The Best Posts Will Still Find Me

I came across this really interesting post the other day called Uncle! Why I Quit Following Chris Brogan. In the post the, Scott Hepburn says, the best posts will still find me. And that got me thinking.

One of the great things about social media, is people's willingness to share things that are really good. If its good, and people like it, they share it. I hate to say it goes viral, because that is something else. I am talking about the sharing and spreading good and useful content.

If its good content it always seems to find me through email, Twitter, Facebook, it always finds me.

Whats the first tool to start with?

I often get asked, "What's the first social media tool or technology my brand should start with?" My answer is always none.

Tools and tech are not the place you start.

Start with Objective, Strategy and Audience. Once you have defined those three very important things, they will help you decide which tools are right for your marketing plan.

And with each new tool that you discovered or are considering, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Does it help me accomplish my objective?
2. Does it fit with my strategy?
3. Will it help me communicate with my audience?

If the answer is no, then don't use it. It will just waste your time.

How I use Twitter

When I first saw twitter, I have to admit, I wasn't sure what all of the fuss was about. After all, Twitter's tag line is "What are you doing?" and I couldn't figure out why anyone would care what a person was doing at any given moment.

And if that were its only use, I don't think I would use it. But that's not all it is for. Its much more.

A better tag line for Twitter would be "What are you talking about". Twitter is like a bunch of chat rooms where people come in and out and talk about just about everything. Its a great way to communicate and to meet people who share common interests with you.

For me, Twitter is about communicating. I have met people that I would never have met before and have learned and discussed ideas with really smart and interesting people.

One of the most interesting things about Twitter, is watching what people are talking about. Check out the search.twitter.com to see what people are saying. What people are talking about on twitter, is a good representation of what people are talking about in real life and vice versa. So if you are wondering about what people are talking about, check out the search.

You think I am reading your mind... but really I am just reading your blog.

Today's blog post is inspired by a secret I recently saw on Postsecret that read, "You think I am reading your mind... but really I am just reading your blog." And it got me wondering, what does a blog and other social media tell you about a person.

I find that people blog about what they are passionate about. Whether its marketing, their kids, a hobby, or a specific facet of their life, people write about something that is important to them and occupies their thoughts.

I think that's why when I meet someone and I am interested in learning about them, the first place I turn is their blog. I could go to Linkedin, but that's like reading a resume and tells me more about what they have done then who they really are.

Because a blog has that personal feel to it, people have that tendency to open up and show their true colors and you really get a feel for who the person really is.

Another place in social media that I like to see how people describe themselves is their Twitter bio. You only have 160 characters so you have to get right to the point. There is only room to include vital, important info and no room for fluff. 160 characters says a lot about what is important to a person and their reason for being on twitter. And when someone hasn't taken the time to fill out their Twitter bio, it just tells me they are there for the wrong reasons.

My twitter bio says "Social Media and Internet Marketing Strategist. Internet and Star Wars Geek. Dad and Husband. Snowboarding, Sports and Video Games." It tells about what I do, who I am, and a few hobbies I enjoy.

What do your social media profiles say about you?