I’m a HUGE fan of Twitter. Not only do I tweet regularly, but I am constantly praising Twitter to my friends and colleagues, pushing them to join if they haven’t already. I’ve made some great contacts through the site. It’s truly a tremendous resource.

But last Friday, I made the biggest mistake ever.

I tried to change my Twitter avatar.

Little did I know at the time that this would be a never-ending, ongoing, frustrating task to achieve. Deleting my avatar was the easy part. But uploading a new one? Yeah, forget it. I’ve tried uploading a new one through a PC, a Mac and through three different browsers. I’ve checked, double checked and triple checked the image size, resolution, format, etc. to make sure it complies with Twitter’s settings. And I e-mailed Twitter support.

They e-mailed me back last night with a link to a page I’d already checked out about 100 times over the weekend, looking for updates or comments on the issue. They say I’m not the only one having this problem. Unfortunately, that just doesn’t make me feel better, Twitter. Thanks though.

I’ve been attempting to upload a new one going on four days now. Honestly at this point, I would be fine with this or this or even this as my avatar. I just want SOMETHING.

The fact of the matter is, if more than 100 million users participate in the Twitter discussion, one would think uploading a picture would be the smallest of Twitter’s issues. Clearly, it’s one that has yet to be tackled. For now, I’ll anxiously, impatiently sit here trying to upload my picture 137 times a day (no exaggeration), until it works.

And this got the juices flowing…

Does this mean I’m too dependent on social media? Do I put too much emphasis on my online profile?

Okay, yes. I’m completely dependent on social media. I place a pretty big emphasis on my online profile because it’s one of the first ways I get in front of my readers, contacts, colleagues, followers and friends. But is it the end of the world when I’m faceless?

For example, when you have a new coworker join your office, what’s one of the very first things you do? Chances are, you Google her. In today’s online world, if we aren’t transparent and there for everyone to access, we are missing out on a huge piece of the puzzle. Right?

So, is it okay to place so much importance on your online profile? Are we too dependent on social media? I’d love to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, if you have any words of advice on uploading my Twitter avatar, let me know because I’m going crazy over here.

- L

Your company’s annual conference and expo is coming up and everyone’s looking to you to come up with some “social media strategy.” Social media strategy? What the heck is that? You don’t do the whole Facebook thing and tweeting is as foreign as the things Andrew Zimmern eats on Bizarre Foods.

So where do you start?

While some companies and organizations may have it all figured out, many are just delving into this whole new concept. Who would’ve thought that in addition to making sure you have all the educational sessions, networking events, sponsored parties, book signings, press conferences, exhibition halls and keynote speakers in line, you also have to incorporate a whole new (and necessary) digital expectation into the trade show? Whether your event attracts young professionals or experienced ready-to-retire folks, social media plays an integral part in the success of your show.

Here are 10 DOS and DON’TS for integrating social media into conferences and trade shows.

10. DO create a Facebook event within your company’s Facebook group. Invite group members to attend and keep the group open for those who are invited to invite others. Keep track of those who RSVP “yes” and cross reference the “yes” list with those who have actually registered to attend. If you find that someone hasn’t registered yet, follow up with a personal e-mail or message reminder.

9. DO create a Twitter hashtag for the event. Make sure the hashtag is short and easy to remember. This will help keep track of who’s mentioning your event and will help to build hype before, during and after the event takes place. Of course, use the hashtag each time you tweet anything referencing the conference.

8. DO host a tweet up. If you have the means and there is an interest, consider hosting a tweet up at the show. This will allow those who meet on Twitter to meet face-to-face and match Twitter handles with names and faces. This is also an opportunity for those who are interested in Twitter but don’t know much about it to become more familiar and learn more.

7. DO develop on-site collateral (signage, fliers, etc.) mentioning the various social media outlets your business participates in. This will help to raise awareness and will act as a reminder for your audience to tune in and communicate with each other and your company through these online networks.

6. DO upload photos and videos in real time. Taking photos and shooting video at a conference are key. While there may be professional photographers or videographers shooting the show, having candid camera footage is great too. Posting photos to Flickr and videos to YouTube in real time allows everyone to see the action as it’s taking place.

