Detroit-based rapper Ro Spit recently put a Detroit spin on Jay-Z’s hit single “Empire State of Mind.”  Full of great shots from around the Metro Detroit region, the song’s video has already garnered some 19,900+ views on YouTube in just under two weeks.  Take a look (some lyrics NSFW).

There have been many great stories and presentations on how music artists are benefiting from social media.  I’m absolutely thrilled that we can count a few Detroiters among them.

Crain’s Detroit Business, one of Michigan’s most recognizable business publications, is undergoing a bit of a makeover.  While randomly clicking on some links shared via Twitter, I noticed that the blog portion of their site has been completely redesigned.  Take a look.

Get a closer look here.

It seems that the publication is now integrating additional community elements.  Users now have the ability to post wall messages on profiles, search blog posts by tags, “friend” reporters,  upload pictures and video, and track posted comments.

While Crain’s is well known for their weekly print editions, reporter blogs are quickly rising in popularity, generating more than 10,000 page views per month.  Additionally, there are very few hyperlocal sites with a strictly business-centric audience in the Metro Detroit area.  Adding more community elements could create a whole new dynamic and increase user participation.

However, I think they are missing something.   There doesn’t seem to be any links designed to help me share the site’s content with other networks.  For example, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal both have share widgets for posting to Facebook and Twitter.  Facebook Connect even turned me into a Huffington Post reader. Why not tap the power of other networks before creating you own?

What do you think?

Does building a community element guarantee more participation?  Do we really need a new place to connect?

Last Saturday was a big day for Detroit’s interactive community. A number of social media, business and communications experts from all over North America gathered in Southfield at Lawrence Tech. to share their thoughts on social media and personal branding.

When the conference finally came to a close, and co-workers, fellow professionals and friends started asking me about what I learned, the first words that came to mind were, “You simply had to be there.”

To see my take on the energy and excitement felt during Brand Camp University 2009, check out this recap video.

I also encourage you to check out some of the attendee and speaker reactions available on the Brand Camp University blog.

Special thanks to Henry Balanon and Hubert Sawyers for helping shoot the footage. Super special thanks to Brand Camp University’s official photographer, Paul Manoian, and Brian Ambrozy of Prime Pics for the awesome photos.

Your turn.

If you made it out to Brand Camp University 2009, what was your big takeaway?  What are you going to change about your personal brand and the way you do business?

**Originally posted by Ken Burbary on http://www.i-detroit.com**

Detroit has an thriving community of Digital marketing, advertising, creative and technology professionals. The community does exceptional work supporting the online communication efforts of brands like Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jeep, GeekSquad, United States Postal Service, Unite States Navy, and Michelin to name a few. However, we’ve long lived in the shadow of our industrial reputation the region earned decades ago. We’re trying to change that and show a different side of Detroit, the Digital side. Some ambitious members of this community have submitted their ideas for panels at the 2010 SXSW interactive festival. For those unfamiliar with it, SXSWi is one of, if not, the biggest annual industry event. People travel from all over the globe to attend, learn and share their professional experience in digital communications.

“SXSW Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.”

I’m highlighting 6 sessions submitted by Detroit based Digital professionals. I’m asking for your help to get their ideas selected for the conference. It takes only a few moments of your time to vote. Simply go to the SXSW panel picker by clicking on the session titles below, and click the icon to vote (note: you will need to register if you don’t already have an account). Every vote counts. Let’s get these panelists into the “big show” and highlight the emerging talent that is right in your own backyard.

Building Social Strategies at Fortune 100 Companies - panel session with Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company

Description: Companies of all sizes are adopting social media and community, but large organizations have some unique challenges and opportunities. This panel will uncover best practices through stories told by social media leaders from Ford, Nationwide, IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Dell.

Using Social Media to Find a New Gig – panel session by Shelli Gutholm, Aquent

Description: Don’t expect to get your next job by stuffing a bunch of resumes into envelopes and sending to “HR”. The best way to find the job of your dreams is by networking through Social Media. Social networking helps bypass the anonymity of the proverbial resume “black hole”. How you can use Social Media to secure your next job? We will be reviewing the tools and best practices that job seekers should utilize in a search. Also, we will outline some of the common mistakes job seekers make when using Social Media, which could lead to your efforts being sabotaged before they even begin.

Real World ROI and Social Media Strategies – panel session by Cosmin Ghiurau, BOSSdev Inc.

Description: Why Social Matters to Business Calculating the ROI of Social Case Study: CPR Week Digital Campaign for the American Heart Association Available with a client representative to participate These three topics can be presented as independent sessions or combined into one session. All three topics are focused upon how business can effectively understand, implement and measure web 2.0 marketing programs. Knowledge on the latest research and methods for digital marketing and social media Resources to leverage to stay informed on digital marketing and social media Real world examples of how businesses implement and measure web 2.0 programs ROI calculator to estimate and measure your own web 2.0 programs

Beyond the Click: Converting Website Visitors into Customers – solo session by Ayat Shukairy, Invesp Consulting

Description: For an online business, persuading visitors to purchase your product or service is crucial to increasing sales. Using the science and art of analytics analysis, marketing, usability and software, discover how the Conversion Framework approach can convert online visitors into customers such as RHDJapan and Metro Uniforms.

