FYI … a new CMS version of the NHL’s team Web sites caused DetroitRedWings.com to go haywire for awhile this week. All better now. Thanks for your patience!

That explains why I was landing on NHL.com when I was clicking links on DetroitRedWings.com earlier in the week.  I’m happy to report that the FAQ section is once again working properly.  But, this upgrade made me curious to see if any changes had come to other areas of the Red Wings’ web presence.

It didn’t take long to see that the Hockeytown Blog had been renovated in a very positive way.  More than anything it looks much more official than the previous version, with a clean two column design and a front page that has less clutter.  At the same time, there is a ton of open space for social media integration… but none can be found.  The front page features links to the official Facebook page, Twitter account, and LinkedIn group, but there are no options (read:  share buttons) for readers to easily pass along the content.

The Hockeytown Blog should have some kind of Twitter account.  Or, at the very least, the contributors should be branding “Around the Rink” (via social media) as a daily must visit for a collection of the very best Red Wings stories on the Internet.  I’ve written before that there is value in being the hub of information, and it’s clear that the Red Wings have people searching for outside content.  Yet, they aren’t engaging the community and making fans aware of absolutely everything that’s out there.  The only content that’s truly being promoted is the “official” variety from their official website.

But what about the huge segment of fans that rarely visit the official website, and get their information from reading Red Wings blogs?  Wouldn’t the organization want to find a way to connect with those fans as well?  Take the Hockeytown Blog as an example (since it’s an official Red Wings entity).  If you can draw people to the Hockeytown Blog – branding it as a hub for Red Wings content from across the web – couldn’t the organization also use it as a platform for upcoming promotions, community service projects, official watch parties, etc.?

It’s all about bringing the official and unofficial crowds together.  Social media is the key.

***

I hope there isn’t a perception that fewer posts on my blog this week is a sign of fatigue or frustration.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  The interaction here, on Twitter, and on Facebook has dipped a little this week.   This being only my second post of the week, it’s understandable.  I’ve also spent a fair amount of time chasing down other potential opportunities this week, which has taken me away from social media a little more than I’d like.   I hope those of you following along aren’t becoming indifferent to the situation.  I know – for certain – that some of you aren’t.

There were a couple of breakthroughs this week on Twitter.  Craig Kanally, the Traffic and Trends Editor for the Huffington Post, sent me a couple of nice tweets, wishing me luck on my journey.  Similarly, I exchanged a few tweets and e-mails with George Malik, writer of the Snapshots blog on MLive.  George got in touch after my last entry and gave me a glimpse into some of his experiences covering the Red Wings, which was extremely beneficial for me.  I just want to publicly thank both of them for offering their support.  Hopefully you’ll offer your support to them by clicking the links above.

While the position of Social Networking Coordinator with the Red Wings is the job I’m most aggressively seeking, there are lots of other openings I’m pursuing… but in a much less public fashion.  If this process doesn’t play out as I’m hoping with the Red Wings, some of the other positions I’m seeking will rise to the surface and become the focus of this blog.  I just have to wait and see what happens.  By my count, this opening with the Red Wings will have been posted for more than 30 days after this weekend passes, so next week could provide the first answers.

Tomorrow (Friday) will mark a month being “on the beach” as it’s known in media circles.  I’ll reflect on that over the weekend.

Just a few of the many credentials I collected in 2010, but they're also some of my favorites.

Today I’m using bullet points as the format du jour in honor of a my first paintball experience this past weekend.  Despite several welts of varied grossness (photos available if you ask nicely via Twitter or Facebook), it was great time!  Chicago was the location, and a friend’s impending nuptials were the reason for celebration.  One recommendation for everyone:  Habana Libre at Chicago Ave. and Noble (near Ashland).  Order anything on the menu, just make sure you start with a couple of their spinach or guava and cheese empanadas.

That’s more meta than you probably wanted, so let’s get back to business.  You know, this job I’m seeking with the Detroit Red Wings.

