
• scvngr.com
• massiveh.com
• moodscope.com
• socialeyes.com

Badge Pick Up

I came to SXSW Interactive 2011 to gain perspectives, discover technology and learn practical steps that will help Resurrection Online fulfill our purpose of building a Christian community where non and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. Over the next few days, I will share some highlights and next steps from the day for Resurrection Online and myself.

My Experience – Day 1

• I will likely take free stuff –  T-shirt from Gowalla, headband and mmmpanadas from Groupon, and a taste of Man Bites Dog from SquareSpace.
• The line to pick up badges was where I saw the highest percentage of people engrossed in their mobile device that I had ever experienced.
• I think I had a sense of what coming to Leadership Institute at Resurrection is like for some people – This is the biggest conference that I have ever attended and it is overwhelming at times.
• Well run logistics, especially transportation and registration, are necessary for a conference to have a chance at success. Well done SXSW.
  

  Austin Convention Center

• Some people are here to party. I am not.

MicroMarketing: Get Big Results by Thinking and Acting Small

• The next big thing is no more big things. There are a lot of small things.
• Content consumption and production has become shorter over time – books to magazine or newspaper articles to blogs to 140 character updates.
• Small content can travel fast and free far across the web.
• For many marketers micro media and short form content is a mess – you cannot market in mass ways on the internet.
• Learn from how constituents are actually engaging with content instead of case studies and best practices.

Why Everything is Amazing But Nobody is Happy

Why Everything is Amazing But Nobody is Happy

• What is an amazing piece of technology to which you  feel entitled, so much so that you complain about it when it doesn’t work exactly like you want it?
• Bilocationality is trying to be two places at once, often using technology.
• Social media is information poor as a result of no nonverbal communication.
• Interacting with the internet is behavior that may become compulsive, however may not be addictive.
• Explore opportunities to create positive competitive environments.

Metrics for Social Media: The Net Promoter Score

• I did not make it in to this presentation because the room was full when I arrived late, as a result of the shuttle ride between locations.

Ignite SXSW – 2021 Vision of the Future

• I took part in the egg drop competition to try to win a Roku. I did not win.
• Free quesadillas and nachos were supper for me.
• The first few presentations were unimpressive, so I came back to my hotel.

Next Steps for Resurrection Online

• Be aware that Resurrection Online is amazing technology to which some people feel entitled.
• Be aware that Resurrection Online encourages bilocationality – people trying to be two places at once.
• Provide guidance for people to prepare offline for worship online. Some internal preparation may be helpful before you turn on the screen.
• Create opportunities for positive competitive environments – best guidance, most faithful next steps, insightful response to scripture or worship, etc.
• Investigate http://www.theforgivenessengine.com and http://compassionpit.com

Next Steps for Me

• Beware of book readings at conferences.
• Visit the 2 Week SXSW Apple Store to take a look at the new iPad.
• Pay attention to venues when selecting sessions or workshops – being present at a second choice session is better than missing a first choice session.
• There is not a need to do everything at SXSW, at work or home.
• Be present.

Image by jenniferconley via Flickr

Tomorrow I will travel to Austin, TX for SXSW Interactive. This is my first year attending and I am excited for the experience. According to the website:

SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders, the incredible new SXSW Trade Show and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer. Join us for the most energetic, inspiring and creative event of the year, taking place March 11-15, 2011 in Austin, Texas.

I am looking forward to a time of learning, reflection and technology next steps for Resurrection Online. More importantly than that, I would love to meet up with you while I am in Austin. Will you be in or around Austin over the next few days? If so, leave a comment on this post, connect with me on Twitter at @andrewconard or send me an email at andrew.conard@rezonline.org.

This is going to be good.

Image via Wikipedia

Here are the top posts for the past 365 days that were written in 2010:

1. Church Growth = Increased Pastor Salary?
2. Top 8 Reasons to end Guaranteed Appointments in the UMC
3. Ordination Paperwork in the UMC: A Provocative Proposal
4. Do I have to believe all the beliefs in Methodism to be a Methodist?
5. What to Do with Ineffective United Methodist Clergy
6. Ordination in the UMC: Doctrinal Papers
7. 2010 Twitter Hashtags for #UMC Annual Conferences
8. #smckc + #smcjoco = 7
9. What is a guaranteed appointment in the UMC?
10. What to Do with Unhealthy United Methodist Congregations

Resurrection Online is looking for people to be part of building a Christian community online where non religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. Here are some ways that you can get involved…

Online

If you are in the Kansas City area, you can connect with missions opportunities at www.cor.org/missions. If you are outside the Kansas City area or unable to participate in those opportunities, will you please consider one of the following opportunities to serve?

• Facebook Moderator: As a Facebook Moderator, you will read and respond, in a loving way to Facebook messages and ensure all comments are responded to quickly.
• Facebook Prayer Partner: As a Prayer Partner you will pray for services while they are live and send daily prayer messages to those connected with the Resurrection Online Facebook page.
• Social Media Editor: As a Social Media Editor you will modify eNote and notes from worship to compose social media posts. You will design social media posts to be conversational and include links in posts that allow further exploration on posted content.
• Tech Admin: As a Tech Admin, you will upload posts from the Social Media Editors into HootSuite and schedule them for publication.

Sign up for these opportunities at http://goo.gl/MpR0g.

In Person

If you are in the Kansas City area, you can get connected with opportunities to serve by visiting www.cor.org/missions. If you are living outside the Kansas City area, you may consider serving in person in one of the following ways:

• Baking cookies for your neighbors
• Donating canned goods to a local food bank
• Helping an elderly person with work around their yard or home.

Will you consider ways to bless your neighbors or serve others in your local community? If you are serving God in your community through Resurrection Online will you please mail Pastor Andrew Conard to share your story?