Industrial To Interactive: From Old Town To Tech Town – panel session by iDetroit members

Description: The idea of your city being home to the next thriving digital community is enticing. However, traditionally non-tech regions face a challenge. How do you introduce, develop and grow a digital movement within a location that has never seen one? Detroit is one such city currently grappling with this issue.

Using Facebook to Leverage Social Marketing and Gain ROI - dual session by K. Alan Robbins, BOSSdev Inc.

Description: Panel will cover the evolution of the social networking universe; provide valuable information with respect to the capabilities and unique aspects of the Facebook platform; valuable tips to help you craft an effective Facebook guerilla marketing campaign; and provide key criteria to help you to pick an effective development partner.

General Motors has been pretty busy lately.  The brand has been virtually everywhere, launching new cars and making some pretty big announcements. So, with all this activity going on, you can image how awesome it was to hear that the GM social media team wanted to host a tweetup for Metro Detroiters at Bar Louie in Novi on August 10th.

Great food. Interesting conversation. A couple of cool cars on display.  How could the Detroit Twitter community say no?

The GM Summer Tweetup drew a great crowd of 50+ attendees

Connecting with the people in your backyard
For me, this was more than just another opportunity to see old friends and make new ones.  GM will always have a strong connection to Metro Detroit and many of us here are personally and professionally invested in the company’s success. This tweetup presented a chance for Detroiters to connect with the people behind one of our brands and hear more about where the company is headed.

For more thoughts on this topic, check out the video below featuring me and Chris Barger, GM’s Director of Global Social Media Communications.  Note the handsome expression in the video still.

Also, I’d like to thank the lovely Lish for helping organize this great event.  She did all the legwork and deserves all the credit.

As always, to stay informed about the latest news and events related to Detroit Tweetups, please join our Facebook group. To see who attended the GM Tweetup, check out the list of handles below.  If for some reason you attended the tweetup and your Twitter handle is absent, please post it in the comments.

@wendyclark
@lish
@davesacre
@becksdavis
@becksdavishubby
@kewlrats
@alexfishernet
@verdelifestyles
@1485peet
@genebrady
@ktkruzn
@dukedna
@lisakup
@anig05
@mollysly
@shedski
@hmayers
@hajjflemings
@skinjunkie
@cbaccus
@rockdrool
@margosha8
@turbobrown
@shaunan
@cxiro
@potsie
@tinawebanalytic
@hondagrrl
@freshmenz
@detroitvoice
@drintelmann
@rmercader
@lesleyhettinger
@mrb8507
@jfavreau
@danieleizans
@cbarger
@julieglissman
@qoswhit
@davemurr
@jwphillips
@tvdeegan
@rposluszny
@mabdelno
@metajp
@christas
@tomehenderson
@bchesnutt
@positivecities
@essohhbee
@joem32
@jangosteve
@davebenjamin
@tomshea

@ejohnsonroxx (not valid – anyone know this handle?)

Coutesy of MontageMan

You’re never in a room full of salespeople.  Just good people.

Courtesy of farlane on Flickr

For many people around the country, the only interaction they have with Metro Detroit is through what they see, hear and read in the national media.  With this filter in place, audiences often fail to recognize that we have been, and always will be, one amazingly cool place to live, work and play.  To offer them a glimpse of the Detroit that I love, I found seven awesome videos featuring Detroit on YouTube.  Enjoy!

(1) “Stand Up and Tell Them You’re From Detroit” Promo from WXYZ Channel 7 – 1985

Even though this video was made before my buddy Stephen Clark could add a little of his musical genius, the jingle is still pretty catchy. Maybe Channel 7 should think of reviving this campaign?

(2) Detroit Metro Airport Tunnel

When the new high-tech McNamara Terminal at DTW finally opened its doors, everyone was talking about the light tunnel experience. If you haven’t seen it yet, here is your chance.

(3) The Infamous March 26, 1997 Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche Fight

Back in the late ’90s, there wasn’t a team in professional sports that I hated more than the Colorado Avalanche. While I don’t condone violence (because I’m a lover, not a fighter), it feels like I just found a $20 bill in my pocket every time I watch the Red Wings dominate in this battle.

BONUS

The 1998 Rematch – Roy vs. Osgood

Because Ozzie deserves a little attention for his takedown.

(4) Kid Rock – Roll On Music Video

Not only is this a great song, but the video was shot on location in Detroit and features a number of city landmarks.

(5) The Detroit Zoo “Zoo Stars” Ad – 1982

I can’t decide which is funnier – the monkeys or the prairie dog.

(6) The Detroit News/Free Press “This Time” Campaign Video

I remember the first time I saw this ad on TV and thought, “wow.”

(7) Eminem’s Love Letter to Detroit

Our boy Marshall received a lot of praise for this video. Even though things are rough here, Em reminds us that Detroiters are unbeatable.