***

• Due to my unfamiliarity with the policies of the Red Wings organization, I’ve been trying to figure out whether or not they grant credentials to bloggers who write exclusively (or almost exclusively) about the team.  If you’re a Red Wings blogger and know the answer to this question, please let me know.  I didn’t go as far as contacting the organization (since I’m applying for a job, I don’t want to stick my nose somewhere it doesn’t belong), but I did try to find some answers on the Red Wings official website.  Unfortunately, when I clicked links for both a “Frequently Asked Questions” section and a “Public Relations” section, I was taken to the front page of the NHL’s website.  That was a little surprising… and disappointing.

• The reason I’m curious is because it would seem like the Red Wings could have a hand in rewarding these people in some way for their efforts, and it could be done via social media.  Two weeks ago when this campaign began, I wrote that a major key to success for the Red Wings next Social Networking Coordinator will be an ability to engage the people behind the dozens of Red Wings blogs currently in operation.  A “blog of the day” or “blog of the month” promotion might encourage some bloggers to go a little further with their writing if they knew there was potentially something more waiting for them.  What about those golden tickets we call credentials?  If it were earned, would Red Wings bloggers be interested in having the same access as the mainstream media, even if that access was for a limited time only?  Some would not, but some would absolutely jump at the chance to ask some questions after games.  It doesn’t matter if the blogger is based in the Detroit area or not, because credential requests could always be made for road games too.

• If you have someone inside the Red Wings organization – such as the Social Networking Coordinator – constantly monitoring all the Detroit Red Wings blogs, it becomes easier to differentiate bad blogs from good ones while also being objective rather than subjective.  Linkarounds are already being used on the Hockeytown Blog, but those links aren’t being pushed to social media sites and are often outdated because the site appears to only be updated once per week.  That still baffles me a little bit, because many times with social media and blogs there’s true value in being the hub of all activity – regardless of who created the content.  A great example of that idea is Paul Kukla from Kukla’s Korner, my guest last week on this site’s first-ever podcast.

• Obviously, there would have to be rules in place to be eligible for the hypothetical “blog of the day” or “blog of the month” promotion I’m describing, but it could be done fairly easily.  When it comes down to it, blogs focused on the Red Wings are only bringing more attention to the Red Wings, and that’s a good thing.  So, shouldn’t these people’s hard work be rewarded in some way?  At it’s core, this type of promotion is built for social media consumption.  It promotes the organization, encourages discussion about the organization, and gives those working the hardest a potential opportunity to be rewarded for their efforts.

It’s just something else to consider, and one of many thoughts I’ve had swimming around in my head since beginning this process a couple weeks ago.  Like I said at the beginning, I really don’t know what the current policies are for the Red Wings and whether or not they credential bloggers.  As I’ve told you before, I spent a lot of time the past few years at college basketball games, and I saw more and more bloggers receiving access each year.  Hockey, and specifically the Red Wings, could benefit from reaching out to some blogs.  Sometimes, they do a better job covering a team than those in the mainstream media.

I’ll write more later in the week about the “hub” idea I touched on above.  It’s important to remember that there are lots of Red Wings fans who are just as interested in what’s happening with every team in the NHL, as they are with what’s happening with only the Red Wings.  Capitalizing on another team’s news isn’t something that the Red Wings should shy away from, as it’s all part of being the “hub.”

I’ll definitely explain later in the week, and hope to provide an example with another edition of the podcast, since it was so well-received last week.  I’m thinking it’s time to track down someone who’s been around Mike Modano and the Dallas Stars, to get their opinion on his situation.  Sound good?

In just five short years, Kukla's Korner has become a hockey destination for members of the media and fans alike.

Finally, the debut of the Hire Me, Red Wings Podcast!

In today’s first ever episode, I start out by giving you a little more information about little ol’ me.  For some of you this will be old news, but for others it’s relevant.

