I have spent a good part of the last few days trying to learn the various social media used for business networking in today's world. I got a consulting blog started, updated my LinkedIn page and invited a variety of colleagues to join me and joined Twitter.
The blog part isn't too bad except for getting used to Word Press and the fact that it may be months before anyone finds it. One has to start somewhere and if I build it eventually they will come (right?).
LinkedIn isn't the most user friendly for those of us used to MySpace and Facebook but I'm getting the hang of it. I also am able to link it to both of my business websites and the blog. Are you seeing a pattern here?
Twitter doesn't connect with LinkedIn but does link with the blog which is linked to the website also. Most of this is for just the one business - not two. (At this point I start singing about the head bone connected to the neck bone, etc. ,etc.) I'm told there is a purpose to all this incestuous linking that will eventually make me easier to find on Google.
Out of all of it Twitter is the piece I'm struggling with the most. It is very different than the others, with its own vocabulary and shortcuts. Writing in 140 characters is challenging enough. Writing something entertaining and intelligent that someone else wants to read in 140 characters - very challenging. I refuse to write about what I ate for breakfast, though did mention chocolate and jelly beans on Easter. It is fast paced, generates huge numbers of messages, and feels a little like being on an LA Freeway with 6 cars changing lanes in front of me.
The basic concept is to communicate with others (followers) while receiving communications from others (following). I get the relationship building part of this. I get the potential to have something interesting I say shared virally with thousands of others instantly. Beyond that I'm pretty lost right now.
This is straining my brain worse than learning to knit socks!! Speaking of which, I haven't even made a start on my second roulette sock thanks to all of the tweeting, blogging and posting. I have finished the second sleeve on my February lady and am back at work on the body. It looks really small but I've read how much negative ease there is once washed so should be fine.
Now that my brain has exploded all over the page and you are as confused as I am, I'm going to bed. Goodnight.
5 comments:
Bless your brave and adventerous heart! If you really need help, go to the mall and ask a teen. They take to Twitter like a gosling to water.
I only blog. Grilltech has facebook, twitter and a blog. I'd much rather knit.
Yes, if you build it, they will come.
I have drawn the line at twitter, since there's so much of this going on:
7am woke up
7:05am took shower
7:25 am had eggs for breakfast
7:45 left for work
on and on throughout someone's day. I figure, no matter how much I love my friends, I'm not going to stalk them. I imagine it's different with a business angle, though, and the exposure is a good thing. Really, a good thing!
By the way, if you e-mail me your phone number, I'll put you on the list of people to call after surgery. Momolla or Jim can give you a call to let you know if it's a big cut or a little cut (big cut for the win!).
Okay-- Twitter I don't get-- but I'm there under shannymac if you want to look me up... because I still don't understand the whole thing... maybe we can discover it together...
I don't get the Twitter. I don't think anyone is all that interested in when i pee. I think if I was starting a business, I might think differently, though. Every bit of publicity is a good thing. It'll be interesting to see how you make out.
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