19 Jun Introducing Robo.to!
I love widgets. If there is any kind of functional piece of eye candy that I can use to decorate the sidebar of my blog, I am all over it. If I worked at TGIFriday’s, I would have more flair on my vest than any rational human could justify.
So when new blog bling crops up, I like to check it out and take it for a test drive, which is exactly what I did when I was turned on to Robo.to. Basically, it’s a video status update, which you can record, insert text, and then publish to a widget that you can embed any/everywhere. Look:
Yes, that is an upside-down picnic table behind me, and you can direct all interior design queries to my boss, Jim Tobin.
Robo.to also gives you your own little page, like this:
It allows you to link up with your Twitter, Flickr, and Facebook accounts, that way when you change your video status, you can simultaneously update your Twitter and Facebook with the same status. It also allows you to add links (like, to your whimsical little blog, for example), and your geographic location. It’s like a little digital business card, and people can access a good deal of information about you just by visiting your customized Robo.to url.
As a mostly-online writer, I am always looking for new ways to better compile and showcase the work that I do. When your work samples are scattered all over the Web, the traditional idea of a portfolio doesn’t quite cut it. I want you to be able to interact with my writing, and me, for that matter, since I am, in fact, part of the crazy world of interactive media. I think Robo.to takes a step in that direction.
I love that I can have a link to my “professional” writing samples right underneath a link to my Twitter feed, where you’ll get a sense of my personal voice, as well as the people that are listening to me. I love that there’s a picture of me, so that the interaction feels a bit more personal without having that vaguely uncomfortable “please send a photo with your resume” vibe. As a professional tool, I wish there was a way to upload jpegs or PDF’s of my work samples to my little Robo.to calling card, that way people could click to enlarge them without having to go to another site. I also would like to see them add an option to embed the entire calling card format as a widget. That way, wherever you put it, there would be links to your work for people to explore.
I think Robo.to is a playful way to let people know who you are and what your business is up to. It’s informative without being braggy or awkwardly formal. You know, just in case I want to get to know the person behind the social media expert.
