Try, Try Again

I’m not sure who started the rumor that only a select few, twenty-something, childless, computer nerds would become the Internet Chosen and that the World Wide Web, Google, Apple and Twitter only understand the needs of these elite Geeks. I don’t know who convinced the tech-challenged masses that they deserve a life of frustration, spammy Hotmail accounts, Zach Morris phones and AOL. But it’s all a dirty lie.
 
No doubt I can find more than a few IT geeks who fit the Chosen bill, but as a whole, this stereotype doesn’t hold water and only serves to deter the technologically curious. Anyone can be “good” at this stuff. It simply comes down to practice, play, a little self-confidence and the wisdom of crowds. 
 
Practice. A lot. Like any personal or professional craft, if you want to learn more about the Internet, search engine optimization, writing for the Web or social media marketing, you’re gonna need to carve out time to practice. People make time to learn new languages, work out, take cooking classes, start new businesses or earn graduate degrees. Mastering the digital landscape is no different.
 
Be a guinea pig. I did not arrive into the world with geeky tendencies, a special Internet gene or inherent knowledge of techy things. I simply grew into an adult who is genuinely curious as to how I can use technology to make me — and my clients —more productive. When I have a problem to solve or a question to answer, I turn to the Web to help me troubleshoot. Instead of fretting over something, I Google a solution. When I see something new on the Web — such as iTunes Ping, About.Me or the Behance Network (behance.net) — I open an account and play around. No one is there to tell me how to do it, I just keep at it until I figure it out.
 
To gain better understanding of how to create Web content, I try out different writing, headline, design and promotional styles on my personal blog, flackrabbit.com. To stay on top of what’s next, I attend conferences, such as SXSW Interactive (sxsw.com/interactive), Tweetups and webinars. I read countless blogs, such as Mashable.com, and magazines such as Wired and TechCrunch. Then I seek out and poke around the information they present. It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun and I invite you to be a guinea pig, too.
 
Ignore the gurus. Frequent readers of this column know how I feel about those who call themselves “gurus.” You’re not seeking to become a spiritual leader; you simply want to try your hand at social media, blogging and proper email etiquette. Anyone can become a social media/digital marketing/Web expert, if they put enough time, passion and energy into it. So, don’t be intimidated by the gurus out there. Just boot up, surf out and play. Don’t worry about doing it wrong; you’re not going to break the Internet. I swear. 
 
Talk to strangers.  Thanks to the Web, you can chat, post, Google, Bing, message, read, view and publish just about anything with anyone. It’s a beautiful opportunity to share and learn from the digital challenges and successes of others. You don’t have to tackle your inner geek alone, because there are millions of folks who’ve been there, done that and YouTubed it. Take advantage of the wisdom — and encouragement — of the crowd.
 
And don’t forget the importance of face-to-face networking. Nashville is home to all sorts of activities for the digitally minded, including Nashville Flacks, NashCocktail social media happy hour, Nashville Geek Breakfast and BarCamp Nashville. They don’t call it social media for nothin’.