You don’t need me to tell you that Vancouver is a hotbed of activity in the tech industry, especially when it comes to the web.

If you haven’t already, jump on over to Techcouver.com to see a map of just a few of the many web trail blazers that call this city home. And if you’re sitting on “the next big thing” for the web, hit up the “Get on the Map” link to have your venture added.

It’s fitting that this post contains a large map image too, as the real estate (technology) industry is today’s subject. After all, tomorrow night I’ll be downtown at The Real Estate Tech Meetup, checking out a (free) presentation by Joel Burslem, author of what I think is the best real estate technology blog on the web; Futureofrealestatemarketing.com.

Joel, who works for Inman News, is based in Portland but is making the trip back up North to share a few insights about trends in online marketing in the real estate biz. Give credit to the guys at Ubertor, Vancouver’s leader in web content management solutions for Realtors, for luring Joel to Ceili’s Irish Pub for his speech with promises of beer and good cheer. If local real estate technology news is what you’re after, Steve of Ubertor pumps out fresh info every weekday, too.

I suspect that I’ll be nodding approvingly at most of what Joel has to say tomorrow night, and I hope to learn a few new things as well. The timing is great too, as the following day I’m taping a segment with the folks of Realty Television on CityTV, on the subject of the web and social media, and their part in the rapidly changing real estate industry.

Not only that, but Canada’s first significant real estate/social media/community site, Myrealplace.com recently launched here in Vancouver. Yes, that’s them on the Techcouver map. Their membership is growing, including a number of industry professionals on hand to answer questions (myself included, as a marketer of course). I gave my brother a little nudge and had him sign up, too. Everybody, users and Realtors alike, gets access to a blog as well so if you’re a Realtor and you’re reading this, hop on over and be among the first few who are quickly changing the way buyers, sellers and real estate service providers connect on the web.

With all of this activity, and plenty more to come I’m sure, it’s safe to call Vancouver a force on the scene.

If you’re reading this and scratching your head, I know a certain marketing consultant who can help you understand how to do better business with the web, or help you build that community site that you’ve had in mind. Oh, and here’s a quick note to any investors out there looking for a brilliant new real estate marketing vehicle: I’ve got a great idea for one…

Rob emailed me a post from Read/WriteWeb recently (say THAT three times fast) that lists 10 Future Web Trends to keep an eye on.

Admittedly, some of it goes over my head. But of particular interest to me were the references to mobile, virtual worlds, web sites as web services and the “Attention Economy.” This is an idea that has been developing and evolving for some time, the concept of relevant marketing and advertising messages bundled with content that users opt-in to receiving.

Definitely a great article about the bleeding edge of the web, and one that will get the gears turning for many, I’m sure.

Need a quick way to build a community around an idea, event or concept?

Want to generate some discussion around a topic that is important to you (and you’re pretty sure other people are just as psyched)? Start a Facebook Group.

It’s easy, and finding members won’t be a problem. Just invite the folks that you know are most likely to join, and watch as their like-minded friends and contacts spot the group in news feeds and start joining en masse. Perhaps even encourage the most influential folks among your invitees to spread the word- or even better, to add content to the group in the form of photos, videos, links, and discussion posts.

In part, this post serves to turn the spotlight on a group I recently created called The Social Media Bar. The idea was born during a session at Barcamp Vancouver, where I assembled a panel of some incredibly bright folks who are experts in the field of social media. I’m speaking of Monique Trottier, Linda Bustos, Lee LeFever, Tanya Davis and Geoff Gachallan, plus myself.

As a group of about 40, we talked for an hour about social media and marketing, and as you might have guessed, we merely scratched the surface. The group was created to continue the discussion, and just a few days later, membership is growing quickly. I have seen group members adding each other as friends after seeing them in the member list, and that alone is enough reason for me to call it a success. Everyone is welcome, so please join.

Surely there’s an idea or group that you can rally a community around, and start a discussion that the whole collective can contribute to. It might just be the best way to find out who else shares your interest in something that is important to you.

So if you haven’t already, start your very first online community in the form of a Facebook Group, and you’ll begin to get an idea of what it means to bring people closer together using the social tools of the web. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun!

Bonus link: An “awesometastic” example of a Facebook group with a great message: The Kindness Crew group, started by the guys of ExtremeKindness.com. They’re from my hometown, and travel around committing random acts of kindness and matching short-term volunteers with worthy causes. Well done, guys!

