Facebook Groups vs. Pages

I've had this question pop up several times from clients in the last few weeks: Which should I create, a Facebook Group or Page? Here are the pros and cons I've dug up on each. I'd love to hear if anyone has others to add to the list.

Pros of Pages:

• More functionality, such as the ever popular "apps," which aid greatly in viral marketing, including RSS feeds. (Groups do not currently have apps.)
  
• Metrics tracking (pageviews, etc.).
  
• Ability to send updates to Fans.
  
• More than one admin can be assigned to a page; however, there can be only one "official" owner: "Every admin has equal access to and the same abilities as the other admins for a Page, however the original creator of the Page may never be removed by other Page admins." This rule seems to be the same for Groups as well.
  
• Users are listed as "Fans" of your Page on their profile. Becoming a Fan is shown in their feed.

Pros of Groups:

• Privacy. Do you want non-members seeing your info?
  
• More popular and prevalent than pages, because they've been around longer, which means people are more likely to happen upon a Group than a Page via search.
  
• Groups are displayed on a user's profile, if they choose.

Who Deserves $1 Million?

...Besides yours truly, of course.

One of the web's most popular travel sites is giving away $1 million to a charity to be chosen by its users. Vote today! So far, two children's charities are in the lead. I'm sure those are worthy causes and all that, but I'd love to see The Nature Conservancy win, as I've read that its organization gives a very high percentage of its donations to the actual cause, rather than spending it on overhead.

Vote early, vote often

New Website Design

Behold, the new website! I got tired of looking at my old website design, so I've updated the look to be more a little more travel themed and classic. Take a look around. You'll notice that I've also added more services, including web consulting, which seems to be the fastest-growing part of my nascent freelance business.

The backend code is a little more SEO-friendly, and I've added new site features such as a search box on every page. Overall, I just like the new feel of the site -- seems cleaner and more "me." I'd love your comments on the new design!

www.jennarobbins.com

Blog redesign coming soon....

Hello, Flickr?

I love Flickr. Really, I do. But it pains me every time I log on and see the grammatically incorrect greeting, which just a second ago was "Bangawoyo StJenna!" ("Hello Jenna" in Korean.) Yes, I cringed just writing that. Where is the personal comma? I shudder to think that the homepage of a major website has such a HUGE glaring error greeting you with a smile. (I'll refrain -- for now -- on commenting on the effusive use of exclamation points! Two in a row!)

Has no one else noticed this before?

Pair Networks Goes Green

I've been thinking about changing web hosts -- not because I haven't been satisfied with Pair Networks, but because I felt the need to put my money where my mouth is and to go with a carbon-neutral service provider. Lo and behold, during a recent communication with tech support, I noticed -- at the very bottom of the signature file -- that Pair has gone green.

Why is Pair not touting this more heavily? There's no mention of it on their homepage and it's buried in the comparison of services chart. Hell, they went green more than a year ago, and I, an eco-concerned customer who visits their site regularly, had no clue.

C'mon, Pair marketing folks! Get on it! Make sure all the green sites out there know about you, so you can get on their lists of eco-friendly web hosts. What's the point of going through the trouble of going green if you're not letting people know?

Introducing Your Teacher, Jenna Rose Robbins

Yes, it's true. I will be heading up a class for Media Bistro. Stop laughing. It's all fer reals! Who better than me -- er, I -- to teach a class on writing and editing for the web? Seriously, stop the sniggering! Here's the proof:
http://www.mediabistro.com/courses/cache/crs4128.asp

(Click to view screencapture of class listing, included as proof for after class is over and link has expired and family has denied this ever happened.)

Google Text Saved My Life

Okay, not my entire life, but a quality two hours of my life were saved from post office purgagory due to that wondrous little widget known as Google Text, which I first heard about a few week's ago on Gadling. For the first few days, I played with Google Text as if it were 20Q, trying to stump it with any question I could think of. What are the locations of every Yolato in NYC? Is there still a Daffy's on Sixth Ave.? What is Elton John's real name?

Part of my challenge was seeing how little info I could send to QT and still get an accurate response. When I made the Elton inquiry, I simply typed "Elton John's real name." In under 15 seconds, I had my response. (Reginald Kenneth Dwight, for those not near their cell.)

I used GT more as a game than an actual practical device for the first few weeks. Co-workers and interns alike were getting irked by my insistence to "see if Google Text knows it!" When one intern pointed out how it had failed her the night before, I had her retrace her steps, then pointed out what she'd done wrong before assuring her GT wouldn't let her down next time.

