The Social Freelancer: Media, Music, TV & Film

Active writing for this blog and sharing content with the world has been an enriching experience for me, if not monetarily successful (there’s still hope!). The interactions with kind people from all walks of life online has given me a different perspective on the world at large. I have found that nothing beats Twitter for expanding your reach and introducing you to like-minded people from all over the globe.

Don’t get me wrong, I dig Facebook, and interact there a lot. It’s fun and it deepens the interactions you already have with people. But Twitter is a different animal, one where multiple messages, and linking to multiple posts many times a day is easy.
Read more…

Not convinced social media matters? Watch ANY news program on television, from CNN to Fox to MSNBC – EVERY SINGLE ONE now will bombard you with invitations to connect on Facebook AND Twitter. Trust me, I have worked in television for more than twenty years. If social media wasn’t having a positive impact on their relationship with viewers, thereby driving up the value of advertising, THEY WOULDN’T BE DOING IT.

Repetitive messaging works with ALL MEDIA, whether we like it or not...

A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
- Groucho Marx

Two questions I get often:

1. Where do you get your quotes?
The short answer is: a lot of places… multiple sources that are easy to use. After a good deal of research and trial and error, here are the five best sites for quotes on the Internet (in my not so humble opinion!):

READ ON FOR LINKS TO BEST SITES FOR QUOTES ON NET>> Read more…

So much nervousness about what to post on social media! I see many people worried about what others may think if they post “the wrong thing.” Most of us have some insecurities when it comes to socializing, whether it be at an informal party, a networking event or in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc…). I think most of it stems from these five self-doubting thoughts:
READ ON – 5 Reasons We’re Afraid of Networking Plus 5 Helpful Posts >>> Read more…

In recent weeks there has been a lot of speculation about Google’s new social networking interface, Google+. Yes, I am a social media junkie, so of course I have a profile on Google+ and you can easily find me there. Truth is, I am only there because I have gmail and Youtube (Owned by Google) accounts and they naturally made it easy for their current users to migrate into Google+.

My Take on Google+? Read more…

This blog is fun for me. I like to write and I’m interested in expanding scope of my business, so it’s a good fit. But it’s not for everyone. I made a lot of mistakes getting started. I got past a hump, a time when I didn’t have a strong identity for the site. I didn’t have a clue, but I slogged through it. It is a big time commitment and something that I believe you should think through before starting. More about this HERE > Should You Blog? Don’t Be Fooled, It’s a JOB.

To blog, or not to blog... that's the question

A Crash
You were seeing the beauty of the Swiss Alps up close and personal in a private helicopter. A rogue crosswind slammed the chopper into the side of the mountain with no warning. Miraculously you find yourself outside of the wreckage, the only survivor and basically unscathed, save a few bumps and bruises. This is the way we wake up each morning.

Rescue in the Alps - photo courtesy DataLife Engine

I confess. I am a Google Analytics junkie. This tool shows me on a daily basis what traffic is coming to this site, where people are visiting from (more than 40 countries so far!), and what posts are getting the most views. I enjoy looking at the statistics because it shows results of the work I put into sharing the posts across multiple social networks. I try to understand why some posts do better than others. A good writer wants to know what’s working and what’s not, and tries to improve on his craft.

Today I am looking at the three posts which have been shared most often, trying to discern what it is that makes them successful. I would enjoy hearing your opinion. Please post in the comments section below. Thanks for tuning in. – Trace

Want to know about this tool? It’s free, and I don’t get anything for recommending it, go here> Google Analytics
READ on for Top 3 Posts from The Social Freelancer ™>> Read more…

It’s not “Julie and Julia”
Did you see that film? A young woman in New York who desires to be a great cook starts preparing a recipe a day from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. She starts a blog site and writes about her experiences. By the end of the story she has become an internet sensation having done nothing to promote the blog. It’s an excellent film that my wife and I enjoyed very much. However, this business about her blogging success was just pure “Hollywood”. It doesn’t happen like that.

To blog, or not to blog... that's the question

Don’t let anyone fool you, it’s a JOB.

READ ON > Is blogging right for you? Read more…

Having worked in “traditional” media (television) for more than 20 years, I have been astounded at the growth of social media and it’s impact on how we do business as freelance media professionals. It’s also apparent to me that many of my colleagues in television and music production are not taking part in this revolution, often because of a lack of understanding of how it all works.

Social media is about people sharing information and learning from each other, not directly pitching products.

READ ON and see 3 concise videos that lay out the basic concepts. >>> Read more…

A music memory: Jackson, Mississippi, 1970 or so…

Vintage Tony Joe White photo via Rock's Back Pages

Riding in the back of my parents Ford station wagon I remember hearing Tony Joe White’s swamp boogie stomp “Polk Salad Annie” sliding out of the little am radio speaker. Something about it caught me, made me pay attention.
It was the GROOVE, I realize now but at the time I just knew I liked it. I was just a kid, soaking up all kinds of music.

Years later I heard the song again and it grabbed me again. So I dug deeper.
What I Found Out Read more…

What I Have Learned
A sound business strategy in today’s market should be a mix of “traditional” media, done sensibly and “new” media. There are more ways to economically promote your business than ever before IF you have the knowledge and experience necessary to use both old media (television, radio, print) and new media (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc.) to your best advantage.

Who I Am Learning From
It’s astounding, the amount of good information in this “new media” age available for free online for anyone who cares to seek it out. There are many sources out there; I want to share my favorite five with you.
READ ON and visit the Top 5 >>> Read more…