There are soooo many social media sites, some catch-all like Facebook, and some targeted like Goodreads, and the question often comes up, “where should I spend my time?”
There’s clearly no one answer to that, but one thing you can certainly do is to see where you get “traction.” This will mean different things to different people and might even change based on where you are, but knowing which sites work for you is critical to managing your time well.
I know for me, I look for interaction and engagement – if people, including me, post on a site and no conversation ever ensues, it’s probably not a spot where I’ll stick around. Then again, if no one responds on the site, but they click through on links, that might be enough.
Yes, it’s very possible that posting on a site, even where no one takes action, is productive: you’re getting your name in front of people, and it only takes that one right click to create a happy accident.
Still, with so many options to choose from, you need to come up with methods to help you decide where to invest your time. Knowing this in advance can help you immensely when it comes to spending your time wisely.
This doesn’t mean show up on a site, post once, then decide to run away. Instead, it means you should come up with your own guidelines of what will show you that the site/network is worthwhile for your goals.
Then, if it’s not working for you, move on, even if it’s the most popular site around. You can always come back, but in the long run, you need to put your time where it’s productive.
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Great points. I’ve recently started becoming more involved in social networking with great results. Only one problem. I’m getting nothing done on my novel . . . the whole reason for social networking in the first place. I’m now realizing where I need to spend my time (blogging and following other blogs plus Twitter). No longer do I use Facebook. Occasionally I rememeber to update Goodreads, though I like getting the updates from my friends so I know what to read next.
.-= Stina´s last blog ..I = my character squared =-.
Ah, yes. Balance is key. I love social media, but it doesn’t do you a lot of good to have a huge platform to help your work… and no “work” to use it for! Changing how you use the tools that don’t help you with your goals makes great sense. Of course, sometimes my goal is just to relax and have fun, so I keep that in mind, too!
.-= Greg Pincus´s last blog ..Where Do You Get Traction? =-.
Greg–When I interviewed lit agent Mark McVeigh he said the more we can do to have an internet presence the better. He said writers should be Twittering. I have a hard time Twittering. I don’t really get it. It seems like you are just sending out statements to the universe. I’ve only had one conversation on Twitter…I recently decided to put all the blogs I follow on my blog roll. I had some on it before and a lot on my dashboard, but I wouldn’t check them very much. I pay close attention to people who comment on my blog and ones that I know I will learn something from. Then there are some I read just because they amuse me. I facebook some, but not as much since I started blogging. Blogging is fun and beneficial, but takes a lot of time. I probably put in two hours a day posting, reading, and commenting. I do it at night when my family is watching TV. I definately prefer blogs with interaction.
.-= Sharon Mayhew´s last blog ..My Husband Called & Said Don’t Go Out In The Storm, but… =-.
Twitter has a learning curve, I think, but I do find it a great way to have conversations. True, they don’t always happen in real time – sometimes they last a week with only one tweet a day, for example – but talking to people by using @theirname has definitely created relationships for me. I comment on links they post or statements they make, whether it’s saying congratulations on good news or adding info to a link or just a reaction. I have no expectation that anyone will write back… but sometimes.
That said, no one HAS to be anywhere (which Mark would agree with, by the way). If it wastes time, it wastes time. Now, you can try to learn a tool to make it more productive, but it all depends on your goals and your time and what works for you.
.-= Greg Pincus´s last blog ..Where Do You Get Traction? =-.
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