If you could build your own playlist filled with great videos about Detroit, what would you include? Feel free to create your own post, with videos or other types of media, and tag it, “I Love Detroit” (#ilovedetroit on Twitter).

The inaugural Module Midwest Digital Conference represented a great moment for Detroit’s social media community. Many of our local rock stars took to the stage with recognizable leaders in the digital industry and shared their knowledge of all things social media with attendees who were eager to learn.

With Module being hailed as a winner and a successful Startup Weekend in the bag, I think it’s pretty clear that fantastic things are really starting to happen in Detroit.

So, what comes next? How do we carry this momentum forward? How do we become more than just a blip on the radar?

To find some answers, I asked Jeremy Tanner, Ken Burbary, Adrian Pittman, Damian Rintelmann, Scott Monty, Shannon Paul and Chris Brogan how they think Detroit can take things to the next level.

I’m really taking their advice to heart.  But now I’m looking to you.

What would be your advice to Detroit or another up-and-coming social media community looking to create a name for itself?

A lot of people out there (well, at least like 60,000) think Chris Brogan is pretty cool dude.  So, when it was announced that there would be a Tweetup in his honor at the Royal Oak Brewery, Detroit’s Twitter community came out in force… and with only 24 hours notice.

A surprise bonus was that social media firecracker Amber Naslund (pictured below with everyone’s favorite redhead – @damnredhead) was also present.  After introducing myself, I just had to thank her.  Why?  Because Radian6 is pretty awesome.

Be sure to check out everyone’s tweets from the event – #robtu

Here were some of my favorite moments:

• Getting the chance to finally meet @cbarger.  Heck of a nice guy.  Make sure you follow him.
• Loudly promoting Friday’s Module 09 conference.  It is going to be awesome.  Seriously. Buy a ticket.
• Being referred to as “Trouble” by @ambercadabra.  Obviously, my reputation proceeds me.
• Discussing a possible Tweetup collaboration with my new friend, the delightful @lish.
• Seeing many new faces.  This Tweetup drew people from all over Michigan, including @natalie_joy, @kaseyincharge, @andrea_ness and @ssiewert (a fellow Erma’s Frozen Custard fan).
• Reconnecting with @drintelmann. Our paths had not crossed in some time…. and it started getting annoying.
• Talking about the happenings here in Detroit with @chrisbrogan.
• Sharing my love of Band of Brothers with @kenburbary and @essohhbee.  CURRAHEE!
• Bumping into @bw313. I actually introduced her to Twitter back in February at another event.  This was her first Tweetup and she brought a not-yet-on-Twitter friend… who is now on Twitter as @ElaineMBrady.

Thanks to everyone for making it a great night and for playing a part in Detroit’s growing social media community.  You all rock.

Check out the list of attendees after the jump.

Special thanks to @wendyrclark for holding down the list for this Tweetup and posting it on the Facebook page!

As always, if you don’t see your name, give me a shout.

(NOTE: Those of you who attended TweetTea may have arrived after the list left for the night.)

LAST UPDATED: 4/11/2009

@chrisbrogan
@cbarger
@nuriabaldello
@lesleyhettinger
@philcolley
@detnews
@dougwernert
@nate_lapt
@detroitvoice
@jminni
@joem32
@ericjvogel (@socialmediamstr)
@ambercadabra
@davezilla
@davebenjamin
@coreyperlman (@ebootcamp)
@kaylook
@khalidh
@ayat
@chuckgosh
@kirstenross (@flexworkpro)
@newmediaphoto
@denniselliott
@hajjflemings
@bukoff
@natalie_joy
@stanleyyork
@dschelberg
@swarheit
@mutinyware
@jacquelynpierce
@bchesnutt
@ericrasche
@damnredhead
@andrea_ness
@kaseyincharge
@ssiewert
@bw313
@elainembrady
@michaelstuertz
@kewlrats
@essohhbee
@justinsthompson
@joebarron3
@jennimurr
@davemurr
@tomshea
@janakmehta (@preasy)
@urvimehta (@socialmediami)
@jrodcc2007
@primesuspect
@tayzenberg
@rmercader
@amurphy
@klavaute (@quickenloans)
@corab (@feedbackcentral)
@heatherhall3
@lish
@bethanylouise
@turboclaw
@kevinbiznet
@drintelmann
@wendyrclark
@hubertGAM
@kenburbary
@joem32

If you want to hear about the Twitter happenings going on around Metro Detroit, be sure to join the Detroit Tweetups Facebook Group.  We are almost 400 strong!

Startup Weekend Detroit is well underway, and as a first time participant, I have been blown away thus far by the amount of creativity and innovative ideas that attendees have brought to the table.  I am also very lucky that an idea I pitched was well received, and I have great team working with me to bring the idea to fruition.

Here is Nikki Stephan and I with a brief overview of our new concept:

(Hat tip to @charliecurve)

Want to see what is happening…. as it happens? Follow the #SWD09 hashtag.