There is a lot of talk these days about the newest revolution on the Internet: Social Networking. It started with this blog, which I use to write not just about the roads across the Commonwealth, but musings about Pennsylvania. However, other means of social networking have come along since blogs were all the rage. I began to think how these new tools could benefit Pennsylvania Highways. So today, on the ninth anniversary of when I purchased the pahighways.com domain, I created a couple new avenues of communication, so you can social network with us by tweeting, liking, or watching Pennsylvania Highways.
Twitter
The new cultural buzzword. Everyone seems to be twittering, from Oprah to Senator John McCain. I’ve seen other Twitter pages such as CNN’s and the Washington State Department of Transportation’s and thought how it could work for my site. PennDOT and the PTC do have a system where people can receive text messages; however, it doesn’t have the immediacy of a Twitter post. So using the WSDOT “template,” I created an account that will not only be used for updates to the site, but news items pertaining to the highway system.
https://twitter.com/pahighways
Facebook
Another phenomenon that seems to have come out of nowhere and taken the Internet by storm is Facebook. It seems that everyone from 9 to 90 has a Facebook page, even people’s pets! So I figured why not create a Pennsylvania Highways presence on this platform as well. Posts will include news articles, website updates, announcements of upcoming road enthusiast meets, and other events.
https://www.facebook.com/pahighways
YouTube
No doubt you have spent time on this site. Probably watching a clip of a skateboarding bulldog while trying not to get caught by the boss. YouTube is nothing new to the road enthusiast community, as others have been recording their journeys and uploading them to this popular website. So now Pennsylvania Highways has entered the fray. However, trying to find its niche will take a little longer than it took to set the page up.
One issue is that PennDOT has saved me the work by going ahead and videotaping all state routes. Another issue is that I need a newer video camera than my family’s circa 1991 Panasonic camcorder that is as big as a half loaf of bread, or just buy the A/V dongle from Hauppauge, so I can record the video from it onto my computer’s hard drive. Basically, this idea is still on the burner.
https://www.youtube.com/pahighways
So if you feel like it, social network with us at the links above.