I’m not going to attempt a live blog this year; too much work trying to plan a session plus my duties as an organizer.

But I did want to link to the various photo and post tags, as well as any links from proper livebloggers at the event. There is talk of a Ustream live feed from the Workspace couch starting tomorrow too, so watch for that.

Update: Miss604 is live blogging like the champion she is, check out here post.
Pardon me if this post keeps popping up in the feed all weekend as I update it with tons of links and whatnot. It will be as if you’re there, even if you’re not.

Here’s a few to get started:

Flickr: barcampvancouver07 barcampvancouver
Technorati: barcampvancouver07 barcampvancouver

I forgot my camera, as did everyone else.
Barcamp Organizers photo by Roland’s camera phone.

Hey Flickr! Why don’t my own shots come up in tag searches? My account has been deemed ’safe’ for ages…

Barcamp Vancouver, the 2007 edition is fast approaching, so get ready to get your Barcamp on. Unless of course you’re not already signed up, because the pattern is full, Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

This year’s Vancouver event is already well over-booked, with a waiting list of over 70 people! So this post is more for the folks who are already signed up to attend.

Those of you not in Vancouver are encouraged to search Barcamp.org for your local event, or find details at that same site about how you can organize and host your own. Take a cue from the likes of Kris Krug and Robert Scales, Vancouver’s own adopted sons, who are teaming up to plan Barcamp Shanghai and Barcamp Beijing. Leave it to them to return to the land of the Great Wall with their free-spirited, open-sourcedness to host an unconference in a place where free speech doesn’t even exist.

Kris also wants to remind folks that he’ll once again be hosting Photocamp at the Vancouver event, so bring yer cameras.

What is Barcamp, You Ask?

For a comprehensive “What is BarCamp” lesson, visit the BarCamp.org rules page, or the BarCamp wikipedia entry. In short:

BarCamp is an ad-hoc unconference born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos and interaction from attendees. Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join.

When you come, be prepared to share with Barcampers.
When you leave, be prepared to share it with the world.

After last year’s event, I was so amazed at the things I learned and the people I met that I wanted to help out anywhere I could this year. So I joined (invited myself onto) the organizing committee, and thus I feel it is my duty to share a bit of Barcamp How-to.

So here are some details and a bit of “what’s-what” for the local gang, as stolen from James’ info email that went out this morning:

A Barcamp Vancouver Hotlist

• If you can’t make it, and you’re on the list, please give up your spot. Spread the word about this too, there’s still tons of cool folks waiting to be among the lucky few. If you can’t come, let somebody know and have yourself replaced on the wiki.
• T-shirts are always the hottest topic, and this year will be no exception. They are fuschia in color (I’m not making this up), and as last year will going for a suggested donation of $20 at the door.
• If you’re ready, go to the wiki and look for the “Topics” headline, and share a few words about your presentation. The more you share now, the better chance of being selected on the day, and likely a better turnout as well.
• Bring your tools: cameras, laptops, mobile devices and any other cool gadgetry as you deem fit. And while you’re at it, bring an open mind, and your best ideas. There is always something to be learned, and plenty to be blogged as well.

And Lastly, A Schedule of Events:

Friday, August 17: food and drink at the Alibi Room

• Appetizers all evening
• Drinks starting at 6:30 pm
• We’re in the private area downstairs
• The Alibi Room, 157 Alexander Street @ Main (map)
• Sleepover at Workspace, 21 Water Street, Suite 400

Saturday, August 18: conference day all day

• Start at 8:30 AM with day organization
• Pastries and coffees available
• Pizza lunch to be delivered at noonish (special diet grub is also available. Yes, your special diet. Zak thinks he has them all covered)
• Workspace, Suite 400 - 21 Water Street (map)
• End at 5:30 PM

If you have any questions that aren’t answered here, feel free to leave it in a comment below, or ask an organizer:

* KrisKrug - www.kriskrug.com
* RolandTanglao - www.rolandtanglao.com
* RobertScales - www.robertscales.org
* ZakGreant - www.zak.greant.com
* JamesSherrett - www.adhack.com
* IanivSchweber - www.blogaholics.ca
* MeganCole - www.megancole.org
* JordanBehan - www.telltenfriends.com
* AaronGladders - www.2paths.com

I for one am eagerly looking forward to it. If you happen to bump into me this weekend, please say hello. Whether we’ve already been acquainted or if we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting, I’m always in the mood to say hi and have a conversation. See you then!

