Peter Bihr on Social Media, Web 2.0 & Digital Life

[The Waving Cat. ’cause it’s good luck AND shiny plastic.]

About me

The extra-brief third person version:

Peter Bihr is a digital native. He works as a freelance consultant for Web 2.0, Weblogs and Social Media. For his clients, he develops and deploys online strategies to foster relationships of value with their stakeholders, customers and communities.

Before, he studied Communications and Media at Freie Universität Berlin and University of Sydney and holds masters degrees of both universities. He also worked as an editor for several small online magazines, and blogs about the topics Web 2.0, Social Media and digital life on his private weblog www.thewavingcat.com.

I do web stuff

Hi, I’m Peter Bihr. I live and work in Berlin, Germany. I do web stuff.

What does that mean? As a freelancer, I consult on online communication, blog, write, and do all kinds of stuff in between. I’ve worked as a journalist and blog editor, but first and foremost I see myself as a user advocate and consultant. I’m a freelance web strategist.

(Thanks to Matthias Pflügner for drawing this sketch.)

So what exactly is it that I do?

I’ll help you and your company translate your oddline strategies for the web. Also, I’ll develop and deploy the right strategies for your online activities to foster relationships of value with your stakeholders, customers and community. To those means, I’ll help your company or brand:

• navigate the social web space
• evaluate what tools to use and who to talk to
• find out what your folks out there think about you and get in touch with them directly

I check out web trends so you don’t have to
While I keep an eye on the more geeky aspects of the web industry, I respect if you don’t have the time to do the same. Many great ideas are hidden behind technical terms and marketing buzzwords. That’s why I will try hard to explain everything important in an easy-to-understand manner and provide the necessary context.

Buzzwords in my world include: Social media, Web 2.0, weblogs, social networking and participative journalism. I believe in sharing, openness and of putting your community in the center of your web strategy - if we work together, expect strategies built around these core principles.

Let’s work together
If you’re interested in hiring me, please get in touch. For some details on my other projects and former employments check out my resume below.

If there’s need for more than one person, I’m happy to bring in trusted, skilled folks I’ve worked with before, like Thomas Lacher (software development & coding), Max Senges (open collaboration & knowledge transfer), Thomas Praus (community building, blogging & PR) and Matthias Pflügner (illustrations), just to name a few.

Academic Background
For an M.A. program in communications and media studies at Freie Universität Berlin, I wrote a thesis titled “Die Bedeutung von Weblogs für die Arbeit von Politikjournalisten” (”The relevance of weblogs for the work of political journalists”) that examines how political journalists in Germany make use of weblogs. (They hardly do. In the thesis, I explain why that is and why blogs are still useful.) More information about the thesis as well as the full text download (in German) available here. I also hold a Masters Degree in Communications and Media from University of Sydney, Australia.

A word about this weblog
In this weblog, I mainly jot down thoughts on the web stuff mentioned above. The blog serves partly as a sketchbook, partly as an archive for links. I hope that you’ll get something out of it, too. Your feedback is highly appreciated.

Since this is the year of the disclaimers, please allow me to add that everything in this weblog expresses my personal opinion, and mine only, unless marked otherwise. It doesn’t express the opinions of my employers, clients, colleagues or partners. That said:

I’d like to hear from you - let’s talk!

Contact

Please email me, or use the contact form.

RESUME

Education

10/01-09/07: M.A. in COMMUNICATION & MEDIA STUDIES, POLITICAL SCIENCE
Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Final thesis: “Die Bedeutung von Weblogs für die Arbeit von Politikjournalisten” (”The relevance of weblogs for the work of political journalists”), graded 1.0 (”very good”)

01/05-12/05: MASTER OF MEDIA PRACTICE
University of Sydney, Australia

Graduated with Merit

Work Experience

01/06-present: FREELANCE CONSULTANT

As a freelance consultant, I develop web strategies to complement and leverage clients’ overall strategic goals. I consult with corporate and non-corporate clients from various sectors like online media, education or medical services.

• Develop online communication strategies with a focus on Web 2.0, blogging, social media, community building, online collaboration, knowledge management and usability
• Provide external expertise through strategic recommendations, case studies, evaluations or workshops
• Help implementing strategic recommendations by identifying and connecting internal and external partners and stakeholders, deploying the technology, or by project management or workshops
• Current clients include…
  • Netzpiloten AG: project manager (blogpiloten.de and others)
  • Universitat Oberta de Catalunya / UOC: Workshop on Web 2.0 in Higher Education
  • medinet AG group: project management, web strategy
  • Golfclub Wannsee: project management
• Before, I’ve also worked with…
  • SinnerSchrader: Liveblogging from next conference / next08
  • Netzpiloten AG: managing editor blogpiloten.de
  • American University of Afghanistan / AUAF: input to social media strategy
  • Universitat Oberta de Catalunya / UOC: Summer School Course & Textbook

10/07-present: PROJECT MANAGER, MANAGING EDITOR
Blogpiloten.de, Netzpiloten AG, Berlin, Germany

Blogpiloten.de is an online magazine reporting on the German Blogosphere and Social Web scene for a primarily non-technical audience.