It was only today that I discovered how GT could be a life-saving device -- and not only for myself. I believe this free service may have saved the woman behind the passport desk from my attempting homicide.

I'd already had an altercation with the passport police the week before. Yes, I've legally changed my name, I told them, but, no, I didn't have the paperwork because it was never given to me. (All true.) Why did I need this extra layer of evidence -- beyond all the documentation I'd already had shipped from my home -- when I hadn't needed it three years ago, for the same exact thing? I'd been issued my passport then with no problem -- I simply provided the proof of the use of my new, legal name and just a few weeks later I was graced with the document to flee the country. This time, however, I wasn't in LA. Instead, I was up against the clerks of the NYC central post office.

And so I stood in line yet again today, the air about me seeming to gel from the oppressive humidity. I watched for 20 minutes as the clerk helped the same two customers, with little action being done by parties on either side of the counter. There were still two customers ahead of me and an increasing number behind. I hadn't moved a step. Another five minutes passed. Then another. Everyone about me fidgeted from discomfort and impatience. Where had I read about a similar uncomfortable experience about travel?

Ah, that Gadling post about Google Text! In my research on full-service passport locations, I had read about the Greeley post office, just a few blocks away on 6th and Broadway. But I was hesitant to give up my place in line only to find myself in the same predicament, just different scenery. So I texted Google, "Greeley Post Office, NYC." I had to choose the "More" option before I got the listing, but there it was, local phone number and all.

A few seconds later, I was on the phone with a clerk who was far less surly than the woman who was still "helping" the same two clients. "You do passports there, right?" When he told me yes, I asked how long the line was. "No line at all?" I said a little too loudly. The others in the line turned to look at me. What magical world could I be calling?

Before they could put the clues together, I was out of there, fleeing down the majestic steps of the main post office for Greeley. I glanced behind me every few yards to make sure my fellow line-waiters weren't tailing me. Fifteen minutes later, I was leaving Greeley with my paperwork completed, a smile on my face from having dealt with the extremely pleasant courteous clerk.

Had it not been for Google Text, I might still be standing in that line in the main post office.

Featured Correspondent for AdventureUs.com

You may have noticed a purdy new badge on my site, the one announcing that I'm now a Featured Correspondent for AdventureUs.com. What does this mean? For one, it means I should get my tuchis in gear and start blogging more, as I'm already backlogged with travel tales -- from driving with the fluffy children from sea to shining sea, to a weekend camping adventure where the original Friday the 13th was filmed -- and I have several more excursions planned for the summer, all of which I plan to post to both AdventureUs.com and this here site.

What you can look forward to:

• Visiting the Semester at Sea ship on its first trip to NYC since 1972, during which we'll celebrate the study-abroad program's 45th anniversary
  
• Trekking to Montreal with the twiblings (the twin niblings), where we'll fly on trapeze and tackle arboreal rope courses
  
• Best-kept secrets of Pennsylvania (still discovering a few myself)
  
• Day-to-day adventures of a reformed New Yorker who still finds it hard to get some of the Cali out of her system, and doesn't, like, totally want to
  

I'm going to try to blog at least three times a week, and by putting that in writing, I'm expecting someone to hold me to it.

Photo Chosen for Schmap's California Guide

Someone at Schmap must love me. I'd never even heard of the site before they contacted me in March to tell me my photo of Kealakekua Bay had been short-listed for the Hawaii guide. (It eventually made it in.)

Now one of my photos for the Tallac Historic Site, located on South Lake Tahoe, has been chosen to be included in Schmap's California guide. You'll have to wait as the little widget below scrolls through the varied Golden State landmarks before you see my shot, but there's some pretty cool ones from other Flickr (which is where Schmap found my photos) users as well:



Chosen photo:

Kealakekua Photo Shortlisted by Schmap

I'd never before heard of Schmap, but the digital travel guide came across one of my snaps of Kealakekua and has shortlisted it for inclusion in the second edition of the Schmap Hawaiian Islands Guide, to be published early April 2008. Here's the shot:



So, of course I had to poke around Schmap for a bit, see what this new travel/photo site is all about. I like the concept -- view map, see photos of plotted locations, read brief description -- but the UI needs some work, as it requires a bit too much clicking to get to the various areas. Also, it looks like the site is relying heavily on provider content, which, having worked with some of these same providers, I know can be both a blessing and a curse.

There's also a very limited number of destinations. Considering they have provider feeds, they could be working on upping their SEO by at least having the outline for some other locations laid out. They have the Big Island but not Oahu? They have a downloadable version of Honolulu and many others, but where are the online versions being hidden away?