Our guest is the legendary Paul Kukla from Kukla’s Korner and NHL.com.  We get into the Kovalchuk mess, discuss Stevie Y’s acquisition of Simon Gagne from Philly and whether or not the Red Wings will end up landing Mike Modano.  We also talk a little about his website… some history, some of the changes in store for next season, and how Twitter has impacted what he tries to accomplish.

At the end, I touch on the unfortunate news surrounding The Sporting Blog, and announce a contest for those of you following this site (the Twitter account and Facebook page too) closely.

Hire Me, Red Wings Podcast! | Episode 001

Wanna be on the podcast? Learn how, at the end of the show.  Or, if you’ve got a blog of your own just drop me a line!

HEY! Have any of you seen my..........oh no.

Of all mornings, why did it have to happen this morning?

You see, my laptop has this nagging problem with its screen. From time to time it angrily flickers, sometimes fading to black, but soon returning as if nothing happened. At times I places pens or markers underneath the area where the keyboard and screen meet, in an attempt to keep the problem from flaring up.  Seriously, I do.

And, of course, it flared up in a big way this morning… right when I was supposed to be interviewing Paul Kukla of Kukla’s Korner and NHL.com fame.

Unfortunately, money is tight right now and taking the computer to an Apple store to be repaired isn’t really in the budget. I’ll continue to work on it myself, but at the moment I’m borrowing a friend’s laptop to push out the necessary communications.  Thankfully, I’ve been in touch with Paul. He’s an incredibly busy man, but incredibly gracious as well, and we’re still going to try and work something out to make him Guest #1 on the Hire Me, Red Wings Podcast. We may have to push things back a day or two, but it will happen. Oh yes… it will happen!

Until then I’m going to keep on keepin’ on.

I won’t let a minor issue like this get the best of me.

RSS icon + huge headphones = Podcast? Works for me.

We’ve got plenty of visitors coming to the site.

We’ve got lots of people who “like” the Facebook page.

We’ve got followers on Twitter as well, but far less.  Why?

By now you’ve probably read somewhere that Twitter’s audience, on average, is much older than what you’ll find on Facebook.  Inherently, Twitter is also geared more toward professionals by asking the question “What’s happening?”  Meanwhile, Facebook asks, “What’s on your mind?”  See the difference?

Twitter is where a news story breaks.  Facebook is where a heart breaks.  Damon is……….single! <heart>

Anyway, the point is that on Twitter it’s just as important to be doing something as it is tweeting something.  It’s a delicate balance, but doing it properly can secure a sizable following.  Or just be a celebrity, and you’re set!  While I certainly feel like I’m doing a lot to make this project work, to this point it’s really only been about writing blog entries and updating you on the attention I’m receiving.  That’s nice, but who doesn’t have a blog these days?  I need to do more to engage the audience, and that is what’s coming next.

I have all the tools I need to begin the Hire Me, Red Wings Podcast, right here on From the Desk of Damo.  Using Skype, a call recorder plugin, some audio equipment on loan from a friend, and an audio editing program, I can begin talking hockey with some of the best and brightest around… so long as they’re willing to spend a few minutes talking with me.  Most of the discussion will be about the Red Wings, but we’ll talk about all the important news and notes from around the NHL because those matters are also important to Red Wings fans.  It’ll be fun too!

Certainly this will help spread the word throughout the Twitterverse, as the people I’m looking to talk with also use their Twitter accounts religiously.  More importantly, however, I want to start this podcast because I see it as something that could compliment WingsCast on the Red Wings official website.  Nearly all of the guests on their podcast are directly associated with the Red Wings organization.  There’s obviously value in that, but there’s also a whole legion of fans out there who want to hear from their favorite writers and/or bloggers and get an outside perspective on a Red Wings topic.  These two worlds can coexist, and make beautiful music together.

Now it’s time to find guest #1…

Five days ago, there would have been far fewer dotted lines in this picture.

