It’s pretty easy to get swept up in the social media whirlwind. I’ve been doing my version of a full court press since early September and have ended up in a place far more tangible than I ever anticipated. Over a thousand unique visitors a month visit this blog, and I’m apart of over three thousand different twitter streams.
My personal motivation was backed by a desire from my workplace to have someone sort out this emerging space and bring back to the home office both an overview and some options. In three weeks I present my findings about platforms, strategies and that dreaded acronym in social media, ROI.
What’s clear is that the field is wide open and it is not to late to stake one’s claim. My main observation: many operate with a lack of strategy, unsure of what they are trying to accomplish. My research approach over the last three months has allowed me an open mindedness and a willingness to try out just about everything while keeping an eye toward the amount of time it takes to build a viable network.
Main takeaways from research phase:
1. Do what ever Chris Brogan suggests. His advice steered a course that was swift, accurate and immensely do-able.
2. To understand how community is shaped and cultivated listen to and ask of Liz Strauss.
3. To keep an eye on the bouncing ball as it seems to be slipping further ahead, subscribe to Robert Scoble.
(three mainstays, nothing dramatic…but they are great at what they do.)
4. Find your groove with blogging and out posting across platforms. What level of energy can you maintain for the long haul.
5. If every action in this space, every key stroke even is not captured or capturable through a service like friendfeed, your doing something wrong.
6. Treat your activity across the multiple platforms as “primary” activity.
7. Always write and post with a hook; each action reaches a brand new set of eyes.
8. Be authentic.
9. Do not be thin skinned.
10. If you don’t enjoy it, get someone who does.
What’s next now that my research and development phase is here by declared finished? Strategy phase two: focus the content of this platform while building another one at work.
(Image by gumption via Flickr) beginning
Shadow on a rampage
Lifestream Digest for October 10th