Today a client asked me, "Why should I Blog? Why wouldn't I just use email or talk on the phone?" This was a great question, and momentarily had me stumped! "I wish I could just use my phone to Blog?" I asked, "Why wouldn't you want to expose your marketing and advertising efforts for free using a Blog? She responded, "Because I don't have time, I'm not a writer, and Blogging requires both!"
I have to say, these are valid concerns for someone who is considering starting a Blog. Then she commented, "If I could just speak into a microphone or something like that, I might consider it. If I could use my phone to Blog, that would be even better." I started looking for a solution on how to to create a "Voice Activated Blog!" Taking into consideration the cost/expense of creating such a thing, I did some research and here's what I found.
It's a company with a widget that allows you to use your phone to Blog. The widget is then placed on your Blog for others to hear, and they can comment or reply via their phone. I thought this was pretty cool, and wanted to share it on my Blog tonight. It's called Utterz. It's simple to sign up and begin using your cell phone or land line to Blog! IT's FREE!
Here's how it works: Just call 712-432-Mooo(6666) and record your topic, record an idea for a post, explain your world view, or just post what's on your mind. You can also send video, pictures and text to go@utterz.com, and they'll post it for you!! It adds a whole new meaning to "finding your voice" for a Blog! Here's another member's phone Blog regarding a woman who was fined $222,000.00 for "Stealing" some Music (24 Songs) from KaZaa
MY SAMPLE UTTER!!
"Click for more" on this Widget! Just look what all you can do!
I have uploaded a photo, a video, a text message, a voice reply from my phone, and a written comment! Too Cool!!!
Where does Blogging go from here? Where will technology take us and our Blogs in the days ahead? There are already tech-tools in place that will allow Video Blogging and now Voice Recorded Blogging? There is even a social networking community now called "Second Life" which is a virtual webspace with Life-Like Avatars! it's crazy, they're even selling lots and land in the cyber worlds. That's a whole different topic and post. (coming soon...) Check out Utterz, it's utterly a new way to Blog from your cell phone!
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Brad, very interesting post. Different than what I thought it would be about. With internet access on our phones, many of us are capable of blogging from our phones (albeit slower on these small screens than if we were at the computer). If never written an entire blog from my phone, but have spent time reading and commenting on other posts.
Anyways, this Utterz service seems pretty neat. I've bookmarked your post to check it out further when I have some time.
Good Morning Missy - Utterz doesn't really work like that, it allows you to use your phone to create a post like in the one above, (the widget), then you and others comment in your post either by text or voice mail. So, it allows you to reply by phone or text in return. You'll need to click on the portion of the widget above that says "Click For More" and go to the sample. There, you will see how it all works. Just click play on either the post (which is a song) or the video, or the reply.
This in NOT TOO ADVANCED for you. I think you'll really get a kick out of this one, imagine being able to create a post using your voice over the cell phone. Uh Oh! No more spell check! No more 1 hour posts. No more plagiarism, No more.... I think it has some great benefits, and this is just the beginning of ...
"The New World" of our Industry Technology !! :-)
Very interesting, Brad. I'm not sure if I'm ready to give it whirl yet but I'll bookmark it for future reference.
WOW Brad... Great post... I have to give it a try later on... I'll make sure I bookmark it ...
Maggie - the nice thing here is that you don't have to keep up with all this Techno-stuff! That's why you got me and others here to do it for you. This is just to let you know this stuff is out there and it's coming more and more everyday. Imagine the possibilities:
1. Interviewing a client using your cell phone to create the Blog Interview.
2. Using your cell phone to create a commercial or advertising campaign Blog
3. Blogging Hot Topics that are fresh on your mind using your phone
4. Remember, with Utters: there's No Typing, No Internet, No Spellcheck, No Plagiarism, and No Time involved
5. The capabilities of Blogging no matter where you are or what you're doing
There are many other ways I see this being useful, just don't want to create a post right here in the comments like I've already started doing here!! Only for you Maggie!! :-)
Maggie, you know there are many who won't even put up a picture up on AR, I know that having your voice on a post instead of just text will make your readers "And Listeners" feel like they know you more. Many are already using Video. Just look at Broker B and Tracy's video Blogs. Night and Day, but still, they are putting this out there. This would be an alternative to those who are uncomfortable with video, but can talk to clients all day on the phone. Just knowing it's available is a good thing, whether you choose to use it or not is entirely up to you. I have no stock in the company, just wanted to find something for my client to fulfill her need!
It takes 30 seconds to sign up and then just dial in and Talk! I might add one to my sidebar once I get an idea how I want to use it! :-)
Rob - EXCELLENT POINT!! Not sure about the SEO, Google, Audio compared to Video, but it's something to certainly consider. I guess it depends how it's used and what your intentions are. I just found this, so I have not looked into that aspect of it yet. My client just said she wanted to phone in her Blog instead of having to be online, think, write and type. There are definitely two sides here to consider. Haven't weighed out the positive vs the negative yet. There are others using this already, so I guess only time will really tell. I can tell you this, there are a few boats already floating out here! LOL!! :-)
BTW- I meet with my customer tomorrow, so I'll be sharing this post, the comments, and the Utters Blog sample above. I'll have to let you know how it goes! Thanks for the comment too!!
It seems if you can dream it (technology wise), it is available! So I am not surprised. Very interesting and I can see advantages. Will be interesting to watch and see how it progresses.
