Social networking is important to me, and I credit it as the reason for my blogs’ popularity. It serves several purposes, it allows me to communicate with other grownups throughout the day, easing the loneliness of working at home. It allows me to promote my work, and it turns me on to new people, places and things. I think any professional blogger needs to be heavily involved in social networking to be a success.
Here’s the thing…
Social networking has become another great way to procrastinate. Whereas I used to visit a couple of online message boards and blogs for a few minutes each morning while I had my first cup of coffee, now I spend at least an hour visiting my favorite haunts. My Bloglines and bookmarks keep growing.
I justify my lack of productivity by telling myself that it’s all part of the job, but when I’m exchanging a zucchini bread recipe with someone in
10 Necessary Reasons for Social Networking
- Freelancers are lonely. We’re not needy lonely, but we do have moments throughout our day where we’d like to spend some time among our peers. It’s the only thing I miss about an office job.
- People are going to have to find you. If you’re not visiting blogs or forums and tooting your own horn, no one will no you exist.
- It always helps to have someone offer you some social media love. People who know you link to your blogs and give you Stumbles and Diggs.
- You’re creating your brand. Your name is your brand and you need to get it out there.
- Social networking is good for your traffic. When you drop links, people click. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
- To build up community. You’re not all here because I just posted leads and left it at that. I visited other communities and encouraged you to visit. I reached out to you here and asked you to comment. I polled and questioned and asked what you wanted to see. I practiced social networking with you. I learned what you wanted by reading the comments.
- It helps to boost revenue. No one will click on your ads or buy from your affiliates if they don’t know about you. Social networking is important for building revenue.
- You’re turned on to new things. Without social networking I might not have found half the products, books, blogs and websites I visit now.
- Social networking builds trust. If I’m doing this right, you’re coming back every day because you trust the jobs here and you trust the information I post. It took a couple of years (hopefully less!) but you now trust me enough to spend time with me everyday.
- To make important business contacts. I made more important business contacts in two and a half years of blogging than in seven years of freelance writing. Thanks to blogging, people know my name and trust me as someone who gets the job done. Sometimes I look for work, but more often than not lately, it finds me. That wouldn’t have happened without social networking.
Years ago, someone who spent a lot of time socializing on the computer was seen as sort of an oddball. Nowadays, if you have a business or something to promote, it’s necessary. As long as you keep private details private, and act in an ethical manner, social networking can do wonders for you and your brand.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Now I want zucchini bread.
I tend to think of social networking as a black hole. But it’s a useful black hole. Better than my former addiction of downloading music.
I have no idea how someone who has as many blogs as you do ever does anything BUT social network. I’d love to know where one goes to social network for a hygiene blog. He he.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Deb,
How exactly are you defining social networking? I’ve been hearing this term a lot lately, but I’m not sure if it refers to any specific sites like Digg or if it just refers to visiting blogs.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
I’m a firm believer in social networking through use of forums, blogs and places like that. I’ve made so many useful connection by visiting these places regularly. It’s an addiction, yes, but it’s one that’s served me very well over the years!
October 25th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
hmm. I don’t think that I am doing this right. I social network but it hasn’t added traffic to my blog or my site. I think I need a one on one or an idiot’s guide to social networking. Please help me!
October 26th, 2007 at 12:36 am
I’m not entirely sure if networking has helped me yet. Actually, yes I do. I have helped several other writer’s in the past with deadlines and have gotten a few assignments because of it.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:13 am
I see your point and I agree that social networiking can help you. Also, I have a question. I´m trying to start off as a freelancer. I´ve been sending articles and samples to different sites but nothing yet. I ran into a lead for a blog site that gives you your own space in exchange of ad revenue. I´m wondering if this is a good way to start off as a freelancer, since several writers have their own space writing their own blog in the the same site and already attracting visitors. Or you think it would be better just to get my own “independent” blog?
October 26th, 2007 at 3:25 am
I think the trick is finding what sites are really worth your time. With so many sites out there, which ones really give you the bang for your … time? I’d love some suggestions as I’m just starting to freelance. My profiles on social networking sites like facebook, myspace, etc… do drive traffic to my sites especially when I post bulletins about new content.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:24 am
Deb,
This is a great post, as always. I’m curious what social networking sites you use? I’m on del.icio.us, LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, and several writer forums.
Susan
October 26th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Deb,
What’s the best way to social network? Myspace? Facebook? Livejournal?
October 26th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Deb sure loves to hear herself talk, sheesh!
October 26th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Chris,
Forget Myspace and FaceBook. Not familiar with Livejournal. LinkedIn is the one that I hear most professionals tout (I’ve done a couple of stories in which social networking for business has been discussed). A few of my clients have asked me to be part of their LinkedIn networks. However, that has yet to produce any business.
Another caution about MySpace and FaceBook — they’re among top targets for hackers.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Phil,
It’s interesting you mention this because, out of all the sites I use for networking, myspace and livejournal return the most hits to my blog posts and suite101 articles. I experimented with others (like blogger) and saw a 12-17% decrease in hits daily. I do worry about the hacking, as you’ve pointed out, though.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Jean,
Livejournal may be great…I’m just not familiar with it. Depending on the blog, MySpace may be approrpriate — I do primarily business-to-business writing, for which MySpace is not very appropriate.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
One thing I liked about Blogger is the ability to use your own domain name for your site. For example, if you go to http://www.divebunny.org, you get directed to my blogger site. It saved me from having to set up Wordpress, etc… for a site that I don’t spend a ton of time on.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:10 am
TheGirlWonder, I actually think WP and Typepad offer that capability, too. I use blogger for my personal blog and WP for professional blogging, and there are pros and cons of both.
November 1st, 2007 at 9:07 am
Miss 11 want to learn a share. I will like to become a blogger for my learning process…thank for share!!
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:03 am
Actually, you don’t have to worry about Facebook too much, so long as you don’t subscribe to add-ons. As with any website that requires a password, make the password secure (as in, use capital letters, numbers and symbols). I’ve been active on Facebook for a number of years and I have never heard of anyone being hacked. I won’t deny that they’re a target, but I will say that they’re pretty secure.
Myspace is pretty crazy with spammers and adware, but it’s usable if you’re practicing good computer security. For example, browse with Mozilla Firefox - be sure to download adblock plus and script-blocker, and you’ll be fine. I’ve been using Myspace for years, but I’ve never had any problems. Then again, I use script-blocker and various computer maintenance programs…
I have no experience with the professional aspects of using Myspace or Facebook, but I am familiar with computer security. I will note that while Facebook has recently opened its doors to all age groups, it was originally designed for a social networking site for college-aged individuals. Myspace is alright, but I would think that one could get the same benefits from Livejournal (without having to run into all the pre-teens). I use Livejournal, and I’ve had the best over-all experiences with it.
But this is just my 2 cents worth
It’s cool to hear how you all benefit! It gives me ideas for when I’m more experienced in freelancing 