Tools of the Trade

Content publishing is a specific goal that can capitalize on opportunities made available in the emerging technologies. More and more my practice incorporates the idea of living in the browser and to that end, the variety of plugins that make Firefox unlike any other browser, open up all sorts of publishing power.   So if your goal is to be a content producer, this list of tools is a mix of hardware and software that I’ve found essential to carve out my place.

Firefox
Wordpress
Intense Debate
Zemanta
Gmail and Google Reader
Feedburner
Blackberry Bold
Acer Netbook
Flip HD
Vimeo
M-Audio MicroTrack II

You will note that the focus here has not included the thousands of social media platforms.  More and more in my mind they appear as marketing vehicles or calling cards instead of places for content creation. That being said, FriendFeed stands out as the full package as a social media tool with its ability to aggregate many platforms as well as post back out.   In terms of community usage, it still seems to lag far behind Facebook and Twitter, begging the question, will you find your audience there?

At the end of the day, regardless of the tools that literally turn any laptop or mobile device into a broadcasting platform, it still comes down to content.  And with 95% of the noise being generated around the tools and how to use them, it’s important to remember that distinct content streams still have a unique opportunity to set up claims in wide open territory.  It may not be the smartest long range positioning plan to direct all your content toward the current feeding frenzy.