Email: patrick@ifroggy.com
Profiles: Twitter, Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn and SlideShare

Short, Third Person Bio

Patrick O’Keefe is the founder of the iFroggy Network, a publisher of websites. He has been managing online communities since 2000 and is the author of “Managing Online Forums,” a practical guide to managing online communities and social spaces.

He has been responsible for the creation and cultivation of communities like KarateForums.com, phpBBHacks.com and PhotoshopForums.com. He blogs about online community at ManagingCommunities.com, his favorite record label at BadBoyBlog.com and more at patrickokeefe.com. On Twitter, he’s @iFroggy.

Online Community is What I Care About

I’ve been managing online communities for 12 years, long before the term social media was coined, and have a unique depth of experience in the field of community management. It is a space that I am deeply passionate about. I regularly write and speak about the practice at conferences and events.

Social media is great, but community building is how you unlock the true power of these platforms. Online community is about people. Without the people who care about what you do, the tools of social media have little worth or meaning.

Writing

managing-online-forums-smallI wrote the book “Managing Online Forums,” published by the American Management Association. It’s a practical guide to managing online communities and social spaces. I’m honored to say that the book has been praised by many people I respect, including Ryan Leslie, Chris Brogan, Zack Urlocker, Lee LeFever, Jason Falls, Jay Baer and more.

Besides writing content for the iFroggy Network, including lead writer and editor responsibilities at ManagingCommunities.com and Bad Boy Blog, my writing has also appeared on ProBlogger, SitePoint, Social Media Explorer and SmartBlog On Social Media. I maintain a personal blog at patrickokeefe.com.

I wrote the foreword for “Building Online Communities with phpBB 2″ (Packt Publishing), the first book ever published about phpBB and served as a technical reviewer for the book and its short form version, “phpBB: A User Guide.” I worked as an expert reviewer for “Online Marketing Inside Out” (SitePoint) and a reviewer for “The PHP Anthology: Volume I: Foundations” and “Volume II: Applications” (SitePoint) and “Blog Marketing” (McGraw-Hill).

Speaking


photo credit: BuzzShift

I have spoken nationally, delivering keynote or solo presentations and participating in panel discussions, via webcast and in person. Drawing from my first hand experience, I discuss issues related to online community and social media and how you can tap into the value that these spaces offer, personally and professionally.

Previous engagements have included CNN, Dell, FedEx, South by Southwest Interactive, Northwestern University and North Carolina State University. For more information on my speaking philosophy, sample topics and testimonials from those that have seen me speak, please check out my speaking page.

Podcasts and Hosting

I co-host the .net Magazine Award winning SitePoint Podcast, a web development and online business podcast and the Copyright 2.0 Show, a plagiarism and copyright themed podcast. Previously, I created and hosted The Community Admin Show, a podcast covering online community management.

In addition, I’ve also appeared as a guest on numerous podcasts, video, radio and television shows and stations, including WIBW-CBS, WITN-NBC, PepsiCo’s Digital Speak Easy, IBM’s Future of Social Lounge, WebProNews, The Rise to the Top, Boagworld, Social Media Explorer TV and Tech Talk with Craig Peterson.

Selected Press

I have been featured, mentioned and quoted by numerous outlets, including WIBW-CBS, WITN-NBC, The Next Web, Social Media Explorer, SitePoint, Entrepreneur Magazine, WebProNews, Slashdot, Chris Brogan, am New York, Convince & Convert, MarketingSherpa, Sister 2 Sister Magazine and Website Magazine. Here is a sampling:

The Rise to the Top: How “The One Man Operation” Patrick O’Keefe Became the Go To Resource for Building Online Community

Convince & Convert: Brand Community Managers Take Heed of “Managing Online Forums”

Entrepreneur: Why Forums May Be the Most Powerful Social Media Channel for Brands

Social Media Explorer: So You Want to Run an Online Forum?

WebProNews: Quora: What It Is and What It Is Not

Disclosures and Relationships

I’m not on any advisory boards… but I’d like to be!

I adhere to the iFroggy Network Editorial Disclosure policy. In short, I sell advertising on my sites, use affiliate links wherever possible; including the use of services that automatically parse all links on a given page and accept free products, services, tickets, invitations, etc. If I review something that I received for free, I will do my very best to disclose that in the review. My opinion is still mine and I’ll provide it honestly.

For my sites, I work with various advertising networks and market places, including but not limited to Tribal Fusion, ValueClick Media, Casale Media, Burst Media, Google AdSense, Adtegrity.com, Underdog Media, Vibrant Media and BuySellAds.com.

My literary agent is Dr. Neil J. Salkind of the Salkind Agency/Studio B Productions.

I hold stock in Amazon.com, Microsoft and Wal-Mart and some small companies that don’t need to be mentioned, unless I write about them (in which case, I will).