I am new to Serengeti Communications, but worked at AOL for seven years. One risk of admitting you work(ed) for AOL is that friends, family, people sitting next to you on an airplane, all assume that you know everything about the Internet and by association, computers. I would get phone calls asking me how to connect a router or forwarded SPAM asking if it was legitimate (no Mom, the million dollar offer from the Chinese ambassador isn’t real).

Even though I was employed by what was once the largest Internet provider in the world, I realize now that I actually knew very little about how the industry truly functions. In the month that I’ve been with Serengeti, I’ve learned more about how today’s Internet works…what drives it, how users engage, and what sites/tools to watch.

For example, I had completely underestimated the power of Search. When you have millions of users, as AOL does, Search isn’t quite as crucial, but to smaller businesses and non-profits, it is vital.Also, I never fully understood the blogging craze. I barely read any, much less posted my own entries. Now, I’m reading, posting and subscribing. I see how blogs not only share your voice with the online community but are also very effective traffic drivers and Search magnets.

Lastly, I see the potential and power behind social media sites such as Facebook and StumbleUpon, beyond posting my latest photos or “poking” friends.

This is just a smattering of what I’ve absorbed in four weeks. I can’t wait to see what kind of emails and calls I get from friends and family once they realize that I actually do know how it all works, sort of.

Filed under: Agency, Education and Training, Social Marketing on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 by Koren Henderson |
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