Once again, the folks from the Common Craft Show have put together a great tutorial; this time on the subject of social bookmarking.

Lee LeFever lays out the concept of bookmarking using Del.icio.us, and along the way explains how tagging works, in just under three-and-a-half minutes:

Click To Play

A great resource for people getting their feet wet in the web marketing space. Remember, every time a site gets bookmarked in this nature, it raises that site’s (or page’s, or entry’s) SEO ranking as well.

For good measure, why not bookmark Lee’s original post, or if you like, save this one too:

With a simple idea and excellent execution, the boys over at StandOut Jobs have created a great little recruiting site that fits nicely into this world of “Web 2.0.”

Started by a partnership of Montreal-ers including friend and fellow entrepreneur/blogger Benjamin Yoskovitz, they’re “changing the face of recruiting.”

How? In a word, video. In their words:

• The job market is broken.
• Online job sites don’t work.
• Hiring people should be an ongoing process.
• Hiring people is about having conversations not bureaucracy.

Well if that’s true, then the best way to learn more about their company is to watch one of their own recruiting videos:

They’re on the lookout for more postings, as well as videographers from all over Canada and the U.S. to shoot and edit the recruitment videos.

Check out their blog too, where they share the latest postings as well as news about the company and their own insights into the tech job market.

::Bonus BarCamp connection: The trio that started the company came up with the idea at Barcamp Montreal.

I am taking a quick holiday to Kelowna, BC for a week of golfing, wake-boarding and of course water-skiing (in case I have not mentioned this in a while, water-skiing is one of my favorite pastimes).

It’s also something of a work project, as while we’re there playing three Golf BC courses, we’ll be compiling footage and audio for GuysOnGolf.com, my beloved side project that I started along with my brother and friends Jeff Leyland and Ryan Sullivan of The Team1040 sports radio station here in Vancouver.

We’re still just getting started, but there are already some videos, podcasts and a number of BC course reviews over at the site.

While I’m gone, I’ll be trying to upload a few posts, pics and maybe even some raw chunks of video, so keep an eye out for that (if you’re a golfer, that is).

We’d love to have you in our new Facebook group, too.

Several months back, I signed up to be one of 100 authors to write a new book titled “The Age of Conversation.”

The project was the brainchild of Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton, who did it on a dare, and used just a few blog posts and several emails to compile the group and the submissions, before the real work started. The book itself launched two days ago. It is available as an e-book, in paperback and as a hard cover, starting at just $9.99 USD.

All proceeds from the book go to Variety, The Children’s Charity, so do yourself a favor and feel that good feeling that comes with helping the kids while discovering a great book penned by a grand total of 103 authors. My paper-back copy is still en route, and I can’t wait to read it all.

Authors were asked to submit 400 words or less on the topic of conversation. In such a large group of terrific bloggers and thinkers, I chose to hone in on web content, and how when it is done right, it can start a conversation.

Here’s an excerpt from my “chapter:”

A good web presence starts with your website; your base of operations. The words you use to represent yourself are incredibly important; even visual learners need to know that there is some substance behind the pretty pictures. The copy on your website should tell a story about you, even though it’s not actually about you. It’s about your visitors, and you should speak to them accordingly.

A rather short snippet, but when the whole chapter is just 400 words, that’s a relatively good sample size. I would be remiss if I didn’t give a nod to my fellow authors, so they hear they are:

Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Luc Debaisieux
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Robert Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Kris Hoet
G.Kofi Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Polinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
S. Neil Vineberg

It was tremendous pleasure being a part of this, and I am proud to be among such a great collaboration that was made possible through the conversations we have online everyday. It has already been featured by Fast Company, Business Week and many, many others.

Go. Buy your copy. Now.

His timing is excellent, because over the past few days I have asked by several small business bloggers about how to make their blog a better business tool.

And who better to impart that kind of wisdom than Mack Collier of the Viral Garden. Better still, you can read Mack’s condensed version of “Eight Easy Ways to Grow Your Blog” on his own site, or read the full monty over at Marketing Profs (freebie article).

A quick excerpt:

#4 - Showcase readers who make special contributions. Do everything you can to make sure that readers that frequently comment, or link to your blog, know that you appreciate them. It’s just common courtesy, and when you have a reader that’s going out of their way to be a faithful community member, you cannot do enough to encourage and reward that behavior.

I for one can attest to the fact that Mack certainly practices what he’s preaching there. Great post Mack, and a great one-stop resource for business bloggers, all.