Just want to take a minute to thank everyone who has had an impact on me in 2008. So, in no particular order, I’d like to thank:

• First and foremost, thanks to the boys at Industry 44 for putting this new website together for me.

• Thanks for CK and Drew for making NYC in April something special.

• Again, thanks to Drew for giving me some real great advice a few months back. (And happy birthday, man!)

• Matt Dickman, for being available whenever, despite a crazy schedule. Hopefully we’ll be able to do better than just cross paths in an airport next year!

• Cleveland’s Mark Goren, for having great faith and getting me back in an agency setting.

• Valeria Maltoni for being cool, coming into Montreal and spending a day with me.

• Adele McAlear for being a great work colleague and friend.

• Kelly Flynn at the Advanced Learning Institute for inviting for to deliver a workshop at the Social Media for Government Conference and then inviting me back, and then inviting me to Toronto for the Social Media Summit to do the same.

• Peter Korchnak, for having me guest post over on his blog and for guest posting over here.

• Melanie Notkin, for guest posting here as well.

• Andy Nulman, for picking up dinner.

• Thanks to all my colleagues on the AOC2, particularly Gavin for his huge effort putting it together with Drew.

• Jay Ehret for putting together the AOC2 podcast and having me on as a guest.

• And, last but not least, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my thoughts and share their comments.

Happy holiday, everyone! I’ll be back with more blogging goodness on January 5th!

<a href=”http://technorati.com/claim/857kq3hwtm” rel=”me”>Technorati Profile</a>

What’s that code doing up there? By posting this code on the front page of this blog, I am able to claim it with Technorati.

So what is Technorati? According to its About Us page:
•Technorati was founded to help bloggers to succeed by collecting, highlighting, and distributing the online global conversation. As the leading blog search engine and most comprehensive source of information on the blogosphere, we index more than 1.5 million new blog posts in real time and introduce millions of readers to blog and social media content.

Technorati Media extends our service and value by matching bloggers and social media creators with marketers who want to join the conversation.”

According to me:

Technorati helps you PLANT SEEDS. How so?
• It allows your content to be indexed with its search engine• It helps you get found• Shows you who’s linking to your blog, so you can return the favour, thank or introduce yourself• Helps you develop a community

It’s just one of the many tools you can use to extend your reach and meet others. It’s also valuable for keyword tracking and monitoring, but that’s another story.

How do you use Technorati as a Seed Planting tool?

Related stuff:
• Technorati’s recently released “State of the Blogosphere“• Other reasons to claim your blog: Blogtactics, Flyte Blog• How to Claim Your Twitter Account on Technorati

Tags: PlantingSeeds, Planting Seeds Online, PlantingSeeds.ca, Technorati, Twitter, Technorati Claim, Technorati Blog Claim, State of the Blogosphere, Technorati State of the Blogosphere 2008, Blogging, BlogTactics, Flyte Blog

It occurred to me that some of you may be visiting as a result of us meeting at the Advanced Learning Institute’s Social Media for Government conference in Ottawa this week. And if you’re here to see what I’ve done to earn the right to present a workshop, you may find this site to be, ah, a little thin on content.

But that’s only because I’ve just launched this site.

I have, however, been blogging for about two years over here. And in January, I was invited to blog over at the MP Daily Fix, a blog over on the MarketingProfs site.

To get to know me a little better, check out some of these posts:

• Plant seeds to cultivate your brand – a post that was the first step towards this site you’re on now
• I believe strongly in Give + Take Marketing
• I’m a book lover and have a never-ending supply of new and old business books
• And I am deeply frustrated with traditional marketing

Dig into the archives over at the Transmission Content + Creative blog. Feel free to comment over there as well. While I’ll mostly be concentrating on this site and growing my presence on the Daily Fix blog and elsewhere online, the two years I spent blogging over there were the catalyst for Planting Seeds – and I simply wouldn’t be here without having blogged there.

(For those who are wondering what will become of that site, the answer will be revealed in due time!)

Looking forward to getting to know you better here too!

What does it mean to “Plant Seeds” online?
Some people call ’em “footprints”, I call ’em seeds. Seeds are the tracks you leave online every time you fill out a profile, leave a comment, Plurk, Tweet, friend someone, upload a video, share pictures, email a new contact, write a guest post, join a wiki, discussion board or online book club. (To name a few.)

Why “seeds”? Because seeds can grow and flourish. Because seeds are hopeful. Because seeds can be spread anywhere. The web, you see, is fertile ground. And while your site is important – the anchor of your online presence, really – it’s only one site of millions or several pages of millions more. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you have to get noticed, build relationships and lead people back to your site. The more they get to know about you, the more they can come to trust, refer , talk about, and do business with you.

What you can expect from this new website
Here, you can expect to learn about the tools and sites where you can plant seeds and how to do so. Whether through video, slide presentations, your guest posts or just reading what I have to say, I’m hoping that this site will become a key read for you and your contacts. And I’m also hoping that you have a big hand in its evolution. Feel free to write a post, point me to a video (yours or one that’s inspired you) or ask me to post your slide presentation. Anything goes here, as long as it’s on topic.

This site is yours as much as it is mine, if not more.

Play. Participate. Plant. I look forward to growing with you here.