• Develop future editorial concept and structure of the online magazine Blogpiloten.de
• Plan and manage all content, including writing some and editing all articles (link to my posts on blogpiloten.de)
• Build and coordinate a network of freelance authors and bloggers

05/07-present: CO-FOUNDER
keingeschenk.de GbR, Berlin, Germany

keingeschenk.de is three people based in Berlin who design motives to print on t-shirts and other printable apparel. Mostly for fun.

06/98-01/2008: CO-FOUNDER, CONSULTANT
Bihr & Lacher GbR, Karlsruhe, Germany

Bihr & Lacher GbR is a small online communication consulting agency (just two of us). Clients include SPD/Jusos, medinet AG, International House of University of Sydney, as well as a number of small enterprises and freelancers

• Develop web projects with a focus on strategy, content management and usability
• Head strategy and content workshops with up to 15 participants
• Responsibilities include project management and client communication

05/2007: CO-AUTHOR OF SUMMER SCHOOL COURSE AND TEXTBOOK
UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya), Barcelona, Spain

• Conceptualized structure and contents for summer school course about Second Life held in summer 2007
• Co-wrote the course textbook “Second Life” published by Editorial UOC, Barcalona, in summer 2007 (in Spanish), with two co-authors (CC-licensed English version available here.)

08/06-10/06: EDITOR
Politik-digital.de, Berlin, Germany

Politik-digital.de is an online magazine about politics and the internet, particularly about e-participation. It was recognized as one of the “25 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics” by PoliticsOnline (2001/2003), and won the Grimme Online Award For Media Expertise (2001)

• Wrote and edited articles written by freelance authors and interns
• Planned the magazine’s topics in a team of two
• Planned and conducted online chats with federal politicians and more than 100 users
• Coordinated a network of about 100 freelance volunteer authors, and liaised with external partners

11/04-02/05: FREELANCE CONSULTANT
A&B.face2net, Berlin, Germany

A&B.face2net is one of Germany’s leading online communication agencies.

• Contributed to the concept for the Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) online election campaign platform for the German federal elections 2005/2006
• Analyzed, and developed a documentation of optimization potentials of a German Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security website

11/02-11/04: CO-PUBLISHER, EDITOR, WEBMASTER
Europaspiegel, Berlin, Germany

Europaspiegel was a student-run non-profit online magazine about European culture and politics. A print issue with European Union funding was Germany’s nominee for the European Youth Award 2005 in the category “Entrepreneurial spirit of young people”.

• Co-developed the online magazine’s structure and concept in a team of 10
• Designed and implemented the magazine’s website
• Assisted in recruiting of freelancers
• Co-published the online magazine’s first print issue

08/00-07/01: ONLINE
Steuernetz.de / Publishing Group VPW, Offenburg, Germany

Online information service by publishing group VPW specialized on law and taxes

• Updated website content and developed online tools to optimize website usability
• Responded to daily customer inquiries and represented the company at conventions
• Actively participated in all workshops about strategic planning and online product ideas

Internships

• Politics Department, newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin, Germany, 05/2004
• German Information Center, German Embassy, Washington DC, USA, 03/2004
• Politik-digital.de, Berlin, Germany, 08/2002-10/2002

Further Activities & Miscellaneous

06/06-07/06: VOLUNTEER EDITOR
Netzeitung Readers Edition, Berlin, Germany

Readers’ Edition is a citizen journalism project by Netzeitung
One of nine initial volunteer editors during pre-launch and launch phase

03/05-11/05: SOCIAL COORDINATOR
International House Sydney, Australia

• Organized social events and functions for up to 200 international and intercultural students from more than 40 countries
• Organized an orientation program for new residents
• Guided trips to regional destinations
• Participated in a leadership workshop about conflict resolution and group dynamics in intercultural environments

10/01-10/02: MEMBER OF STUDENT COUNCIL
Department of Media & Communication Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

• Co-published a once-per-semester magazine for freshmen
• Provided information and support for current and prospective student
• Organized orientation and group activities

Publications

Bihr, Peter (2008): Weblogs und Politikjournalisten - Die Bedeutung von Weblogs für die Arbeit von Politikjournalisten. VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. Magisterarbeit, 228 Seiten. ISBN-10: 3836464292, ISBN-13: 978-3836464291. Available on Amazon.de or as a free PDF download.

Bihr, Peter / Praus, Thomas / Senges, Max (2007): Second Life (ISBN: 978-84-9788-609-3). Textbook for UOC Summer University course. Editorial UOC, Barcelona. English version (”Virtual Worlds - A Second Life Beginner’s Guide”) released under Creative Commons (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike). (Downloads and more info here.)

Articles have been published or syndicated, among others, in the following publications: Blogpiloten.de, politik-digital.de, taz, Europaspiegel, gipfelthemen.de, onlinejournalismus.de, bpb (Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, the German Federal Agency for Civic Education), Der Tagesspiegel (newspaper), Metablocker (weblog).

Group Affiliations / Memberships

• Kleos Group: Co-Founder, Consultant
  A network of consultants and entrepreneurial researchers delivering original analysis, innovative technology services and strategic management consulting
• London Research and Consulting Group (LRCG): Consultant / Berlin cluster
  LRCG is a globally operating network of knowledge entrepreneurs with backgrounds in research, consultancy and commerce
• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Member
  EFF is the leading civil liberties group defending your rights in the digital world.
• A Swarm of Angels: Member
  A Swarm of Angels is an experimental film-making project based entirely on community collaboration, funding and input

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