5. DO create a landing page on your event Web site. By creating a landing page dedicated to social media on your Web site, you can post Twitter, YouTube and Flickr widgets which house everything together on one page. This way people don’t have to find your company on each social media outlet individually but instead can go to one place to see everything at once.

4. DON’T get upset when people RSVP “no” to your Facebook event. Clearly not everyone can come to every single conference and event that your company hosts. Don’t be discouraged by these “no” responses. People are being honest–and that’s what social media is all about.

3. DON’T create a Twitter hashtag and not use it. If you aren’t using your Twitter hashtag promoting your event, don’t be surprised if others aren’t either. The more you use it and spread the word, the more others will consider including it in their tweets as well.

2. DON’T host a tweet up with no plan in place. If you host a tweet up, be sure to have a plan or agenda in place beforehand. Have name tags and markers for people to write down their Twitter handles. It’s also important to remember that the environment in which you host the tweet up must be conducive to generating a successful tweet up in the first place. If you host a tweet up in a library, chances will probably be high that very few (if any) people will show up. If you host it at a bar or lounge, bowling alley, concert venue or art gallery, this creates a more exciting and inviting atmosphere. (You want people to show up, right?)

1. DO remember to have fun and be creative! Social media is a combination of professional, personal, creative, interesting, interactive and intuitive tools used to engage your audience in a variety of effective ways. Exploring these online resources and incorporating them in to your next event or conference will be a fun, new and exciting addition that your attendees, exhibitors, followers, friends and colleagues will surely enjoy.

Have you ever managed social media for an event, conference or trade show? I welcome your experiences, thoughts and pointers in the comments below.

- L

I placed a lot of pressure on myself to get a job after college. Before I had a job lined up, I had already secured a roommate in Houston and we had already decided on a place to live and a move-in date. You see, she was all set. She was going to be a teacher and had her job already in place… but then there was me. I remember just how difficult it was to find a job after college. In the span of eight months, I submitted a good 60+ resumes and cover letters to PR firms, companies and organizations throughout the country–of course the majority of which were in the Houston area. I mean, I already had a roommate there so what choice did I have? Clearly I didn’t put much thought into the sequence of things. I know, not very smart.

When the day came to make the move from Indiana back to Texas, it hit me: uh oh, what was I thinking? At that point I had no other choice but to move forward with the plan. So, I jumped in to the wonderful world of job interviews. In fact, within a seven-day period, I had 17 interviews. No gloating here–trust me, it was horrible. I had one suit that I wore to every interview. I had to put on the same smile, bring the same materials, answer the same questions. Then there was that morning when I got the phone call with a job offer. I have a job! Hooray! (And of course the huge sigh of relief. Oh my goodness, thank you, GOD.) Needless to say, I got the job before I had to move in with my roommate and pay bills and all that grown-up stuff. Things worked out in the end but the journey getting there wasn’t the least bit enjoyable.

I’m thankful every single day that I have a job to go to. I do what I love and I’ve found a place where I feel valued and needed. On the other hand, many of my friends and colleagues who have been in the PR industry have lost their jobs as a result of the recession and are in desperate need of somewhere to turn for job leads, opportunities, contacts and networking. I’m sure some of you reading this are nodding your heads in agreement. Well if you’re one of those people or know someone who is, SMILE BIG because I found out about something completely awesome and I’m SUPER EXCITED to share it with all of you. Here’s the scoop:

Are you a PR pro looking for a job?

There’s a Web site (helpaprproout.com) that actually lives up to its name. Yep, it’s all about helping a PR pro out. And the best part about it is–there’s now an entire DAY dedicated to this idea! Let me introduce you to… Help a PR Pro Out Day. On Friday, Feb. 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. CST, PR bloggers, agency leaders and PR professionals from across the U.S. will donate their time and talents to help fellow PR pros connect with employers as part of this first-ever event. All you have to do is simply use the hashtag #HAPPO to connect with PR pros, job seekers and learn more about the many available PR opportunities out there.

