Broadcasting Brain

Catch the brainwaves is our ongoing Q & A series with bloggers here, there and everywhere.  I ask them ten questions, they respond. The results are always worth reading!

Today I’m featuring Lisa Rousseau (aka WalkingGal on Twitter and other sites), a blogger and entrepreneur from my home province of New Brunswick in Canada. In addition to her passionate involvement with social media and communities of interest, Lisa is a co-founder and COO of Walking Spree.

Are you ready? Then catch her brainwaves!

1. From what I can tell, you’ve changed from being a personal blog writer to more of a topic/area blogger. Is it easier to blog with a less personal focus?

I’m not sure if easy is the right word. I’ve been blogging for years and I enjoy the dialogue that ensues from blogging. I started feeling somewhat that my personal blog was reaching it’s endlife and Facebook was filling the role of staying in touch with family and friends. I knew I still wanted to blog. So I switched to a topic blog partly because it seemed a better fit with my work professionally and especially because I felt a need to connect with other Maritimers in the ICT (Information & Communications Technology) industry.

2. You have a previous background in print media, particularly trade journal and non-fiction book publishing. Has the Internet forced those industries to transform as much as one might think?

I find there’s still very much a split in that industry, although many are recognizing the neccessity for integrating into online media. The online distributors like Amazon have also helped encourage/push the publishing industry in the online direction. Savvy publishing companies are recognizing the value of social media for promoting their books and their authors. Another change that has put a little bit of pressure on publishers is the ease of self-publishing with companies like lulu.com and self-promotion because of the Internet. Although, there’s no doubt that in most cases a publisher released book will have more brick and mortar distribution. I feel there’s still a long ways to go for many Canadian publishers to integrate in online media.

3. On MeshEast, your newest blog, your on-line poll seems to show that there are more men than women (about a 3:1 ratio) who are active in social media in Atlantic Canada. Why do you think that is?

The poll is actually for men and women who visit my blog. So it could be people interested in ICT or a random visit. So I have a lot of male readers?

Seriously though, there’s no doubt that in NB at least and Atlantic Canada, there are far fewer women in the ICT industry. I would say though that I think there are many women in social media, at least in the rest of Canada. I just haven’t found many of them in this area yet.

Note: if you’re a woman in Atlantic Canada and you’re reading this, shout hello. ?:)

4. I notice that MeshEast has a large footer with Recent Comments and Recent Posts. Why there? Why do some people think the blog footer is so important?

LOL. To be honest, it’s just the way the template was made. I liked the template, made a couple modifications and used it. Simple as that? No ulterior reason.

To be honest, I’d rather have the recent comments and posts on the side and at some point will likey get around to having that changed. I think the footer merely needs to hold the standard legal/privacy, etc. info.

5. You’re also a regular Twitter user. What kind of impact has Twitter had on your social media work?

Twitter has been incredible for creating relationships. It removes the social hierarchy in traditional networking. I’ve been able to meet people that I never would have felt comfortable just emailing out of the blue to say hello, at least not without a good reason. The relevance of your network expands quickly as someone you’re following mentions someone else frequently and then you follow that person as well. It has opened a lot of doors for me and I think has helped bring social media fans together in Atlantic Canada.

6. Have you used Twitter to promote your business/day job? If so, how’s that working out?

Not directly. I find that like most aspects of social media, my work with WalkingSpree?always indirectly benefits from my interaction in the social media space. Occasionally when we have press releases or something new, I’ll mention it, but I really don’t want to be shilling my work in those spaces. Again, it’s about building relationships and I can tell from looking at our analytics for WalkingSpree as well as those who contact me, that it pays off. I will say though that we have plans at WalkingSpree for using Twitter. More news about that later, likely via Twitter

7. The population of Atlantic Canada is less than the total population of the Greater Toronto Area. Can social media thrive and flourish in a much more rural setting than the larger cities?

I believe so. I consider myself a realistic optimist? We had a great turnout at our Third Tuesday Social Media meetup a couple of weeks ago. Where we have to be different is in our grouping. We’re not likely to ever have a Fredericton Social Media (note: Fredericton is the capital of New Brunswick)group on its own. We need NB and Atlantic Canada to come together for these venues. Typically, it may be challenging to find others in rural areas that are involved in social media. One of the great advantages of social media, is the ability to bring people together in those situations. I also like to think, as one of our meetup members Susan Lind mentioned, that in NB we’re more inclined to be open and transparent. An ideal combination for social media success.

8. What makes a blog post a good blog post?

Great question. I’d say it depends. I could say that if a good conversation ensues it’s a great blog post. And that’s not necessarily measured by comments alone. I’ve seen blog posts with no comments, yet lots of discussion on Twitter or via email.

As a blog reader, I’ve been guilty of reading a great blog post and never leaving a comment. I felt I couldn’t add to the conversation, yet the post left me with food for thought or new learning. So maybe a great blog post is one that leaves the reader with having felt that they gained something of value.

9. Pretend the Internet is destroyed overnight. What do you do the next morning?

Switch the daily routine. Instead of check email first, get the kids ready for school first. Then panic?

10. What one piece of knowledge, advice, or wisdom do you have to share with our readers?

Experience. Engage. Enrich.

I think social media is as simple as that. If you haven’t tackled it yet, get in there and experience it first by listening and watching. Then start engaging with others, by sharing and giving. The result will be an enriched experience for everyone.

Many thanks to Lisa for sharing her thoughts with us! Check out her blog!

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