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How to Handle the Social Media Egg Basket

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How to Handle the Social Media Egg Basket - @GretLouise on #Allume

Everyone knows it’s not a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. But sometimes, I think we’re trying to carry too many baskets — especially when it comes to social media.

There’s always a new social media network. Something to try, something to learn. A new opportunity to get lots of followers and rise to the top of the crowd.

But sometimes, we spread ourselves too thin. In trying to be everywhere, we are nowhere. And the eggs break just as quickly when they hit the ground, whether we are carrying them all in one basket or spread out into more baskets than we can hold.

I love Twitter. Facebook is where my grandma is, so I’m not leaving it any time soon. Pinterest is pretty and easy to organize. And I know Google Plus is  a necessary evil for bloggers.

But I forget to use Delicious. I tried Tumblr to see if it was a more social version of a bookmark and quote site, but I never remember to use it. Instagram is fun but without a smart phone it’s a three-step-process to a #latergram if I’m not at home with tablet in hand. And Digg? StumbleUpon? Never even used them.

Whenever I start forgetting to post to a social network, I know it’s lost the social aspect. And when I stop visiting anywhere but private Facebook groups, I know I’ve spread myself too thin.

It’s then I remember the tried and true advice of those with more followers than I: find a few social media networks you love, and become good at them. You and I are each only one person. Unless we have a team of bloggers working with us, or a good social media manager behind us, we can only do so much.

And it’s when I pull back and enjoy the process of just hanging out on my favorite social media networks that I actually see fruit from my time spent there. It’s when I view social media as a place to connect with my friends rather than an item on my to do list that the benefits can be seen — and in more than just numbers.

Tips

  • Choose one day a week to hang out on less popular social networks (for me it’s Google Plus and Tumblr). You don’t have to be on any given social media network every hour of every day to have a presence there.
  • Ask questions on Facebook. Get to know your followers there again.
  • Use scheduler apps like Buffer for Twitter and Facebook’s built-in schedule feature so that you can be there without being there all the time.
  • Use plugins like Tweetily (to Tweet old posts) and Jetpack’s “Publicize” (to Tweet new posts) to automate your blog’s presence on Twitter (just don’t spam your followers!) so that you don’t have to worry about your blog when you get on Twitter, you can just be you.
  • Don’t just Tweet and Retweet — remember how much fun it was to have conversations on Twitter?
  • Stay off Pinterest.com and just pin from the sites you visit to avoid the Pinterest time trap.

How do you keep a handle on your social media involvement?

Tweetables:
  • Sometimes, we spread ourselves too thin on social media. In trying to be everywhere, we are nowhere. (Click to Tweet)
  • Whenever I start forgetting to post to a social network, I know it’s lost the social aspect. (Click to Tweet)
  • How do you keep a handle on your social media involvement? (Click to Tweet)

Photo Credit: Kateri Fahey of Dandelion Haven

Comments

  1. I think this is funny. True, but your delineations are funny.=) I use Pinterest, FB, Twitter, Stumble Upon and Google+. Besides Google+ is actually my 3rd highest referral for my blog. I try to get on there and interact, not just post my stuff. And I think that is the key with all of it. Is it only about you, or is it about others too? If it is only about me, I am spread to thin, and should drop a venue or two.

    • The delineations are definitely different for everyone. That’s great that you’re using Google+ so well! I have enjoyed interacting there, but not many in my circles are really “there”–they still seem to hang out on Facebook. 🙂

  4. This is so helpful because it’s a great reminder to be SIMPLE! Thanks for the reminder, Gretchen!

    ps…loved this line: “I love Twitter. Facebook is where my grandma is…” Made me laugh out loud! My grandma is on Facebook too! 🙂

  5. Yeah, I tend to err on the side of not participating enough on social media sites. I so much prefer a face-to-face conversation. That’s why I love conferences so much, getting to talk in real life. 🙂

    I love your advice here … not to spread ourselves too thin and to stay true to that which really feeds our soul, even if it means less “numbers.”

  7. Love this, Gretchen. Just this morning I was considering Instagram, but thought, “I bet you need a phone.” I happily don’t own any kind of iPhone so that’s out! (Phew!) I’m in a season of life in which I still don’t need one, and I think that helps me not get buried by social media usage (which I still can easily do if I don’t watch myself). I stick with FB and Twitter. I appreciated the Author Media seminar that encouraged me with, “Pick the one you like and use it.”

  8. You really pegged it with this: Whenever I start forgetting to post to a social network, I know it’s lost the social aspect.
    Amen to that!
    It’s easy to fall back into the comparison trap, to think that all the bigger bloggers do all the social networks with ease. But, you are right: we just need to simplify.

  9. Such an encouraging perspective! I always feel so behind and often “out of it” and it’s a relief to know I can stick to a few I really enjoy, then occasionally “dabble” in some new ones (like Google+!).

  10. I read something similar to this in Jeff Goins’ “You Are a Writer.” He said to focus on the one or two media streams that you enjoy. Don’t try to do them all. I have always loved Twitter, so that is what I focus on. I quit Facebook 1.5 years ago. Then I had to quit to Instagram when Facebook bought it. I still miss Instagram and can’t wait for PressGram to come out. Being able to focus on one media channel has brought a richness to my conversations. I know I miss out on some blog groups on Facebook, but I am okay with that.

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