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Alana Taylor on Social Media: Nothing Professional Here
Earlier today Dave Winer posted the following message on Twitter, "Do you realize there are now people who call themselves "professional tweeters." I’ve lived too long. Please shoot me."
A reply to this message came from NYU student Alana Taylor. In addition to going to college, Alana also writes a couple times a year for Mashable, and is noted as a "new media evangelist" on her Mashable bio. I thought her response was worth sharing:
Considering that social media is just one piece of an overall Internet marketing strategy (even if 2 million Twitters think differently), it’s interesting to hear that this piece isn’t something that should be cared for with professionalism. Just do something "creative" to get a story up on Digg I guess? Or “innovate” your way into a retweet?
I’ve met Alana a couple times briefly. I think she’s a great writer with some excellent insights. However, I agree that she possesses an equal amount of naivety and it is glaring in this case. Of course social media involves professionalism, as well as a certain degree of humbleness, which she is obviously lacking a little too often.
perfect example of someone who needs to stay in school and stop acting like as if she is some sort of expert.
Don’t know about others, but I’ve included into my work day a few hours of tweeting on my employer’s account. It is basic brand management. tweeters having public trouble with our company, need to be answered, possibly some customer service.
I wasn’t hired to tweet, but I am being paid for those hours I spend tweeting, so I could be considered a pro tweeter. It’s fun and I do other social media development work. It’s a good field, don’t freak.
I saw Alana at the Mashable NextUp NYC the other night and liked what she had to say.
and clearly using ‘U’ instead of ‘you’ shows that you know how to count to 140.
Sheesh… I am feeling so old.
SMH, social media is used to get a job on some other level being a professional tweeter? lol
I don’t understand why we’re making a big deal about Alana Taylor. I don’t see her as a (NYC) blogger who has any reach (She writes for Mashable? The last thing I see is from October), talent (unless you like her iPhone photos) and a strong ability to write . She’s young, naïve, and, like someone else has noted, should stay in school. Overall, it’s pathetic.
Wow, for the people who are calling Alana “young” and should stay in school, you need some perspective. Alana is at a school that supposedly is at the cutting edge of journalism yet has very little to no understanding of New Media. Alana is a very articulate representative of a new generation of Media Mavens. I believe she is very effective at blending both a personal and objective view of her world that she shares with us. Show me someone else in her position (in School) who has done a better job of being a Maven? She is not pathetic, she is very open and transparent and I think she has realized something that is going to be very important for Maven’s in the future, it will only be through personal connection that these Mavens will be successful. Just go check out Wil Wheaton’s blog for an example.
Please share with us your scintillating content and insight, or can you only criticize?
EG Arnold
Irvine, CA
Holy monkey you guys are a little harsh, no? This girl represents a whole evolving culture of journalism and new media integrated lifestyles. I don’t wanna open up a can of worms about this or that or the perceptions of professionalism, but I’m just damn sure the girl aint anything close to pathetic.
There is not a lot of college students, let alone other people managing what she is doing for herself right now in her position. In a economy of massive job losses, with her varied accomplishments and activities, I’m sure she wont have any trouble offline or online, with or without Mashable.
That’s far from than naive, pretty forward thinking, and a damn professional move at 20-21 years old, I dare to say. Take it down a notch. Let a girl rock. Happy faces, everyone. Say cheese :)
Per this article, come on. You’re the one writing through a writer’s block about a random twitter reply!
The chick is not pretending to be a professional. She’s not feigning to be a WSJ caliber journalist. This wasn’t an op ed article in the NY Times, so why are you treating your rebuttal like one?
Taylor simply gave a loose comment w. the loose ease of a college kid.
This ‘media maven’ (ugg, really?) is what she is – be it young, naive, popular, and an early adapter and go-getter (tho she has to work on her public speaking (If you’ve ever seen her speak at a conference, it makes a mockery of young journalists, young women, and highlights the arrogance, and naivete of the younger generation).)
She’s 150% times better than that dim wit Julia Allison tho. With any luck we’ll have her grace the covers of Wired Mag half naked once she’s no longer of a Lolita-esque age.
In the meantime, can some smart tech savvy girls please stand up? And can writers find better retweets to blog about?
Re: downtownprovocateur
I’ve never seen her speak…but based on her writing, your comments do not surprise me. She has the very loose style of her generation and unfortunately, unless they’ve been to toastmasters or through some formal training, that generation has trouble speaking clearly. But I stick by my Maven comment. She has given me added perspective that I find interesting, and not due to her appearance!
Have you read any of Amanda Carpenter? She is very tech savvy and has more of the polish you are looking for when it comes to the spoken word. I know this because I’ve seen her on TV. Although her focus is on politics rather than communication.
EG Arnold
Irvine, CA