Jason Calacanis Launches Mahalo Answers
Jason Calacanis has launched Mahalo’s answer to the various ‘answers’ facilities around the web, including the famous LinkedIn Answers.
Jason gives a reason for the creation of Mahalo Answers
For the past couple of years, I’ve been studying the intersection of individuals and three Internet services: search, content and knowledge exchanges (aka KEs). These three products–or processes–serve individuals by helping them solve their real-world problems, and all three services have been booming over the years.For the past couple of years, I’ve been studying the intersection of individuals and three Internet services: search, content and knowledge exchanges (aka KEs). These three products–or processes–serve individuals by helping them solve their real-world problems, and all three services have been booming over the years.
And here’s Jason’s explanation of what Mahalo Answers is:
Mahalo Answers is a Knowledge exchange where you can post questions which are answered by other users. Optionally, but highly encouraged, you can offer a tip for the best answer given for your question. Tips are given in our virtual currency, called Mahalo Dollars, which are purchased at a one-to-one rate with U.S. dollars, and which can be removed from the system less a 25% fee (i.e. how we make money!).
Ryze Business Networking Planning a Comeback
I have been a member over at Ryze Business Network for some time, but after a period of inactivty I find my curiosity has been piqued again. During 2005 and 2006 Ryze was at the ‘cutting edge’ of social networking. Then it fell behind. However, there is a flurry of activity all of a sudden, and Ryze admin have announced plans to revamp this potentially useful network. If you haven’t already, I recommend you go over and sign up for a free account just in case I’m right. Remember, with any network, having an older established account is more useful than a brand new one.
Digg Moves the Goal Posts
Now that the furor of the past few months over Digg’s high-profile banning of lots of users has died down, Digg admin has seen fit to make changes to the interface and to change the rules slightly. I was ’shouting’ (sharing) a Digg item with my friends last night and discovered that I can no longer shout to more than 200 friends at a time. This will seriously disrupt my use of Digg. What do you think?
Twitter Releases Widgets at Last!
A bit late in the day really, since most of us have already managed to add our Twitter stream to a variety of websites, but now you can get the official Twitter Widgets to proclaim your Twitter love to the world.
How to Use Twitter to Grow Your Business
There’s lots of talk on Twitter and on the Internet at large about people who have successfully used Twitter to grow their business.
Because I know you’re dying to know, here are some of the ways Twitter can be used to do just that:
- If you know how to find the right people, Twitter will allow you build a valuable network quicker than you ever could in real time. Here is a great list of Twitter tools to help you grow your network.
- If you offer real value in your tweets (valuable links, news, and niche information) you will quickly gain a following that will welcome your information including marketing approaches, as long as you’re not pushy and repetitive, and as long as your followers consider that you have earned the right to pitch to them.
- You can use Twitter to conduct market research: ask your followers for their opinions and find out how popular your ideas/products are.
- Find some really great joint venture partners on Twitter and be able to check them out pretty effectively beforehand.
- Find great people to fill just about any post you have in mind covering the whole hiring spectrum.
- Keep abreast of important economic, business and even niche news. Most of the time you can get it even before it breaks if you’re networked with the right Twitter members.
- You can use Twitter very effectively to notify your customers of all sorts of things like special offers, new products or whatever else you have in mind. Just take a look at how Dell has used Twitter in exactly this way to raise 1 million in revenue during 2008.
