Jumping off the social media bridge
I’m the first to admit that I’m kind of a nut about my website and blog analytics…almost obsessive about it really. I love looking at traffic swings from day-to-day, month-to-month and beyond. Of course, who doesn’t love to look at a good benchmark comparison as well, right?
One thing that is a constant trend when I’m looking at search engine traffic is social media. Roughly 60% of my search engine related blog hits are the result of a keyword search for architects and social media, in some combination. I find that even more interesting considering that I don’t REALLY love posting about social media all that much. I don’t mind it, I just don’t want to constantly tweet about tweeting and blog about blogging so to speak…it gets kind of repetitive after a while.
Well, I guess this is my obligatory blog post about blogging…and stuff.
As architects, engineers, developers, builders, etc. continue to dive into Twitter and Facebook, I just want to ask three questions to help you find your way. Actually…just the same question three different ways.
1. Why am I doing this?
Because everybody else is? Because I have something unique to share? Because I think I’m going to get some business from it? There really isn’t a wrong answer to that question. It’s ok to jump on the bandwagon, as they say. Just figure out what the answer is and make sure that you’re working towards a goal…as any time that you spend doing THIS, you’re spending time not doing THAT.
2. Why am I doing this?
Whatever your role is, if you’re the main tweeter, blogger…how come? There’s a reason that you have chosen (or someone else chose you) to be a voice for your firm or the industry. Share information and create fresh content that is valuable to the rest of us based on your personal experiences. Other professionals that are at your level in their organization will value your insights more when they believe you feel their pain, whether you’re a CEO, Project Manager or Marketing Director.
3. Why am I doing this?
Don’t confuse activity with progress. Retweet because it’s something of value or interest, not just to make sure you tweet 25 times a day. (*disclaimer: Some seasoned tweeps may disagree with me on this, and that’s ok.) Before posting your next blog entry, see if there is a timely reason to write something new. i.e. Big conference next month, good article in the latest Marketer that made you think about things differently. For me, as a social media-wielding professional, I prefer to give a good mixture of my own original content and forwarded or RT’ed info. Everything you send shouldn’t necessarily be “advancing your goals” specifically, but you also don’t want to inundate people with so much information that they stop paying attention to the original thoughts that actually came from you.
I guess when looking at the growing number of AEC industry professionals using social media, mom’s question “If everybody was jumping off a bridge, would you do it?” applies now. I’ll liken a good strategy to a bungee cord on this one, and say, “Yes mom, I believe with the proper equipment, I would.”