Eight Million Stories: Around Harlem


Lately I've been having a jones for New York, and Harlem in particular. It may be a while before work permits that kind of travel, but I'm happy to have found a Twitterer who simultaneously satisfies my curiosity about the area and gives me hints on what to do when I get there. AroundHarlem runs a blog that gives daily updates about the people, places and events preserving Harlem's place as a center of cultural activity. As an insider, she gives a wonderful "ground-level" view of Harlem through words and candid pictures you won't find anywhere else on the Web. It can't be easy to pull it all off, but AroundHarlem is one of those online editors lucky enough to have a team of energetic freelancers on her side. By taking us beyond the usual landmarks, AroundHarlem does all of us a great service.

Blog: http://blog-aroundharlem.com/
Web Site: http://www.aroundharlem.com/
Ning: http://www.around-nyc.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aroundharlem
Myspace http://www.myspace.com/aroundharlem

Mister Bachelor: Luvologist


Who says there are no juicy conversations going on over the internet? Trust us, the digital format has not hampered the human need to share the most intimate details of one's life with strangers. Quite the opposite. The Luvologist has made a name for himself by giving tell-it-like-it-is relationship advice to the love-lorn online. His readers keep the machine going with a constant stream of issues.
So, what's up with men and strip clubs? Does the thing that goes around REALLY come back around? Leave or stay? No doubt some of the Twitterati have already stumbled across the Luvologist discussing issues like these because, well, he's everywhere: Facebook? Check. Myspace? Yep. BlogTalkRadio? There, too.
The Luvologist excels in what social media types call "engagement". He communicates with readers and listeners, often on a one-to-one basis, and draws a healthy dose of comments. In fact, some of his commenters need their own podcasts. Truly. He also has a Question of the Day on Twitter so if you ever want to become part of the ongoing conversation, jump into his stream. We're just sorry we missed his "Bathroom Pic Day" series. We know it was a hoot.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/luvologist

Blog: http://luvologist.com/

Luvologist Lounge: http://luvologist.ning.com/

Podcast: http://luvologist.ning.com

The Golden Rule: Should You Give to Receive?



What's the best way to go about increasing your influence on social medium platforms such as Twitter? It's a question that draws a range of answers from the so-called experts. But among the most controversial of strategies is the one that tells you to increase your following by following lots of other people, including ones you might not have much in common with. In fact, this week we read a VERY interesting article making the rounds on this very subject, called The Twitter Law Of Reciprocity . So we pose the question to you: Does it make sense to follow lots of people with the expectation of getting many followers in return? Should you follow those who follow you (or use apps that do this for you) willy-nilly? In the end, what's the benefit?

Ty-ing it All Together: Tywebbin


We wouldn't be a bit surprised if you've already heard of Tywebbin. She's active in several social media platforms and has spent nearly a decade building her brand. On the business end she does Web design, graphic design and online marketing through her company Tywebbin Creations. But she also has a lot to offer through her Twitter stream. She delivers common sense tips about social media (you MUST have a bio and link for your Twitter account), as well as more complex marketing issues for anyone interested in growing an online presence.

Much of Tywebbin's experience comes from specializing in small businesses and writers. In fact, we love that she introduced us to the concept of "Blog Tours" for emerging authors. What a great idea! She's also an author in her own right so don't be shocked to find out that she's cooking up something even bigger for the near future.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tywebbin
Web Site: http://www.tywebbin.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/tywebbin

Soulbounce: Keeps it Hopping


This is not going to be the usual introduction to a member of the Twitterati. I'm going to let you know exactly why today's twitterer is important through personal experience. I hate feeling like I'm missing out on things, especially when it comes to music. But you know how it is. We get busy with work, and the family and before we know it we're driving around with a bunch of cassette mixtapes from what we hope was the golden age of hip-hop. Well, a couple of weeks ago the BlackTwitterati (they, who are in secret) assigned me to check out Soulbounce and I can say that in that time I've gotten caught up on a huge chunk of today's music scene. Through Soulbounce's blog and Twitter stream I have been introduced to so many stateside and international artists I might never have heard of before.
Being a visual person, I was happy to see all the fab layout, pictures, video clips, and graphic designs. I was also inspired enough by the artist profiles to furiously scribble a few notes and actually add some current tunes to my iPod. Buh-bye dusty cassettes. If you want to hear about what's hot now, or what's coming up, or what an artist from the past is doing now, I highly recommend Soulbounce. Pretty soon you'll be able to chastize other folks for not knowing as much as they should about Esperanza Spaulding, Black Milk or Iyadede - not that you should. But thanks to Soulbounce for getting this old lady current again!

Blog: Soulbounce.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/soulbounce

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SoulBounce
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