Earlier this month, my cyberbuzz column from 24hours was recessionized.

The paper culled most of the newsroom and has trimmed staff to what reads like maybe half a dozen in Vancouver. The first 3 pages of the paper cover the latest local news and all the feature based content is now ripped off the newswire, or reprinted from their national bureau.

Personally, I don’t think it makes for as readable a newspaper. The content is now generic. But, fine, we’re in a down economy and these sorts of things are going to happen.

But I didn’t expect this to happen: now that I’ve lost my column, I’m writing more about technology.

My 24hours pieces were limited to 400 words and I tried to write about local people making a difference, catching breaks or creating innovations. I’d take international issues and try to colour them with a local angle.

Without the burden of interviewing for the column weighing on my shoulders, I’m looking inside for insight and perspective on social media issues – and I’m thrilled with the results.

The columns are on my cyberbuzz website, so you may have missed them if you only read here.

The Revolt Against the Redesign: Facebook’s Friends Are Now Its Biggest Frenemies
Facebook finds itself in a curious predicament. As, arguably, the world’s most popular website, it has a HUGE user base. A rabid and faithful network of fans who visit the portal weekly, daily, or multiple times a day…

How To Use a Company Twitter Account
Twitter now has mainstream awareness.
When Entertainment Tonight is doing segments with Biz Stone and Ellen and Diddy are spending couch time talking Twitter – it’s mainstream.
So just as Second Life had a big influx of brands when it gained momentum, so now does Twitter have the onslaught of corporate accounts and brands joining the herd.
It’s important for corporate brands and companies to be on Twitter, but the voice you use for that account is crucial…

Why Twitter is More Dangerous Than Facebook
“This is going on your permanent record.”
A threat issued by parents and teachers over the past few decades as teens struggled to study for tests or write essays. It was meant to motivate us to do our best, because the result would be “on our permanent record.” It was as if to say that when we were 25 years down the line, a promotion or job opportunity would hinge on the result from our English 10 essay on Julius Caesar. After all, that B, or C+ or A- would be “on our permanent record.”
I’m sure that threat is still hung out by teachers and parents today, but what we are doing to ourselves online is far more permanent than the grade of any essay, test or quiz we’ll take in high school…

How To Monetize Twitter With Hoot Suite
I just monetized my Twitter account.
Go ahead, read that line again. I am going to make some pennies with Twitter. I won’t be spamming affiliate links in my stream. Every other tweet won’t be an ad.
I just managed to monetize my links with Hoot Suite….

The recession offered just that little shake and twist to force me to re-evaluate what it is I do and how I do it. I don’t recommend losing your job to help you get out of a rut if you’re stuck in it, but taking a step back and looking at things from a fresh angle can never hurt.

Take a different route to work, redesign your office, unplug more, try harder.

Now that I’ve got a fresh groove – who’s hiring?

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Tags: cyberbuzz, geek, insight, newspaper