Eric - after looking at it a little further, and testing it a bit more, I'm thinking it's even cooler than I originally thought. I'd add it to your showcase Eric somewhere. If you ever misplace it or this post, I have a Widget Website, where I keep a collection of everything I have found so far. It's kinda cool too! I get a lot of Hits on that webpage! More than any other I own! ...go figure!!
Some people relate better to text, some audio/sound, and some video, and some not at all! Why not try to connect with them all! Something for us all to ponder!?!?
You mean I wouldn't have to worry about spell check? Grammar? I think I'd like it very much :)
benefits? on location, inter-views, advertising, reporting live, marketing, community news and updates, events, special guest speakers, email "verbal presentations" and tons more. Only our own creativity can limit us and the potential! Thanks for your comment, made me really think about it! :-)
Here's a cheat sheet for the Utterz cell phone Dial-Pad Options:
WOW Brad, no you gone and done it. I love new technology. Thanks for this one, it's pretty cool.
Brad, I can't get your Widget Website to open when I click on the link you provided.,what's the URL? Thanks!
How DO you find the time to blog on all of this stuff.
Wonderful content once again. Now get some sleep silly!!!
Beth - in regards to your second comment, I think people are misunderstanding the whole "Phone Blogging" thing. This is a tool so you don't have to type using your TREO, Blackberry or any other phone for typing or texting. This one allows you to just talk to your Blog using your voice. Now you can keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Just use your bluetooth headset and post away. Sharon Simms just shared another great tool called Jott.com. It does the same thing, but it will convert your voice to text for your Blog. It works with Blogger.com ad Wordpress.com. It's what she uses for her TEAM, but not for Blogging....yet! :-)
I hope this defines the whole "Blogging By Cell" concept. It really is worth checking out, even if you don't plan on using it for awhile. Thanks for always commenting so faithfully on my Blog! :-)
Thanks for the heads up on a blogging tech tool. I can see using the "blog talk" tool for the cool factor alone, but as for saving time, not sure it would, if you have time to talk on the phone, you probably would have time to blog.
Rebecca Levinson-Connect2Agent
Thanks for the heads up on a blogging tech tool. I can see using the "blog talk" tool for the cool factor alone, but as for saving time, not sure it would, if you have time to talk on the phone, you probably would have time to blog.
Rebecca Levinson-Connect2Agent
Rebecca - not if you type as slow as I do!! LOL!!!
Great Idea. Then all of my random blogging ideas could be put to use! The only problem is then blogging and driving!!!
Tina - thanks! I think what you meant to say was, "Then the only problem is then TALKING and driving!" LOL!!
Thanks for your comment here, I really appreciate it! B-)
Very cool, Brad. I did not read all the comments...sorry. Is there a limit on how long the posts can be?
I've used JOTT before a bunch of times but you are limited to 15 seconds. But you CAN have your "post" show up in print in your blog. Pretty cool as well.
Jeff
Jeff - With Utterz, there is no time limit to your voice recording, but it also will not convert to text. It stays an .mp3 file that goes right into your widget. The widget can be placed as a post (like above) or on your side bar. You can also leave voice comments, upload photos and videos from your cell. or text messages, or just the old fashioned way of commenting.
With Jott, you are limited to 30 seconds, but it will convert your voice to text which is really awesome. I guess it depends where, when, and why you might need it. The technology is changing everyday, this is what motivated me to start TechKnowBabble and WidgetWorld. Just trying to keep up on all this great stuff and then share with my fellow readers and Bloggers! :-)
Some of my best conversations are while I am showering. I could use a waterproof phone to capture all my words of wisdom. Or...I could use the bluetooth connection while driving...or while on my morning walks
But.... Can this technology blog directly to AR?
Thanks for the information.
Hi Margaret - TMI about the shower!! LOL!
You can absolutely use your bluetooth for walking and traffic. Just see the sample that I did in this post. I just received an email from them today so I am including it ion my next comment. Looks like technology is always going to be improving!! :-)
This Just In Today:
You Can Now Post Utterz for Just Your Other Web Pages or Just Yourself! That's right! After you record an utter and hit pound on the phone, you can choose to post your utter for everyone (including your other pages), just yourself or just your other web pages where you have a widget or auto-post set up. On utterz.com, you can always change the visibility of utterz on the individual utterz page by clicking the edit button next to visibility, right above the replies section. This way, you can create a private utter, then decide later if you want to post it to the utterz public and/or your other web pages. FYI, after you record an utter, you can always just hang up to have it posted automatically for everyone to hear.
"Friends" are now "Subscriptions" on Utterz We made this change to make it even easier to follow someone who you think is a clever utterer! Now, you can subscribe to someone's utterz and have the option to be notified when they utter! You'll see a new "subscriptions" page in your stall where you can see who you are subscribing to and who is subscribing to you. You have been automatically subscribed to all of your friends, and your friends have been subscribed to you! If you have a widget set up to play yours and your friends utterz, it will now play yours and your subscriptions' utterz.
New Notifications Page Check out your new notifications page. We've added new ways for you to choose how you're notified of replies and your subscriptions' utterz.
Check out Utterz AutoPost! If you have a Wordpress, Blogger, TypePad or LiveJournal blog, you can now set up to autopost right to your blog stream right from your phone. It takes literally seconds to set up and you don't need to change anything on your blog! Check it out in The Lab.
There's a ton more coming! In the coming weeks, we'll be releasing lots of new capabilities, so stay tuned. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, feedback or ideas.
Brad - Great idea to help EVERYONE with blogging. In my opinion, blogging is a benefit if you continue to answer the same questions over and over for clients and prospects. You can just direct them to the blog that answers that question.