So you’ve got a blog, or maybe a Facebook page, or another profile on a social network or new media site somewhere out there. Do you regularly post or update it? If so, it’s likely you have a community around it, whether or not you realize it.
You may have people who want to learn from you or share ideas with you. Are you prepared to take on that opportunity? You should because these folks are your greatest fans and can be part of your own brand/PR army that goes out doing the grass-roots efforts you would never think of.
Its especially critical for businesses in these tough times, to learn these methods and reward your community for being part of the team. They’re there to help, even more than to cheer you on – all they want is to be involved.
Microsoft figured this out over a decade ago with their MVP (Most Valuable Person) distinction. They discovered early adopters were talking about their products in forums and chat rooms. Instead of trying to control this critical group, the decided to engage them. By equipping them with additional tools and information, they were able to seed the market with knowledgeable, respected people. These people gave honest reviews, constructive criticism, and in general, useful feedback that the company then rolled into new product design.
Does your company do something like this? Have you really thought about rewarding your community? Why wait, start today by reaching out as yourself and not in the name of the company. Start sharing your experiences, challenges and success with theirs goes a long way to being part of that community, and from there, you can all do so much more.
Have questions? Want to learn more? Please feel free to contact me if you wish – my contact info is in the sidebar to the right. Email is probably the best way to get in touch, followed closely by Twitter.
I’ll warn you up font – this post is pretty much a rant about the blogosphere as it is today. Read on if you want.
I think I have it – the reason I’ve been blogging less these last several months.
It’s the stress. The stress of debate, of the times, of confrontation. That’s what I think I’ve been seeing develop around the blogosphere the last several months. I’d been thinking it was part of the buildup to the super bowl of political events – the U.S. Presidential election.
It’s more than that, however. It’s permeated nearly everything I had been reading and following the last several years. As such, I’ve found less interest in participating in the discussion. Finding most of it to be that very echo-chamber we complain only the A-List participates in. Not true really – it’s top to bottom A through Z.
The same tired topics, the same rhetoric, the same names, the same points of view, the same crap over and over until it becomes nothing more than a manifestation of the joke that the “unwired†population think “web 2.0†is. That makes me both mad & sad.
What’s my point? It’s that I started blogging because it was an outlet for ideas that I couldn’t share at work. It was a way to explore new topics outside the confines of my IT background into new fields of interest. It seems like that period has passed. Perhaps it hasn’t, but to me it appears that way. The tone, while civil, is changing. The conversations among bloggers is becoming debates.
Bloggers I’ve followed for years have developed into just another version of the mainstream media. It makes me wonder if there’s space left to really exchange new ideas and further explore them to the fullest. Instead, I find the same rehashed topics left over from CNN, Fox and CBNC. Oh joy.
Layer the economic issues coming to light in the last week or two and you get a cacophony of “sky is falling†postings from all the usual suspects. What’s worse than amateur journalism without a point? Uninformed, fear-filled, amateur journalism without a point. This point should back that statement up pretty well except that it’s not fear-filled, but rather loaded with disgust. Disgust that people who once came up with and shared new ideas, now can’t help but echo minor variations of the same theme.
On the other hand, some of those same popular bloggers that I used to read with gusto pointed me to the next great resource for ideas and inspiration. Fellow bloggers and writers who labor to share, teach, learn, improve and otherwise give back to their readers. I’m off to the explore and share those ideas and experiences. Bloggers who’ve yet to really get noticed by the who’s who (and maybe one who has) are what I’m looking for, so share some of the ones you know of.
How about you? What’s your take on the state of the blogosphere?
Update: Of course, an hour after I wrote this great post I ran across Coarsness Threatens Social Media Growth by Chip Griffin. That’s what I get for not staying on top of my feeds!
Sometimes I spend time just generating ideas for blog posts, and they make it into this list or that notebook (though you couldn’t tell by my current lack of posts ;). While I can’t claim this idea is original, I do indeed want to share this list – I’ll probably not use them in the near term and it may be inspiration to someone to write a great post that I’d love to read.
So without further rambling, here is a list of 50 blog post ideas (kinda heavy on social media), for you to take and repurpose for your needs.
Working your social media juju
Training your ninjas
How organizations can’t succeed with the social web
How organizations can succeed with the social web
Why don’t we "offshore" to middle America?
Looking for the fast buck? Try looking for fast customer satisfaction instead.
Don’t wait for your brand to succeed, make it succeed
Internet Rock Stars and other fairy tales
Like the A-List? It gets even better on the Z-List
Don’t read the news, make the news
Your time is now
Success is defined by those wishing to achieve it
Success doesn’t define you, you define success
Social media is like good BBQ, mmmm
Have a product? Build a community.
Blog your way to a better job
Yes, it’s easy to say…
It isn’t about social media, it’s about being social
Why social media isn’t about selling anything
Building a better branded you
Host an event – here’s how!
Social Media Ninja – Tools of the Trade
Wishing is good – doing is better
Walk tall, blog proud
Taking the work out of blog ideas – 100 topics for your blog
Personal Brand: It is about you
Corporations and Facebook: They do mix
Getting Buy-In from the Mail Room: Why it’s important to include people who do real work
Hosting an event? Check in with these folks.
I’m not dead, I just don’t blog
You’re Dad’s blogging – what do you do now?
Things social medians could learn from an old-time community social
Your Grandparents Were Social Media Gurus – Here’s Why
Busy? Just press pause.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
Are you a social giver or a media taker? Here’s how to find out.
A bridge to nowhere – the promise of social media that was.
Social Media’s Red Light District – Beware
Following the white rabbit of social media
Brand identification – why your picture is important
When it rains in social media land, do you build an ark?
Giving 100 ideas away
But wait! There’s more!
Things I wish I had known when I started blogging
Things I wish I had known when I started social networking
Corporate social media and other oddities
Changing the focus of your blogs topic
There’s a blog post in here somewhere
Wishing isn’t as good as doing
Social Media Success Stories from the Road
If you don’t mind, I’d love a link back to this post or my blog if you use one of the titles verbatim, if only so I can follow up and read yours. Don’t sweat it if you don’t want to. Have fun!
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