Widgets, of course, are all the rage, so Schmap made a smart move in providing a customizable map that can be used on blogs and other websites, and it looks professional enough that they've showcased some pretty big companies that are using the funky little device. Very schmart, Schmap.

For a new-ish site, Schmap is off to a pretty strong start. But if they'd like some help from an experienced editor/producer of travel websites, I can think of someone they can come to for some consulting. (Ahem.)

Ugly Sexy, Meet Geeky Sexy

Know a cute geek? Or a geeky cutie? Think they can go up against the likes of Danica McKeller or Barack Obama in terms of sheer hotness? Enter them into Wired's Sexiest Geek of 2007 contest. I have a few people I would nominate, but I know I'd overlook someone else who would then just go cry in a corner. But if you want me to nominate you, let me know! In the meantime, I'm going to keep changing my IP address so I can vote early and often for Jeremy Gutsche.

Wired, hear this: Scrolling the main page so I can scroll in the internal scrollbar? Too much scrolling = not sexy.

The Internet Says I Should Vote for Dennis Kucinich

I'll be the first to admit: I had no idea who Dennis Kucinich was before two separate websites told me that he was the candidate whose ideals most closely mirror my own. So, I did a little searching, and GlassBooth.org told me this about My Ideal Political Match (who shares an 85% match with my beliefs):

Dennis Kucinich was born on October 8, 1946. He is a Democrat from Ohio. He has served the 10th District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1996. Prior to this he was mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Kucinich is a self-described "Wellstone Democrat."

It's kind of like using an Internet dating service: I plug in my likes/dislikes, and the computer spits back those individuals it sees as most compatible with me, at which point I go, "You've got to be kidding! How could you possibly think we have anything in common?" Thus I learned that I'm more likely to have an amiable chat over tea with Hillary (75%) than with Barack or Edwards (both 72%). Christopher Dodd (80%) may have scored higher than Hill, but I can't bring myself to vote for someone who doesn't stand a chance in the polls. That would be like dating a musician at this point in my life: sounds like a grand Bohemian dream, but it just ain't realistic in the long run.

Kucinich's very impartial site even suggested another website where I could glean more about my political leanings: http://www.dehp.net/. Based on the coder's personal blog, I can't say for sure this widget is at all unbiased, but even a third site (SelectSmart.com) told me that Kucinich's my guy -- edging out Barack Obama by 3%, with 77%; Hillary took a dive, hitting 66% (tying her with Al Gore, oddly enough).

I'd love to hear how these sites worked for others, if you have the chance to play along at home.

Online Quiz for Geography Geeks

I've wasted several hours on this site playing its various geography-themed quizzes. Now I'm letting everyone in on my addiction so you can procrastinate just like me. My highest score on the World version of the game is 551,113, level 12. Beat that! Oh, if you want a triple threat of a quiz, play the Flags of the World version. Not only do you have to recognize what country the flag is from, but you then have to pinpoint the capital of the country on a map -- in less than 10 seconds. Talk about a brain scrambler.

http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq/game

Sponsor a Pixel, Close Guantanamo Bay

Yes, folks, it's still open. Want to do something about it? Check out http://www.tearitdown.org/

My Outer Daemon

How is it that Europe is always so far ahead of us? Let's forget organic produce and the ever diminishing dollar. The true test of culture is in the arts, and the His Dark Materials series is high art at its finest, even if some want to relegate it to kiddie lit.

For the more enlightened among us, check out my daemon. Think it fits me? You have about a week to vote before Sergius the ocelot takes on a permanent form.

Holy Springfield!

Yes, I meant to get to bed early tonight, but there's just too much dang entertaining crap on the Internet. And I thought TV was evil.

So, I was finishing up some thoughts on my recent trip to Washington State's San Juan Islands (more to come), when I came across the most fabulous website that allows you to Simpsonize yourself. Yes, folks, this is the most fun, procrastination-worthy site since the genius of The Wedding Crashers' "Crash This Trailer" site.

And lo, Jenna Simpson is born.

Au Revoir, AOL CityGuide (aka AOL Local, Digitalcity, etc.)

We all could sense the ship taking on water even as early as last year. One by one, the employees departed, and their empty cubes (valued at about $10k a pop) remained ominously unfilled.

Then last week, the iceberg hit. I broke the news to a colleague, who was on vacation at the time and who had called me to boast he had an interview lined up elsewhere for the next morning. "Good," I told him, "because tomorrow you'll be unemployed." So much for breaking the news softly.

I could expound on this subject for hours -- and, in fact, I have -- but I'll refrain here since my name is clearly on the page, and I'm not in the mood these days for subpoenas and libel charges.

