This morning I left a comment on a blog that I’ve been reading for a long time, but never commented on. That made me think that I should really leave more comments on blogs. I love it when people comment on my blog … one thought led to another and here’s a list of my “social” resolutions (I’ll spare you the “eat better” and “exercise more” resolutions).
- Leave more comments on blogs. I read hundreds of posts a week, it should be easy to leave a few comments, right? I always want my comment to be valuable and add something to the conversation. For me, that means just taking a few minutes to pause and think about my response… chances are I have something to say. Cool Cat Teacher has some good tips for commenting.
- On a similar thread, initiate more conversations on Twitter. People are smart and I don’t use that @ sign nearly enough to either tell them or to learn. Some ProBlogger Twitter tips here. Also check out TwiTip, a new blog devoted to Twitter.
- Post here and on my agency blog more regularly. I ask my students to post twice a week, I should be able to do the same. Find 40 tips to creating killer content here.
- Find new voices to read. I need to trim the fat from my feedreader and look for new voices to add to those I currently read. Chris Brogan had a great post this week of list of eight marketers to watch gave me two new ones that I added to my reader.
- Be a resource across all social media platforms. I think I do a pretty good job of creating good content here, but I can always do better and I can be more consistent across platforms, including Twitter.
How about you? Any “social” resolutions?
Comments
10 responses to “My “Social” Resolutions”
I’ll join you on a few of these resolutions, Kelli. In fact, I’m working on the first one right now, haha. I’m especially planning on making better use of Twitter and resources like PROpenMic/LinkedIn.
I’ve been participating on these sites, but haven’t been doing enough to use them to their full potential.
I also plan on trying to work on more guest posts along with those on my own blog. I figure one of the best ways to form relationships with people is to offer to help them out up front. If there is anything I can offer to their readers I’m sure it will come back to me in the end.
You DO have good content in your blog; I need to tell you that 🙂
I don’t really have social resolutions because I know I’d break them! But here are a few hopeful thoughts:
** I hope I would spend less time online because my colleagues told me I don’t have a “real” social life.
** I hope to leave comments more often, but like you said, I feel like I have to write something intelligent! But I think most bloggers appreciate comments, short or long, because that means somebody read their writings. Well, at least that’s what my student bloggers think anyway 🙂
** I hope to write more with my own voice on my blog. Problem is I have to find time to do it. Normally I just made short comments or reaction to current events related to PR.
Well, those are my “hopes”!!
I need to make an effort to post more regularly. The trouble is I don’t always feel like sitting in front of a computer screen if I’ve already been doing it for eight work-related hours. I plan to write a few posts in one sitting (Sunday’s are usually good) and have an arsenal of content for the entire week. If current events impact what I’ve written, I can easily go back and change it prior to posting.
I’m also interested in coming up with projects for my blog, such as interviewing CROs (Corporate Responsibility Officers) or citizen journalists, producing ongoing content that can turn into a series. Perhaps I can attract more readers this way, but at least I’ll be creating in-depth content that drives further discussion.
@David: I think guest posts are a great way to build relationships. If you have an idea for this blog, let me hear it! I’m always open for guests.
@Gee: Thanks! I love getting comments. It reminds me that people are actually reading. It took me a long time to find my voice for this blog. I really think that if you read my blog, you really know who I am. This is the same “me” you get in class or as a professional.
@Scott: The CRO series sounds great. Something I’d love to read. I do the same thing – blog on the weekends and schedule them out over the course of the week. I write/edit/manage three blogs in addition to this one and so that seems to work well. I find my “blog groove” and off I go.
I still marvel at how you do it all, Kelli. And I agree with @Gee: you always have very informative and useful content here.
The gist behind my resolutions this year is that I need to better merge what I already do in social media with my “real” life. (You can read my full resolution list on my blog.)
Some examples would be inviting people I know only through Twitter out to coffee, working to implement new media tools at an agency-wide level and sending bloggers relevant content I think they’d care about even when it has nothing to do with my PR work. A good idea is a good idea and I need to share more.
I agree about commenting more often. I think if you take the time to drop by, please leave a comment no matter how banal. It shows support for fellow-bloggers, increases your online presence and shows us bloggers that somebody is listening – it’s not just the sound of crickets out there.
Hi Kelli, happy 2009 coming up! I recently caught an interesting post from Beth Kanter, (12/20 Trend Blend 2009: A Map of Time and Tide). She linked to the Trends in Living Network site and highlighted a few interesting trends they are forecasting for 2009. In media, they include phrases such as “digital diets” and “Facebook fatigue”. I’m wondering if you have heard of others who are resolving to decrease their time spent on social media sites…This leads me to a question – and maybe you have posted about it or seen posts – about time management when it comes to keeping up. How do you do it? Do you designate an hour day to catching up on blogs and posting? Or is it more spur of the moment? There is so much excellent information out there, but it can get overwhelming quickly!
Windy. I saw the same post – very interesting. In my network, I've heard a few people say they were feeling a little burned out on Twitter and Facebook… and I think blogging for most ebbs and flows. It was interesting to me that both Scott & Amy's social resolutions (posted on their blogs) included more in-person social time to complement their online social time.
My personal habits? I am able to work in twitter and facebook and reading blogs from my feeds here and there. I don't plan it, per se.
I do try to write for all my blogs on the weekends and then schedule posts to load during the week. I have found I can't blog effectively during the week with so many other things competing for my attention (unless something just strikes me).
I have heard recent grads say that the last thing they want to do after sitting at the computer all day is to do it for another two or three hours at night. Sometimes I feel the same, but my days are never 8 – 5… so I'm probably not a good model for restraint in that regard.:)
I just watched a video from Network Solutions specifically on the time it takes to participate. http://solutionsstarsvideo.com/
Maybe I'll find some more resources and put a post together about it.
I know it's hard. It's a matter of finding your groove…
Happy new year!
I agree with Windy that I don’t know how many people can manage personal and work time and do it so well online (like you, Kelli!). I’ve spent a lot of time reading so many useful information out there that I needed to tell myself to turn off the computer otherwise I could not get other things done, like grading!
I do need to decrease my social media time because I am getting a bit overwhelmed lately. I tried to do everything but then finished nothing!!
But then this darn social media thing is so addictive!!
“It’s a matter of finding your groove…” So true! I think a big challenge is also the associated guilt. We open ourselves up to discussions with thousands of people across the world, and we want to be good stewards, care for and feed these cyber-relations, but it’s very expensive (time-wise). Thanks, Kelli!
Best of luck with your resolution, Gee!