Whether you are a marketer, a blogger or an individual simply trying to socialize on the web, the key to effective engagement and participation is only possible if you choose and execute.
During my early years I was guilty of it myself. I felt like I needed to have a presence on every social networking site and media platforms out there. Couple years later, my accounts are still there but they have been abandoned. I probably have an account on 75% of sites that allow some form of user participation and I don’t use them. I have an account but no updates. No participation. No engagment. No value. And without value your profile is a sinking ship that has almost no hopes of recovery.
Social media isn’t about being everywhere. It is about being where you can truly “be.” I have learned from my mistake and unless a service proves beneficial to me or my clients in some sort, I don’t have a reason to create an account. As most of you already know, most platforms are free but we end up paying in time. The amount of time we put in to participate, to interact and to add value. And we need to keep in mind that time is money. Therefore, these platforms aren’t really free. They take a substantial amount of time from our day to day life. Managing 50 accounts is simply impossible and to put it rudely, dumb.
Before you create an account make sure to analyze the platform, core group, discussions and activities that surrounds that particular platform. For example digg is one of the popular platforms. Everyone wants a front page on digg. However, if you are managing a site that deals with marketing or Search Engine Optimization, Digg isn’t really the platform you want to spend most of your time on. Your best bet here would be to choose Sphinn which caters more to SEO folks and marketing.
The key to effectively using any platform is how it can benefit you. I am a heavy twitter user cause I see how it can benefit me and my business. I use Facebook as well but not as actively. Unless I have a campaign to run for a client, I don’t really have a reason to set apart time to utilize that platform. I make sure I exist. I make sure I add value and interact with my friends there but it certainly doesn’t take a chunk of my time. Why don’t I use Facebook as actively? Cause to me the amount of time I put in on Facebook doesn’t really convert much. In simplest term, I choose not use Facebook as actively because there is not as high of a return, for me.
The main point I want to stress is do not become followers. Just cause someone is using twitter doesn’t mean you have to. Just cause someone is using LinkedIn doesn’t mean you have to. And just cause someone isn’t using Sphinn or some forum doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. It all comes down to what your goal is. There are hundreds of platforms out there and there is only one you. Analyze a platform before you plan on using it. See what you can get out of it and how it might benefit you personally or as a business. Once you have chosen make sure you execute. Execution is as important as your choice because without executing engagement and value there is no way you can gain recognition or create brand awareness. You might be able to create a hype that will have a short life but for long term reputation and recognition, there is only one way to succeed and it’s execution.
Choose and execute.
Those were my views and how I decide on where to spend my time on the web. Would love to hear your take on it.
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Hi, My name is Ritu. I am a member of SMA (Social Media Anonymous) ;-) & help bloggers and businesses utilize the social web. 
This is a great post and very true.
How do you feel about creating accounts on social networks just to protect your brand/personal name? Even if you have no interest in using them.
Hi Emily, thanks for stopping by.
I am all for it. But again if you aren’t going to be using that site or don’t think you will ever utilize the platform, why even bother.
I have personally never had that problem since most of my accounts are “ritubpant.” But I do understand where you are coming from.
My personal opinion : If you start an account to protect your personal brand or name and never use it, it has an adverse effect on personal name/brand. When people check out your profile page it’s dead. It has never been updated and I think that gives a wrong message about the brand to potential clients or people who want to connect with you. My 2 cents
Ritu -
that I find relevant and interesting and comment when I have something to add. I use various bookmarking sites as well, but for deeper involvement, what I have on my plate is enough for me. Maybe you should check out my post I put up yesterday…similar points as you make in this post, but talking about just using and building followers in a lame attempt to build traffic. If your followers, your profiles, your comments on other’s blogs are empty, then there’s no point to any of it!
I often stop by to see what you have to say…and I agree with you here. A good part of what I do in my business involves social media interaction, but there are other parts of my business that need to happen offline. I can’t be everywhere at once and find that I spread myself way too thin to have too many active social media involvements. It all affects productivity and if your involvements are unproductive, then there’s no point. The key sites for me are Twitter, LinkedIn, and although I do have a profile on Facebook, it started as personal and I never really made the switch to professional, and there it sits. I have my own blog to maintain and I spend a good amount of time visiting other key blogs (like yours