O.K. We’ve all heard a lot about “Social Networking” websites and technology. It’s really cool. I’m on Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends. I’m on LinkedIn to keep track of professional contacts.

But I’ve given up on Twitter, and here’s why.

First, I just don’t have that much to say all the time! If you want to maximize Twitter, you have to be willing to post A LOT in order to stand out. You have to build a cohort of like minded folks who want to hear what you have to say. You have to have something interesting to say. You have to spend time following other people, commenting on their tweets and hoping their followers also follow you. Is that how you want to spend your time?

Second, while I was on twitter, all my followers (except for the few friends I hooked up with right away) were Spam Bots trying to get me to join a new website to meet “Hot Singles.” Just pruning them ate up time. Do you need more Spam?

Third, my friends who are on Twitter are nice enough to link it to their Facebook account, so I see all the posts there. And you know what, they’re not about business. They’re fun things, political tidbits, random thoughts and a lot of links. Is that the type of content you’re really trying to create for your business?

Fourth, the vast majority of Twitter users are not my clients or, most likely, yours either. Check out the list of the top followed tweeters. I’m sure it’ll be different when you look, but today out of the top 20, 11 are pop music musicians, six are TV personalities, athletes or actors, and the last three are Barak Obama, CNN and Twitter itself. Good company, surely, but that should give you an idea of the demographic involved.

Just so you don’t think I’m a total Twitter hater, I do know a number of people who use it very effectively. They work in politics, run non-profits or are writers trying to generate interest in their blogs and books. All great examples of who is getting out of twitter what they put into it. If that’s not you, you should be wary of anyone who automatically says “Get on Twitter now!” It’s not going anywhere. Use it for fun, but don’t use it for work.

Facebook, on the other hand, is a totally different story which I may rant write about another day.

I liken Twitter to the early days of the internet when everyone was trying to buy up mcdonalds.com, books.com, pets.com, etc. They were convinced there was huge money to be made just being first! Now we go to amazon.com for books, you probably go to your local pet shop or use the website of a major retailer who’s also online for pet supplies and McDonalds sued to get their name back.

Let Twitter shake out a bit. If it’s good for businesses (and not just the ones trying to tap into the Lady Gaga/Justin Bieber demographic) it’ll still be there. If it’s not, more information will come out and you’ll know. It’s just not worth spinning your tires on, yet.

Check out my different pitches. I can work with anyone from a total newbie to experienced internet professionals. I’m going to try to write one for all the different services I offer, but I can really do just about anything when it comes to the internet.

My basic principal is Function First.

If your website is a difficult to use mess that takes forever to download, no one will want to use it.

If your website is simple and attractive, people will want to access it, whether it’s to find your hours, location or individual products.

If you’re still not sure why you even need a website, then we should really talk. If you have a business, you should have at least one page giving your location and hours. People just don’t use the yellow pages anymore and not finding anything when they Google you can be a bit of a turn off.

I can do that cheap. Very cheap. I’m convinced that once you do, you’ll want more “functionality” and if you don’t, maybe that really is all you need! I’m O.K. with that and won’t try to sell you more.

Email has been my specialty for years. I am acustomed to managing legitimate (non-spam) bulk email servers.

Email netiquette is my bailywick. Let me put you in touch with all the people you want to reach without irritating them or getting dumped into a spam folder.

pewinternet.org

Heard this on NPR. If the phrase “connected but hassled” sounds like you, I’m your tech guy. I will “internet” for you. I can teach you how to do the stuff you just have to do, and not have to worrry about the rest of it.

I live in Sellwood, a neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. My wife and I decided to move here with our toddler based entirely on the “vibe” we got from the neighborhood.

It has incredible amenities! Dining, antique shopping, local flavor and parks.

I started to create a Google Maps, My Maps Page of all the great stuff here.

Check it out:

Sellwood at My Google Maps

Sellwood should be a digitally as well as geographically associated.

There needs to be a site that connnects our businesses as a digital community as well as a geographical one.

I will bill you a fair amount of money for the services I provide and you will support a decent guy in your neighborhood who just wants to make ends meet.

And you know me already. My wife and I live in your neighborhood with our son.

Let me be your friendly neighborhood geek.