This morning, I met with Max Liebermann and another technician about the new DHStoday.com website, a Community-Social-Network, just for the City of Desert Hot Springs, and was basically showcased what they had and was asked to jump on board. I am more than thrilled and honored. I really see this as a potential for our community, and eventually, perhaps, EVERY community.
Today, we discussed how Facebook is too large… it is kind of hard to find businesses in your backyard, see what people are saying close by, it can be difficult to find things to do when you visit or move somewhere new.
This is not to say Facebook doesn’t serve a purpose. It is perfect for chatting with your friends, finding your high school buddies, supporting business… but, it is still difficult to find out what to do in an area, to advertise in your area exclusively, to find places to work for, to find people that need your service locally, ect.
This is where DHS Today comes in…
DHS Today is not a replacement for current social media websites, it is an extention. Facebook and Twitter are almost required for finding friends online, for creating a business precense for your potential clients, for marketing. DHS Today, however, is for helping DHS residents find your online all your presences, for telling your friends what there is to do, to find out what other people in DHS are doing, and to discuss city matters publicly.
DHS Today will be for gathering what is happening next door… and then, to take with you to post on Facebook to tell everyone else. It is a place to advertise your business first. It is the local TV station you learn what’s going on outside your window, then to share with the rest of the world. It is more the future of magazines, newspapers and classifieds then it is of social networking.
This can be a place to find jobs, not just from of people who have money to advertise, from regular people, YOUR neighbors. This can be place to discuss how to start business, not from expensive classes, from regular people, YOUR neighbors. This can be a palce to talk about city issues and politics, not from journalists, from, you guessed it… regular people, YOUR neighbors. Not anonymous users on Yelp, people you have probably actually met going about your daily routine, by their name. It is 100% personal.
Do you own a business? A nonprofit? A school club? Have an event upcoming? Well, either you can pay Facebook and Google Adsense and have that chance through their local settings to see, or, you can advertise in your neighborhood’s personalize social network, granteed to find people who are active, and looking for something to do, and looking to network, all in their own, and your own, community
Now, how about using the internet to really connect with your desired audience? Sure, Facebook and Twitter do help with that, and will still be required on different levels. But, imagine, the ma and pa shops, local schools and churches, and even commercial businesses’ local stores, being able to connect to an audience of people they may very well know personally.
The reason people will use this is the same reason they pick up the Desert Sun, to learn about what is effecting their backyard, and to become a part of it. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is a complete open environment, ran by everyday people. You participating will mold this.
This can be a website that will create jobs, create fun things to do, educate people about city issues, welcome in tourists, and, heck, create something that can become the norm for EVERY city!
Join us, help us create, and share, and shape the future of our city, the valley, and the web!
– Michael R. Burke
BurkeMedia Productions CEO,
Desert Hot Springs Planning Commissioner.