Who’s genius idea was this? This is the brain child of these two lovely folks: Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon. With the help of many HAPPO champions, they have put together a Twitter event dedicated to creating a time and place for PR job seekers and professionals to interact, communicate and share ideas. You can also learn more about this event on HAPPO’s Facebook fan page.

Why should you participate?

If you’re a job seeker, I shouldn’t even have to answer that question. If you’re a PR professional, this is the perfect avenue to share your best practices, provide your insight and resources, and network. For me, I’m tuning in and participating because this is the EXACT thing I wish had been at my fingertips when I was on the job hunt. I’m SO excited and hope to see you there!

- L

If you’re on Twitter and are a journalist, PR professional, blogger, you name it, you’ve most likely heard of or even participated in #journchat. Created a year ago by @PRsarahevans, #journchat is a weekly chat session consisting of 10 questions (sometimes submitted, sometimes not) related to journalism, and more-or-less, all-things communications. #Journchat creates a discussion forum where PR practitioners and the like can share thoughts, ideas and best practices, pose questions, provide answers and make valuable connections with fellow industry professionals, all from the comfort of their home, office, phone, laptop… you get the picture.

But the most intriguing part about #journchat is that it really generates incredible discussion. People tune in and participate like I’ve never seen before. It’s part of their weekly routine. Monday night = #journchat. Twitter has created this environment where all kinds of people, of all ages, from all different places around the world come together and well, chat. In no way am I suggesting that Twitter is like one of those old-fashioned chat rooms we all participated in when we first got dial-up (don’t worry, it’s not). Rather, Twitter is a space where people can actually create relationships. Yes, relationships. Online.

And #journchat helps PR people and journalists do exactly that. It allows them to generate dialogue while also creating relationships that can be continued and enhanced offline. Personally, I’ve met hundreds of talented professionals through Twitter and established ongoing relationships with them. They help me when I have a question or a concern and vice versa. Say for example I’m working on a project and I have an AP style question that I really just don’t know the answer to. I know exactly who to message because she will, without a doubt, know the answer. Or even more, if I’m working on a story covering a specific topic, I probably know someone who is more of an expert at that than myself. And if they aren’t an expert, they’ll know someone who is. It’s pretty great to have immediate access to such wonderful resources.

In case you missed this week’s #journchat, you can find the transcript here. Hope to see you next Monday online!

- L

So this morning I woke up, came to the office and did the usual morning routine. Set down my things, turned on the computer, grabbed my notes and work from the previous day along with my appointment calendar, went to the break room for my instant coffee and came back to log in to e-mail, etc. Then suddenly, my morning routine came to a screeching hault. Uh oh.

Twitter is down.

My morning immediately turned upside down. How could Twitter be down? What could be wrong? Will it be fixed? When will it come back on? Maybe someone’s talking about it on Facebook. I log in. You’re kidding me. Facebook’s lagging behind. I call my coworkers. Is Twitter working for you? How about Facebook? Really? How could this be happening to my lovely Thursday morning? What have I done to deserve this mess? Ugh.

Then I come to find (after much Googling) that Twitter was trying to overcome a “denial of service.” No clue what that means. Let’s Wikipedia it. Done. Now what? Just wait, I guess. So I wait and wait, and wait some more. I attempt to continue with my morning workday routine…

After my gazillionth attempt many hours later, SUCCESS! I am logged in. Phew!

Looking back on this, it seems a bit silly. Sure, let’s face it. I am outrageously dependent on the Internet and social media. They have transformed our lives (and our mornings for that matter). The way we work today is completely different than the way our parents worked when they were our age. The workplace has changed.

The best part of all of this is that I wasn’t alone. Twitter wasn’t functioning at 8:30 a.m. and so many of my colleagues (more than I can count on my fingers and toes) already knew it. Participating in social media has not only become part of the everyday routine but has become widely accepted by the corporate environment. It’s a function that is simply expected. Are you tweeting? You should be. Trust me. It goes quite well with instant coffee.

- L