The Twitter

posted by Momo Fali on June 13, 2011

Let’s talk a little bit about social media, shall we?

Mom, I’m going to get into the Twitter conversation now, so go ahead and turn off your computer. Wait…you don’t have a computer. Put down the paper with the blog posts I printed for you.

I have been working in social media for almost seven months now; which pretty much makes me an expert. It’s like that whole dog years thing, but don’t ask me to do the math.

My job is the best job in the world. Just ask me and I’ll tell you. Only, please don’t ask me when my husband is around because he isn’t living his dream of being a mean math teacher and I am sitting on the sofa with my feet propped up on the coffee table, reading the thoughts of brilliant people all across the web, occasionally stopping to hug my kids or pet the dog. This is a day at my office.

But this really isn’t about my job or how I make my husband jealous. This is about how I got here. This is for anyone who doubts the power of Twitter.

Just over a year ago, a childhood friend of mine held a conference here in Columbus for pet bloggers. Have you ever heard of BlogPaws? You should have heard about it. Well, unless you hate puppies and kittens…in which case you need to 1) Have your head examined and 2) Stay away from my children. You and your mean, hateful soul.

Though I occasionally write about my pets, I’m not really a pet blogger. Nor am I a mommy blogger, a tech blogger or any other niche blogger, but that’s another post entirely; title to be “Who the Heck AM I?” My point is that I didn’t know anyone at the conference. I talked to a few people in the lobby and I mingled with some folks in the bar, but I didn’t want to barge in on conversations between people who had wanted to meet each other for years.

Other than my childhood friend, who was kind of busy running the whole thing, the only other person I was remotely familiar with, and that I knew would be there, was the woman who would be giving the keynote speech, Elisa Camahort Page. Elisa is one of the founders and the C.O.O. of BlogHer, Inc. If you are a blogger, you already know that. She’s kind of a big deal.

I had never met Elisa, but I am a member the BlogHer ad network. That makes me kind of like Elisa’s honorary kin. Yee haw! I sent out a tweet saying, @ElisaC I can’t wait to meet you and hear your keynote speech. Well, it said something like that. You can’t really go back and search old tweets with great consistency. (Side note: This sometimes makes my job difficult and I would appreciate if one of you smart people would hurry up and develop something for that.)

After quite a few more tweets, I met Elisa. We had lunch together, I cried during her keynote speech (see above comments regarding puppies and kittens) and sat with her during a cocktail party that evening. I soaked in her brilliance. Then I went home.

Would I have met Elisa without Twitter? Probably. But, before I ever shook her hand, the ice had been broken. She knew what I looked like, she knew bits of my personality and she knew my sense of humor. I knew she was wicked smart, that she was a vegan and that she loved the theater. I was less intimidated meeting someone with whom I had already had numerous “conversations”.

And, a few months after that, when I took to Twitter and mentioned that I was looking for part-time work, saying something like, Looking for additional part-time job. My work history is in the now-defunct mortgage biz, I have a huge gap on my resume and I work in a school kitchen. Call me.

Guess who did?

Elisa.

The amazing C.O.O. of the largest community of women who blog (25+ million unique visitors a month – Nielson NetRatings) is now my boss and, for certain, I wouldn’t have the job without Twitter, because I never would have considered reaching out to BlogHer. Not a chance.

Instead, I put myself out there for the world to see. Okay, maybe not the world, but for my 2500 followers. So, it’s more like I put myself out there for a small, rural town. But, wow, are these townspeople awesome.

So, see…I am kind of a social media expert. I know that you have to be in this space in today’s culture, that you should let your personality come through in your tweets and that you need to put your desires out there. If there is something you want, just ask for it. You never know who is listening.

And, you never know…you just might get exactly what you’ve been dreaming of.

    Comments

  • carrie


    Congratulations, that is all kinds of awesome and inspirational! I’m in the real estate market and have been waiting for the proverbial ax to fall for the past 2 years… it’s no way to live – ulcers and coffee do not make good friends. There are some really great Twitter stories out there, glad you shared yours 🙂

  • Patty


    I love this post! I realy do believe in the power of Twitter and social media in general!:) You are so right Elisa is very brilliant and sweet. I met her at the Blogher meetup last year and we had tweeted prior to the event date and she remembered, which was so nice because she must have a bagillion things on her plate! People are what matter and what make social media tick! I’m very happy for you! 🙂

  • tena


    So what you’re saying is that Twitter is like The Secret of Social Media?

    • Momo Fali


      Yes. Shhh. Don’t tell anybody.

  • Caroline


    And without social media, I never would have known that you had a blog, too! And that JMS English classes paid off for both of us.

    Love ya, Momo!

    xo

  • UP


    RE: Dream job. Where do I apply? What about the boy blogs out there?

    UP

  • Twenty Four At Heart


    Elisa is great. I didn’t know she was the one who got you your job. I love you Momo. San Diego is just around the corner …
    I hope you still remember the little people.
    Well, you know … the big little people.
    I wish I was little.
    Well, littler … you know what I mean!
    xo

  • Melisa


    Twitter is magical.

    Also? You can’t get what you want if you don’t ask. I learned that from my sister and have been practicing it for ages.

  • Amber


    I absolutely agree! I just recently realized what a fantastic tool twitter can be in breaking the ice and starting conversations with people you might have previously not had access to.

    I find it is not as great at driving traffic to my site as facebook, however. I just recently started a fan page for my site and I get much more clicks from this than posts on twitter.

    I still love twitter for chatting people up though.

  • Bonnie


    Hi Momo,
    Let me just say, you are hilarious. I don’t like reading (I know… shame on me) but your stuff is awesome. Thanks so much for being funny and truthful. I love the “screwing up parenting since 1998.” I just had my first baby last August. No mom bob, but I do have ankle tapered mom jeans (aka: skinny jeans).

    Anyway, thanks for sharing your life and inspiring people! 🙂

    Bonnie
    San Jose, CA