Jen 2.0: A Video Blogoraphy of Sorts

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I have been following a new blog of late. Called Making Jen 2.0.

Here is the story:

Jenn is a web savvy 20-something living in San Diego, California. She is a unique combination of social butterfly and computer nerd who has recently found a way to put that knowledge to use as a Social Media Consultant. Even though she’s dating someone, Jenn has had found it difficult to define the right partner because she can’t yet define herself. Therefore, she pours herself into the network of friends that she maintains across the ether-world of Web2.0 social media applications.

This could easily be the story of any of us in the social media and blogging industry:

And, time is a limited currency that Jenn must spend each day to stay just within the limits of information overload; profiles to maintain, statuses to update, blog entries to post, beta sites, web links, comments to answer, new connections, old friends, opportunities, software upgrades, chat conversations, emails, and even phone calls. Real-life friends want to meet while online connections crave attention. Among these conflicts, Jenn will find humor, stress and a little bit of herself as she struggles to determine what is a liability, and what is living.

Check out the trailer, def. a great production.

Jennifer Van Grove is who Jenn 2.0 is based on and is a blogger at Mashable as well as an independent consultant. This looks to be a great up and coming show. One atleast I will be interested in following.

Tumblr raises Second VC Round

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PaidContent is reporting that Tumblr has received another 4.5 Million Second Round of Financing from Spark Capital and Union Square Ventures.

Tumblr is a great microblogging slash scrapbooking like service for the creatively minded. It will be interesting to see what premium services they begin to role out over the months to come.

If blogs are over, tumblelogs never even got going. But that isn’t stopping Tumblr, short-form scrapbook blogging’s biggest exponent, from raising a $4.5 million second VC round. Beefing up, the outfit is adding former Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) technology SVP John Borthwick to its board and former CNET director John Maloney as president. The investment is led by Spark Capital and involves Union Square Ventures, who together led Tumblr’s $775,000 first round.

Part way between a blog and a Twitter microblog, a tumblelog is a space on which people publish short mixed-media posts. David Karp, who worked with Maloney at UrbanBaby, started Tumblr last year and has had just three staff; now it claims 15 million monthly uniques. In the release, he said the investment “presents some fascinating opportunities to grow the business and prove a sustainable model”. That will involve a premium model slated for Q1, though Karp also alluded to “a revenue strategy that leverages both Tumblr’s publishing platform and community” Advertising? Not yet, Karp tells AllThingsD, which values Tumblr at $15 million.

WordPress 2.7 Coltrane Uncorked

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Automattic The WordPress community, Automattic included, has really been aggressive over the course of the last few years with great upgrades to its core product WordPress. Today they officially released WordPress 2.7, “Coltrane”.

It’s Faster and Sleakier

The first thing you’ll notice about 2.7 is its new interface. From the top down, we’ve listened to your feedback and thought deeply about the design and the result is a WordPress that’s just plain faster. Nearly every task you do on your blog will take fewer clicks and be faster in 2.7 than it did in a previous version.

Over 150 developers contributed to this release.
Wow! You have to love the power of open source development.

More on WordPress.org, and download today! Also, see Lorelle’s more in-depth coverage here at the Blog Herald.

10 Pointers For Generating Traffic To Your Blog

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Louis Gray is always churning out so much great content I thought I would share this one with you. Just in case you missed it. This article in mention was actually written by Michael Fruchter.

1) Ask for link exchanges
2) Quality content is key
3) Separate personal from professional
4) Be a two-way blogger
5) Encourage comments
6) Empower your readers with the tools for promotion
7) Don’t forget SEO, at least the basics
8) Establish and build power passports
9) Develop relationships with other bloggers
10) Use your treasure chest wisely

Head on over to Louis Gray to get the full scoop. It is definetly worth your time to explore this in more indepth, especially if you are like me and looking to grow traffic to your blog.

Is your corporate blog believable?

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Over on Microsoft Watch, it was brought up that corporate blogging is often times unbelieveable and well untrustworthy. They went on to lay out some tips on keeping it real, Analyst Jeremiah Owyang weighs in as well.

My favorite points that both touched on is authenticity. Don’t use your blogs as places to toss your day old, or yet to be released Press Releases. No one wants to read that, and perception is most press releases are mostly fluff anyhow.

Keep it real, have an authentic voice. Mix it up with some real video blogging and interact with consumers on your blog, and other social media avenues.

ReadWriteWeb weights in as well.