I decided to follow the majority of advice, switched over a few days later and never looked back.

Today while attending the eMarketing seminar at InnoTech Austin, my decision was proven to be the right one – multiple times.

I was fortunate enough to actually meet several people from my tweet stream, and a few more that follow people that follow me.  The spark of recognition when I introduced my self was obvious.  I have no doubt in my mind that had I stayed with @web_guy on twitter, those people I met today would have had no clue who I was.  Yes, we may have figured it out eventually, but that immediate recognition helped to jump start conversations because we already (sort of) knew each other.

Related article - you may want to read So you’ve decided to join Twitter…now what?

Post from: Austin, Texas SEO - Jack Leblond

Changing a Twitter Name (update)

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When I signed up, I used “web_guy,” a nick-name I was given years ago and have used on various sites and projects.  At the time I was not concerned with the “genericness” of it because I actually wanted to be an unknown.  However, since then I have become much more active.  Not only on Twitter, but also here and a few other sites.

My plan is to move back to New England, preferably Maine, sometime in the next 6-10 years.  It seems fairly obvious to me that the odds of getting a “Wow!” job offer would be improved if people new me, knew my name.  It is after all my “brand.”  If you Google “Jack Leblond,”  most of the top results are actually me.  However, if you Google “web_guy,” only a few of the results are for me.  (That may have just answered the question for me)

So, what do you think I should do on Twitter?

Should I;

1. Stick with what I have built and continue to use “web_guy”
   or
2. Pull a “longhornkate” and change it to my real name?

UPDATE:  I changed my Twitter name

If you are new to Twitter, you may want to look at So you’ve decided to join Twitter…now what?

Post from: Austin, Texas SEO - Jack Leblond

What Twitter Name Should Jack Use?

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We’ve all heard that when you have a happy customer, they’ll tell you.  But, when you have an unhappy customer, they’ll tell everybody but you.  And, unfortunately most of those people will repeat the story of a dissatisfied customer over and over again.  Even worse, much like in the game “telephone” where a story gets passed from one person to the next until the last person invariably hears a story that is a far cry from what was told by the first, the original story of dissatisfaction often grows well beyond all recognition.

Your Product is Crap!

Microsoft has been battling with a game of “telephone” over the last few years with it’s Windows Vista operating system.  I’ll be the first to admit that it’s initial release was, well – crap.  However, is that any different from all of the other Microsoft releases?  I wish they would change the model and release a solid product from the beginning, but they seem content with shipping a buggy product and letting the public find the problems they then fix in subsequent updates.  This time however, it bit Microsoft in the butt.  There were more bugs, more big bugs and they seemed slow to acknowledge and repair the problems.  That really got the tongues wagging.  Before long you could grab any ten people off the street and they would tell you that Vista was crap – even if they had never seen it themselves.

It had to be true…they heard it from a friend, who has a son that works with a woman who’s neighbor is a computer guy…right?

Now add the clever “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” spots to the mix and Microsoft is suddenly losing ground fast.  How can they fix this massive PR nightmare?

Change the Story Your Customers Are Telling

Enter “The Mojave Experiment.”  Microsoft did what I feel was a brilliant move. Under the guise of market research, they escorted people into a little room and asked what they thought of Vista.  Of course, they all hated it, a lot.  They are then offered a “sneak preview” of the new operating system, code-named “Mojave.”  People are in awe, wow – this is great – I love this – when will it be available?  Guess what…you’ve been punk’d! Mojave is VISTA!

I wonder what all those interviewees told their friends and neighbors when they got home.  Did they tell everyone how ticked-off they were at Bill for punking them? Possibly.  More likely, they said that Vista isn’t the piece of crap everybody has been saying it is and is actually pretty cool.

Now before you fill my in-box with anti-Microsoft hate mail…No, I do not think Vista is done growing up yet, it still has issues.  However; I do think it’s been getting a bum rap.  I’ve been using it for the last six months and have had no problems at all – none.  I do know people that have, but the first-hand stories are not that bad.

So, in closing I’ll ask that if you have not tried Vista (or any product for that matter) YOURSELF, or at least talked to somebody that has, do us all a favor and keep your opinions to yourself until you have.  ;-D

Post from: Austin, Texas SEO - Jack Leblond

How Do You Fix a Broken Brand?

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