As we hit the first weekend of this campaign, I ask those of you who have visited this site (or the Twitter and Facebook pages) to truly consider the power of social media – even those of you outside the United States that continue to visit my site.  Yes, I see you.

On Monday, just five short days ago, I began this effort from scratch.  As I write this today, we’ve got hundreds of new (and some old) friends showing their support, and several hundred more people who have visited this site to see what all the ruckus is about.  Even Joey Gladstone got involved!  You’re not only visiting, but also devouring this site, by reading all the stories and learning a bit more about me.  Perhaps you even viewed my résumé.

While I have plenty of relevant professional experience to my name, opening myself up to this sort of judgment wasn’t an easy decision.  Unlike others who are undoubtedly interested in this same position with the Red Wings, I don’t have a current endeavor (aside from this one) to help promote myself or associate my name with, and a high percentage of my professional background comes from the college athletics scene, specifically basketball.  But making this decision to put myself out there – for all to see – has allowed me to rebuild a portion of the deep understanding I once had for all things Red Wings.  The calendars don’t mesh well when you’re busy promoting a mid-major NCAA Division I athletic conference, and freelance writing for college basketball blogs.  For all intents and purposes, my work with the Horizon League was also a grassroots campaign, requiring much more than eight hours of daily attention.  I watched hockey games when I could, and cheered from afar.

The past several days I’ve been able to connect with many people who are as passionate about the Red Wings (or social media) as I am about this project.  For some it’s a hobby, for others it’s a profession, but there’s no questioning their dedication.  I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve been a face value fan of the Red Wings the past few years.  Why?  Because the job I’m pursuing isn’t about who’s the biggest fan or the most connected blogger.  I made many great connections through my previous jobs in the media, but this job is about reaching those die hard fans and devoted bloggers, and making them part of the conversation.  That’s truly what we’re trying to accomplish here, and what I’d aim to accomplish if I’m able to pull this off.

These past five days have been incredible, and I have all of you to thank for that.  Continue to tell your friends and/or colleagues about the mission here, and encourage them to support us.  If you simply think this is a creative idea, tell me!  If you’re a blogger and want to write about it, let me know!

There’s no stopping now.

We can’t turn back.

Joey Gladstone and Michelle Tanner sporting the winged wheel. After this photo was taken, Michelle ate a bowl of ouce cream, using her hockey stick as a spoon. And everyone laughed.

Dave – freaking – Coulier!

Yes, that Dave Coulier checked in with @HireMeRedWings on Twitter yesterday, saying that he liked my style and asked if the Red Wings had any job openings.  Indeed they do, Dave (I can call you Dave, right?).  And the job that’s open is the one I’m after.  Thanks to your simple tweet, you’re helping me spread the word, and adding to my campaign to become the next Social Media Coordinator for the Detroit Red Wings.  You know, that almost sounds like it could be the title of a televis…wait, nevermind.  Thanks a lot, Food Network.

On a similar, but less Coulier note, I’m starting to see my efforts show up in more and more places each day.  Octopus Thrower surprised me yesterday morning by writing up this quick little blurb about my quest.  Just for clarity’s sake, (Brian, I’m speaking to you) Last.fm was simply an option attached to my site’s original theme.  I like music.  You like music.  We all like music.  But maybe – just maybe – hearing Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus on my Last.fm channel will be the hidden gem that puts me over the top.  Or someone will simply think I have bad taste in music.  Either way, it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Also, late last night I came across an incredible entry on the blog Beards of War.  When typically referring to Beards of War, “incredible” would mean something hilarious, side-splitting, or lol-worthy.  But not this time.  Josh got serious for a moment, and told the story of why the Red Wings mean so much to him.  I’m not overstating this at all when I tell you the entry is highly moving.  He brings to the surface several of his memories of Red Wings’ playoff runs from the late 90s and early 2000s, but that isn’t the hook.  Instead, it’s the retelling of personal hardships he endured in 2002, cheering on the Red Wings from the belly of the beast in Denver, Colorado.  He discusses Game 7… so I shouldn’t have to say much more than that.  But the story caught my eye for another, separate reason.  Turns out that Josh spent a brief period of time living (his family moved a few times while he was growing up) in Battle Creek, Michigan – about 10 minutes from where I grew up in Athens, Michigan.  It’s a small world folks, and always will be.