To sum it up, my friends and former co-workers are now out of work, but at least they have a decent severance package.

What I find most amusing is the dearth of news on the subject. Local is only getting bigger in the Internet business, and the demise of one of its most prominent players has warranted nary a news inquiry. The only article of note to be found was a poorly researched bit that reads more like a PR cover-up than actual reporting.

Although I haven't worked at AOL for several months (I'm quite happy at my current job, thank you), the news still saddens me. Even though we could all clearly see the glint of the iceberg in the distance, we all refused to believe it would hit. I can't think of a single person I worked with who didn't enjoy the content they worked on. Even when management and morale were at their lowest, we steamed ahead, commisserating among ourselves in steerage and having a helluva lot more fun.

Now all our hard, "evergreen" work will flounder. It'll stagnate, but users will still be able to find it. Long after your favorite neighborhood bistro has shut down, you'll be able to find the listing alive and well on CityGuide, like an ant preserved in amber, with some poor freelancer's name attached to this ancient piece of Internet detritus and no sympathetic editor to help remove the shame from the database.

And so, as the guard rails sink below the icy surface, I bid a final adieu to the "granddaddy of local guides." Perhaps if the company had paid a little less on cubes and a little more on foresight, we'd still be enjoying the journey. Instead, enjoy this final news retrospective (don't miss #5, a long-time in-house favorite).

Rave Review for the Nascent Digital City (August 1997)

Digital City Becomes AOL Local (June 2002)

AOL CityGuide closes San Jose office (July 2003)

Austin Freelance Job Posting With Mark Gozonsky (!) as Contact (2003)

Elegy for a Temp Job (May 2004 -- My personal fave. Don't miss the part about the jheri-curl mullet.)

Blogger Mourning the Loss of Digitalcity (scroll down) (January 2007)

http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/03/13/HNaollocalsearch_1.html (March 2007)

I realize this post interests only a handful of people, most of whom lived the above events, but I wanted to put it in writing. For posterity, people.

Where I've Been: The World

Not too shabby a round-up, although I'd hoped to have lived abroad a bit more by this point. Anyone know how I can wrangle up a U.K. or New Zealand visa?



create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Houston, We Have Lift-Off

I only started my new gig a week before Christmas, but already it feels as I've been there for years -- in a good way. The people are phenomenal and the work has been well worth it. And yesterday we finally launched the site that so many people have toiled over for way longer than I've been there.

Already it's been a rewarding experience, so much more so than my previous gig. (Condolences -- congratulations, really -- to all my ex-co-workers who are now unemployed, or who are on their way to being so.) And I have all my pals at work to thank for it. I've enjoyed coming into work (despite the commute, which I knew about when I accepted this position, even though I'd previously promised myself I'd never work more than half an hour away again) and it feels great to show my friends and family the site I've been working on. The 13-hour days have paid off.

Check out my labor of love: http://www.family.com. If you don't, that's okay. I work there, so I can find your IP address and hunt down you slackers who call yourselves friends. Then I'll break into your homes and log on to your computers just to get the extra unique page views. And I'll eat all the cheese in your fridge while I do so.

Carry on, now.

Atom XML Feed Fixed

Atom feed and link to adding to My Yahoo! now work. Rejoice.

The Atom link had been killing me for some time. I just couldn't figure out why I was getting an error message every time I tried to subscribe to my own blog. Finally, I had to resort to asking for help (thank you again, Todd), which I try not to do, if only because I enjoy figuring things out on my own. Same reason I own a power drill: I love figuring out Ikea's wordless instructions and putting together some monstrosity of a bookcase for five hours. It's fun. Really. I'll come put yours together, if you like. All I ask in return is a cold beer. Or three.

Subscribe now, dammit!

Where I've Been: Europe

Dang, I need to get my ass a little further east. I've meant to do so, every time I've visited Europe, but I never seem to get the time off needed to do a thorough trekking of the Old World. At least I've done a pretty decent job of covering the western region.

Here's my European coverage to date:


create your personalized map of europe
or write about it on the open travel guide

Where I've Been: Canada

Eh, not as exciting as the U.S. map, if only because I've visited so little and don't plan on visiting several provinces that are just too damn cold for human habitation. But I figured, heck, why not fill it out?



create your own personalized map of Canada
or write about it on the open travel guide

Where I've Been: The U.S.

World 66 certainly has created an addictive widget: an interactive map that allows you to plug in where you've been, creating a visual representation of your travels. It's kind of like the Internet version of putting pins in a map (which I have hanging on my wall), only a tad more addictive.

Check it out:


create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide