I read an article this week about how to manage your time on social media sites. I know this is something all of us in Gee's class have been struggling with. We have signed up for o many things that we forget about them or just don't have enough time to be actively involved in each of them. Kelli Matthews article "Where Do You Find the Time? Social Media Time Management Tips" listed a few great points.
First, she says it takes time to create a new habit. For the first few weeks you'll have to work at making social media a habit. This is very true. After I got a Twitter account I didn't think it was useful and completely forgot about it. Just recently I forced myself to go on Twitter every now and then and I have really come to enjoy it. I have even found my Uncle and Grandpa on Twitter!
Matthews also says it is important to participate and not only look. My sister has Facebook and I never thought she really used it ever. No one really wrote on her wall, she didn't write on other people's walls and she only had about 14 photos tagged to her. This was until I came home one weekend and saw that she would go on Facebook all the time, but just to look. I don't find this very beneficial because she is not getting anything out of it, just some snooping.
I found Matthews' article interesting and beneficial. The only thing I think Matthews should add is that you have to enjoy the specific form of social media. We have signed up for so many things in class, and a few of them I really do not enjoy. If I don't enjoy using the specific form of social media I will not want to spend any time on it. For example, Utterli is not a website I would ever use outside of social media class. I just don't see the point, especially since I already have Twitter.
Overall I really liked Matthews article. At the end she asks "What tips would you add?" If you would like to add your own tips click here http://www.prosintraining.com/2009/01/where-do-you-find-time-social-media.html and comment!
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Awesome article.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you...you have to participate if you want to make any sort of relationships with online networks.
Lovin' this article, especially at the end when she invites suggestions. That is the 1st important part of online social media.
Practice what you preach, right?
Nice find!
I agree that you have to enjoy the specific form of social media to get anything out of it, Caroline. While you're not a fan of Utterli, I didn't particularly enjoy my time perusing the Sproutbuilder website in class. I didn't find it user-friendly and I couldn't really find much benefit to its applications. If I have trouble figuring out how a social media site works, I get irritated and quickly lose interest. Thus, I thought of a rule I would add to Kelli Matthews's list: The social medium must be easy to figure out and navigate through. People are busy and don't have the time to both figure out and contribute to multiple forms of social media. The medium must be easy enough to get the hang of within the first few minutes of checking out the site.
ReplyDeleteWith all the different applications out there for social media, its important to research and pick the few that not only you enjoy, but that are beneficial to you. I felt the same way about sproutbuilder, not only was it hard to navigate the site, but it didn't seem to offer anything that would help be either for this class or in my future careers.
ReplyDeleteThere is no possible way to be strongly involved with ALL types of social media. You have to pick and choose. I think that is one of the best things that I will take away from Gee's class.She is introducing us to all these options, and then it will be up to me to make the decision which ones I will keep up with in order to help me with my career when I graduate.