***

On Monday when I began this whole process, I stopped short of detailing every little thought I had about the position I’m pursuing with the Red Wings.  I’m not here to bore you with all of those thoughts and parts-of-thoughts, but there are a couple of other topics that are worthy of discussion.  Maybe some rhetorical questions… and maybe some real questions for those of you who continue to ride along with me on  this journey.

Mixing social media with sports franchises is obviously about more than a small group of people sitting on HootSuite or TweetDeck all day long chatting with followers, and sending out links to news articles.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s certainly part of it, but what about when your fans and followers are already in the arena?  Buying a ticket is good, but how can they be ensured to have a good time?  Better yet, how can they be enticed to buy something?  The action on the ice at Joe Louis Arena often times takes care of the first part, but social media can definitely help assist in answering my second question.

At my last job, our summer schedule basically consisted of working on the video crew at Victory Field for the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  We had plenty to take care of, but as many of you know, minor league baseball is as much about the in-game promotions as it is the baseball.  The Indians’ staff certainly know what they’re doing, as the franchise consistently ranks near the top of the International League in attendance figures, despite some meager win-loss records.  Combine that with the fact that the franchise has turned a profit for 37-consecutive years under Max Schumacher’s tenure as President… and yeah, you get the picture.  The Indians promote their web presence at every possible opportunity.  Between innings, the promote their Facebook page, Twitter account, blogs, and even a “Gift Shop Item of the Day.”  One of their more adventurous promotions however, is called “Tweet Your Seat” in which fans in attendance are encouraged to get on their phone and tweet their location in the ballpark.  Prizes are typically attached to some type of corporate sponsor coupon, but this kind of promotion could really be used for anything – ticket discounts to future games, discounts on apparel, and so on.  A quick Google search even reveals that the New Jersey Devils have used a promotion like this, but to upgrade fans’ seats.  It’s certainly easy to find winners using Twitter.  You could either send them a Direct Message with instructions detailing where to claim their prize, or simply have someone locate the winners in their seats, verify their ticket stub, and you’re done.

For all I know, the Red Wings are already running a promotion like this (if they are, and you know this, gimme a shout) and I’m going to look a little foolish.  However, let’s throw out another possibility that could significantly increase the “visibility, community awareness, and engagement” of the Red Wings’ social media efforts – like having a scavenger hunt.  Young or old, we all love ‘em.  How easy would it be to have virtual scavenger hunts with your followers on Twitter?  Get some corporate sponsors to participate (since they could see the residual effects and add Twitter followers of their own) by handing a few tickets (just an example) over to them every so often.  Send your followers on a series of virtual “hunts” by giving out clues until someone finally claims the tickets by putting the pieces of the puzzle together and literally showing up at the location where the prize is being held.  What if that location was a local Buffalo Wild Wings, and 50 people came looking for the tickets, but they were already claimed?  Do you think any of those people might stick around and grab some food or a beverage?  I do.

That’s just another angle to think about with this whole position, an angle that I definitely haven’t forgotten even though it’s not necessarily a strong point on my résumé.

For those of you out their who have your own blogs – Red Wings-centric or not – I leave you today with a question.

Would you welcome an additional Twitter feed(s) from the Red Wings that focused more on what you are writing, and then dispersing it to a larger group of followers?

I hope to hear your thoughts, because it’s something I’ve thought about many times since the beginning of the week, and something I want to write more about here on my site.  Many of you already have significant followings, but it just seems that there is a role the Red Wings could play in helping create a larger community for all fans.  The best way to go about that, however, remains to be seen.

