196. Google, Twitter and More With Karen Wickre

The episode begins with Brian McCullough introducing the podcast, contextualizing its origins from the early internet history project that eventually became the book 'How the Internet Happened from Netscape to the iPhone.' He emphasizes the value of the original interviews and source material that detail the history of the internet and mentions his ongoing work on the TechMemeRideHome podcast, which covers daily tech news.

Karen Wickre’s journey into computing began with a 1984 experience on a K-Pro machine, which she worked with at Media Alliance. Her early career involved working at PC World and Macworld magazines, where she learned about and covered early personal computing and tech trends. She became familiar with trade shows like Comdex and developed an understanding of the industry’s history, which she saw as an anthropological outsider. Wickre’s background is rooted in liberal arts, which contributed to her focus on simplifying complex tech topics for a broader audience.

Wickre recounts her first encounters with online systems like Apple link, MCI mail, CompuServe, and Prodigy. She discusses her freelance work in the early 90s when she reviewed early web content and authored a book about the web in 1994. She observed the web’s nascent state, filled with directories, academic projects, and experimentation, which shaped her understanding of the internet’s potential.

The episode covers the rapid growth of web content in the mid-90s, including her involvement in enterprise projects and early internet companies. Wickre describes her work on early web guides, the importance of content and community in pioneering online communities, and her role in establishing early web presence with projects like Google’s blogging initiatives and social media influence.

Wickre shares her experience with the dot-com bubble burst around 2000, highlighting the economic shifts and layoffs that followed. She details her efforts to support others and her subsequent move to Google in 2002, reflecting on Google’s mission to organize the world's information and the company’s open communication culture, including early blogging practices and transparency during the IPO process.

The discussion explores how Wickre helped craft Google's public persona through early blogs, social media, and transparent communication. She emphasizes the significance of product managers’ involvement in posting and how Google's culture of being open and helpful was reinforced by these channels. She also touches on legal considerations during the IPO and the evolution of Google’s branding and outreach efforts.

Wickre describes her roles at Twitter, including establishing the official Twitter account and navigating the platform’s character limits and culture of brevity. She discusses the company’s challenges, changes in senior leadership, and the importance of authentic voices in social media. She also comments on the cultural differences between tech companies like Google and Facebook, especially regarding activism and internal dissent.

Throughout the episode, Wickre reflects on her identity as an introvert and her extensive online networking. She discusses her book, 'Taking the Work Out of Networking,' which offers tactics for making meaningful connections. She compares networking to gardening—long-term, ongoing effort rather than transactional hunting—and explains how her online presence has enabled her to establish a broad, meaningful network.

The episode concludes with Wickre expressing her cautious optimism for Twitter’s future, acknowledging ongoing challenges like abuse and platform behavior. She emphasizes the need for tech industry introspection regarding ethics, AI, and unintended consequences of technological advancements, advocating for broader responsibility and ethical considerations across the field.