Then it's Twitter, and if I have a few minutes I click through to links there (like this one).

Later in the day I'll check Google Reader. I have it prioritized by Daily (about 6 feeds), Comment (maybe 15-20 that I like to participate in regularly) and Whenever (all the rest of it).

Then it's Twitter, and if I have a few minutes I click through to links there (like this one).

Later in the day I'll check Google Reader. I have it prioritized by Daily (about 6 feeds), Comment (maybe 15-20 that I like to participate in regularly) and Whenever (all the rest of it).

For me, the first 6 days were overwhelmingly spent identifying throgh Technorati and Google Blog Search (and articles on http://www.marketingprofs.com key bloggers, blogsites that are on social media (that’s what my blog is all about). Then the bulk of my day was trying to figure out how to create a blog using wordpress and how to set it up and post to it.

I still have tons to figure out on wordpress.com but i’ve sort of gotten the hang of it. So, the last two days I’ve really been subscribing to the best social media posts I could find (The article on top 50 social media blogs was hugely helpful.) I’ve begun responding to some of these sites and now I’m up to about 12 – 15 social media sites I think.

So, for my second week this is my plan:
Start my day with Google Reader reviewing all the new posts on the sites I’m following. Then, reply to the ones I find the most interesting.
Next, post a blog entry or two being sure to use tags, uploading images, linking to the key articles.
After that I’m going to try to create a LinkedIn and Technorati profile. I also want to check on joining some Facebook fan sites and groups — I’ve only used Facebook with my friends for personal use and so using LinkedIn and Facebook for work is still new to me. My understanding is that these are important ways to drive traffic to my blog and become more of the conversation.
I also need to spend time figuring out why Twitter is so great. The best use I’ve seen of it so far is how Rick Sanchez on CNN uses it to track people’s opinions on news stories. I joined his group but two seconds later somebody who I had never heard of suddenly wanted to “follow me”, and I have to admit, it totally crept me out!

Anyway, that’s my plan — I’d love suggestions for improving it. Thanks. (I call my blog “The Blog Chronicles” because I’m using it to track my experiences learning social media and hoping it will help others.)

I find it interesting that some people included email on the list of social media, while others didn’t. That’s typically my first stop because there may be something I need to address ASAP from a reporter (I am the primary point of contact) (or from my boss). And person to person is still the ultimate social act.

My use of social media is a mix of private and personal. You ask about situations where it’s both, which raises a specific topic not yet addressed: where to draw that line when you work for someone else.

I work in public relations for a state institution, so I have to balance my efforts to engage with social media for work purposes with the possibility that I’ll stray across the line on our ethics guidelines for personal use of state resources.

This is still a gray area for those of us in the public sector (and in the private sector, depending on your policies).

For example, is my LinkedIn profile for my own personal benefit, or the institution’s? I identify myself as a resource for information on my employer, but I do the majority of my LinkedIn updates on my own time since it also has personal value, just to be on the safe side.

In the “what are you working on?” spot, I’ll post during the workday if I have the opportunity to say something work-related that’s good for us; I post at night (and very seldom, on LinkedIn) if it’s something related to one of my volunteer activities.

That’s the kind of balancing act I do all day long with social media, so I confine most of my community activities to the evening on my own time.

At any rate, on the questions:

Email is first, then Google Reader.

For work, I have Google Reader set up with several searches on key terms, both direct Google Alerts and Technorati, and several news sites. I also have personal-interest folders.

I scan, click through to some, post to some. I have a half-dozen or so personal interest ones that I frequent nearly daily (in the evening).

I had far too many professional ones, so I’ve cut back (this one is staying on the list!). I found they sucked me too far away from my actual priorities for the day.

The professional community I’ve engaged with most consistently is MyRagan.com, primarily because they send me an email every day with good headlines that draw me to the site. Pretty basic, and it works. I’ve also found a good community there of people who are generous with their advice. I’ve posted regularly in order to pay it forward.

My goals are to learn and connect. Part of what I learn is for my own interest. Part is professional. I started a blog to see what kind of workload it creates; we don’t yet have one as part of our mix, and I need to assess the workload.

It’s also an outlet, as I write a lot for work but would like to write about things I care about personally. This is one of those “self-fulfillment” blogs, and I have no expectations of ad revenue or Technorati rankings.

My personal blog is set up with a Twitter element that will simultaneously feed my Facebook, so I post there daily, more toward evening/on my own time (only occasionally via cell during the day).

I anticipate doing something similar for work purposes, as this is really painless and would give us a presence in two places at once. Now if LinkedIn would just take those same feeds….
–barb
(If you’re curious: personal blog is http://www.biketoworkbarb.blogspot.com)

Update corporate blog with post and tag.
Make sure Technorati profile is setup, blog is claimed and pinged
Update Facebook fan page with photos, videos, and message to fans
Update MySpace page with post and message to “friends”
Update your statuses on Facebook (your personal account if you promote yourself as the company evangelist), Twitter (your corporate account), Tumblr, and Pownce
Post, create sets, and tag photos to Flickr (if time join groups related to company and add photos to group)