Be sure to visit the Facebook and Twitter pages!

No turtles allowed, Claude.

When you start something like a social media campaign to try and land a dream job with the Detroit Red Wings, it’s hard to gauge what the reaction will be.  Of course your closest friends will back the effort, but you’re really trying to engage people who are outside of your circle, focusing instead on the people who are part of the circle you’re trying to penetrate.  Facebook sums it up best by simply allowing people to “like” your page.

So who likes me?

It seems that there are quite a few people that “like” my Facebook page (59 at the time this was written we’re closing in on our first 100), my group of Twitter followers is slowly but surely growing, and I’ve seen a major boost in traffic on “From the Desk of Damo” over the past two days.

What’s more exciting for me, however, is seeing how people are coming across my efforts, and where they are coming from.  There are already several people who “like” my Facebook page, whom I don’t know at all.  I’m having Twitter exchanges with users whom I’ve never met, and one of them even wished me luck on this journey.  I also found some good groups on LinkedIn to promote my cause, and received a very nice message of support from Dana Hunsucker, a professional recruiter based in Houston, Texas.

As for this site, I’m able to stem my anxiety by looking at how many people have visited – where they are coming from, and what they’re reading on the site.  Obviously, many people read yesterday’s post about trying to become the Social Networking Coordinator for the Detroit Red Wings.  But it was interesting to see that almost an equal amount of people also checked out my résumé – and that’s important.  As for where those visits were coming from, just use your imagination.  People stopped in from coast to coast, with a notable concentration of visits coming from the Detroit metro area.  That’s also important, as I currently have no ties to the area, despite having grown up in Michigan.

Today I had hoped to offer some more thoughts on the actual position I’m pursuing, but keeping up with the various accounts I’ve built ended up being a (welcomed) distraction.  We’ll save those thoughts for tomorrow, and I’ll be spending a portion of my afternoon trying to renew my license plates and also getting a tire patched – my third flat in six months – on a brand new car, no less.

I appreciate your support, and will continue to keep you updated.

Heard a rumor that Patrick was interested in this position, so I had to take care of bidness. Take a hike Roy, or next time I'll send Vernon after ya.

Of course the Detroit Red Wings get priority on my site, topping the list in “my quest to become your next employee.”  Those of you who know me best are aware of my affinity for the winged wheel, and what native Michigander doesn’t love all things Hockeytown?  But as much as this position is about a dream opportunity to work for the Red Wings, for me it’s also about – ya know – the position itself.  I can say all sorts of pretty things on a résumé (and all of them are true), but if I want to be the Social Networking Coordinator for one of the Original Six, I figure it’s best to try and prove my worth.  We’ll get into some of the details associated with the position momentarily.  First, a little housekeeping, and some links to pages you can visit to help me build my case for why I should be the Red Wings next Social Networking Coordinator.

POSITION: Social Networking Coordinator
COMPANY: Detroit Red Wings
TWITTER ACCOUNT: Yes. (@HireMeRedWings)
FACEBOOK PAGE: Yes.  (Hire Me, Red Wings)
APPLICATION PROCESS: Complete.

STRENGTHS: I have a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts, and 2+ years of experience with social networking and online content management.  I also have multiple years of experience in broadcast media and writing for sports blogs, which could add to my worth as a member of the Red Wings’ communications staff.  I’m proficient with Microsoft Office, Audacity, file converters, and FTP sites, along with having a working knowledge of Photoshop.  I’ve been able to cultivate many positive working relationships with co-workers and external contacts (members of the media, coaches, etc.).  Each of my past jobs have required highly developed verbal and written communication skills, an ability to work independently, a strong attention to detail, extreme flexibility and adaptability, problem solving and project management skills – all required for this job opening.

WEAKNESSES: My graphic design skills are fairly limited, but I’m not certain at this point how crucial those skills are to this position.  As I mentioned above, I can get around in Photoshop, but I’ve never used InDesign.  Similarly, I have a limited knowledge of HTML language.  This site was obviously created using a Wordpress theme, but there was definitely “some assembly required.”  I made several adjustments to the theme, but I could never create one from scratch.  I think that’s a fair explanation, don’t you?  Technically, I have not worked for a professional sports organization.  Yet, all of my professional experience is in sports-related areas, so I understand the format and have spent several seasons working in the video control room for the Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate).  With social networking positions, there are often times a marketing component to the job.  If you’ve looked at my résumé, then you already know that I’ve never specifically held a job in marketing.

SELF-SERVING STUFF: I’m originally from Michigan, grew up rooting for the Red Wings (and still do), and have long wondered if an opportunity would ever arise for me to get into a hockey organization.  I’ve also wondered if I would be allowed to keep an octopus on my desk, but we can discuss that later.

***

There’s no escaping the plethora of social networking options that greet you as soon as you visit the Detroit Red Wings official website.  Nearly every page on the site features a social media “toolbar” of sorts, offering links to a Facebook page, LinkedIn group, MySpace page, Twitter account, and YouTube channel.  Virtually every piece of content can be shared as well.  And, for all the diehards, you can even “like” your favorite Red Wings players by visiting their bio page.  Can we get some more “likes” for Homer, please?

Let’s focus on their two social networks with the largest amount of support – Facebook and Twitter.  Not surprisingly, the Facebook page has drawn the most attention with over 200,000 people who “like this.”  It’s not a passive 200K either, as people regularly leave notes on the page’s wall, foster discussions, and post their photos – 3,841 to be exact.  In short, it’s really impressive.  The Twitter account has a following of more than 30,000 people, which is a substantial number compared to most of the other NHL franchises, but some organizations (Montreal and Chicago to name two) have a larger set of followers.

What’s more striking to me is the fact that while they have just over 30,000 followers on Twitter, they’re also following more than 3,000 accounts.  This caught me off guard because the very first “essential function” of the Social Networking Coordinator position (according to the job opening) is to develop a strategy to “increase visibility, community awareness, and engagement.”  In terms of engaging people via Twitter, it’s awfully difficult to monitor that many accounts, and make people feel like they’re part of the conversation – a big lure of social media in general.  The Red Wings currently have just one Twitter account which includes a little bit of everything.  On that single feed, there are links to news articles (99% are from their own website), tons of pictures, information on promotions, and some original tweets mixed in as well (I really enjoyed going back a few months and re-living “via tweet” some of the few bright spots from this year’s playoffs).  While it could look good for surface numbers to have everyone following one central account, there’s certainly more than 30,000 people interested in their goings-on.  I mean, IT’S THE DETROIT RED WINGS!

What I’m getting at is… I wonder what the follower numbers would look like if @DetroitRedWings was used simply to aggregate stories from detroitredwings.com and another account was created to take care of the rest.  Obviously, there are tons of fans who want to read all the official releases/features, and consume everything available to them from the team’s official homepage.  But there’s also a huge segment of fans that are undoubtedly keeping up with the Red Wings in other ways.  Perhaps they’re reading one of the 20+ blogs listed on the Hockeytown Blog’s blogroll?  Many of those sites provide very valuable content, and while some of that content is being spotlighted in “Around the Rink” each time the Hockeytown Blog is updated, none of that info currently has a home in the Red Wings social media platforms.  Sometimes less is more, and I think this is one of those instances.  By identifying and following a smaller group of people on Twitter (beginning with national and Red Wings-centric writers and bloggers), the Social Networking Coordinator would have a much easier time creating a more engaged experience for Red Wings fans.  After all, people are much more apt to have opinions (read:  tweet) about others’ opinions, rather than an official release from the Red Wings.  Mix in some pictures, some re-tweets of funny comments from followers, and things quickly become much more engaging – for both parties.

There certainly isn’t anything Earth-shattering written above, and it’s simply my opinion after doing some looking around at the Red Wings social media presence.  For all I know, I could find out that they have certain guidelines in place (likely) and what I’ve described above isn’t in use today for good reason.  I just look at Klout scores and follower numbers for teams like the Yankees and Lakers and think to myself, “Why couldn’t the Red Wings have half, or even one-third, of those numbers?” All I hope is that I get to a point in this process where I could be informed of their current guidelines regarding their website and social media practices.  That, of course, would mean I’d have been contacted by someone about the position – and that would be great!

Until then, I’ve got some social networking to take care of, in hopes of speeding up the time between now and when that magic phone call/e-mail/tweet from the Red Wings comes my way.  We’ll talk more about this opportunity tomorrow, as there’s a marketing side to all of this as well.  Hopefully I’ll have some news to pass along.  <holding breath>

It’s 2010.  The computer is as much a part of our lives as the television, and the Internet has changed the game (well, for about 75% of Americans anyway).  Where do we turn for information, entertainment, and gossip?  It’s not the newspaper, that’s for sure.  Speaking of newspapers, the Internet has not only rendered them useless as it relates to print journalism, but also for finding a career.  The Internet is full of sites with pages upon pages of job listings, even sites that aggregate specific fields to make your job hunting experience easier.  Yet, despite our ability to find as many job listings as we could possibly imagine, people still struggle to land the position they’re looking for.

So what are we, on average, spending most of our time doing each day on the Internet?  Believe it or not, we’re updating our status on Facebook and “friending” people.   That’s right, Americans are spending more time using Facebook each day (personally, I prefer Twitter) than they are using sites like Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Microsoft/Bing, Wikipedia, and Amazon… combined.  Given that information, tell me why I’d try to start writing the next chapter of my career by applying for jobs using traditional means?  Filling out applications online and posting a résumé on 20 different websites just doesn’t cut it anymore.  That’s what everyone else is doing.

It’s time to do something different.  It’s time to use social media to my advantage.

There are ways that you can help me accomplish this goal, and we’ll talk more about that in a moment.  But first I need to explain how I’ll be holding up my end of the bargain and what you can expect to see here on my site until the mission is accomplished.

Over the course of the next however-long-it-takes, I’ll be posting entries about broadcasting/journalism/new media jobs which I have applied for in some way, shape, or form.  By that I mean, there may be instances where I have yet to “formally” apply, but have created a job-specific Twitter account, or Facebook pages which will draw attention to the position I’m interested in.  Of course, I’ll also go through all the formal processes, but sometimes these things pop up quick and I’ll need to complete what I deem to be the most important factors of the process first.  That only makes sense, right?

My entries on the site will also include an interview process of sorts.  At the very least, the information will be similar to the topics discussed in a first interview.  Why do this?  Well, a prospective employer’s time is valuable.  If I have the ability to give them some preliminary thoughts on how I might fit in on their team, then I’m going to do it.  I’ll talk about my strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the job opening, as well as some thoughts on how I might work to maintain or adjust the company’s efforts as they relate to the position I’m seeking.  Of course, this site already includes plenty of standard information that a prospective employer would also need from me.  That information can be found in the “About Me” and “Résumé” sections (and soon, the “Media” section will showcase some of my prior work).

So how can you help?  Follow the Twitter accounts, visit the Facebook pages, and spread the word like wildfire.  If you have an opinion on which job might be the best for me, share it!  This isn’t a one way street, and I’ll consider anything you might have to offer.  Think of me as the latest NBA free agent to hit the market, except my situation is a little closer to that of Cedric Jackson rather than LeBron James.  And for me, the L.A. Clippers aren’t an afterthought!

Foreshadowing?  I guess you’ll have to stick around to find out.

[h/t to Eric Romer]