Social Media 101 – Be Honest and Authentic

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Jim Walton

This world we live in is fascinating, it truly is.

I am interconnected with so many different people on so many different levels online that it boggles my mind, I really cannot even comprehend.  Over the years, I have gone from being anonymous to being more transparent than I ever imagined I would be and more transparent on here than I am in real life at times.  I interact with people all the time online via various venues, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and even e-mail on occasion.  Some of these people I know and others I don’t but thanks to this social media world we live in, I know them to some degree.

In the past, I have tried to encourage people to start a blog or try Twitter or something but it is not a commitment that can be taken lightly.  People often resist.  So, I stopped that tactic, but sometimes someone will come to me and say they want to start a blog, so I will coach and guide them based on what I do, what I have done, what I have learned and where I see things going.

If you are someone who reads this blog or other blogs and you are feeling drawn to want to do this kind of thing, here are some tips to get you started on the right foot.

The internet is not anonymous - Everything you do online can be traced back to you even if you don’t think it can be.  Don’t comment on blogs anonymously.  If you have something to say to somebody on their blog, use your name and e-mail address and put your website on there if you have one.  Your e-mail is never published but the writer can use that to reply back to you if they want to.

On the flipside, if you start a blog, you can share as much personal info as you choose.  I started out being anonymous and had no ambition of my name becoming known in this online world but over time, I started interacting with people and now, I make it as easy as possible to contact me if you want to.  Check out my About page and there you can learn some things about me.  Plus at the bottom is a link to my contact page, which includes my email address and cell phone number.  There are things I will not publish on here, such as my address, but you get a glimpse of who I am from my About page and also through my writing.  

If you’re just starting out, share as much as you are comfortable with and over time, that may change as you get settled in and find your stride.  You don’t have to go so far as sharing your phone number or anything else but that’s just what I chose to do, for now.

Your readers crave honesty and authenticity - It’s easy to write and it’s easy to write about ideas and things that you have seen done and things that you dream about doing but be absolutely sure that you share your thoughts in the right context.  People tend to take you at your word and if you say something about yourself or even imply something that isn’t exactly true, people can smell inconsistency a mile away and will walk away from your site as easily as they stumbled across it.

There are various ways that what you say will be tested and you will be a more successful writer and have more readers on your blog if you present yourself and your thoughts, ideas and experiences with honesty and authenticity.

Information drives our lives - We crave information, we have to have it 24/7, there’s no question.  On my phone, I always have internet and e-mail and texting and chat and Twitter and my office can contact me by phone or by e-mail where ever I am and I can work remotely just like I was in the office.  I have multiple contact points and so do you.  I can Google anything I want, where ever I am, anytime, plus I can check the map, get directions, find restaurants, you name it, I can do it, all on my phone.

You can too, right?  Many of you can, some of you may not be that connected but still, you have multiple contact points and connections to others all around you and you can check the news anytime.  No longer do you have to wait for the newspaper or wait for the 10:00he 10:00
English: World English Bible - WEB
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se za?ne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin news to come on.

With that being said, make sure that the information you are providing is relevant and accurate and adds value, at least to your niche.

Speaking of niches, It seems like many people have a niche that they are interested in and even passionate about, whether it’s technology in church, using cactus farming to overcome belonephobia or even hospice nursing.  If you are feeling drawn to this online world and want to begin contributing to it, one of the best ways to do this is to identify your niche and begin writing about what you know.  

Being an authority on a subject does not require you being an absolute expert or know it all but you can become an authority by being a consistent, authentic, honest voice in your niche.  It’s ok to admit that you don’t know it all about cactus farming, your readers will appreciate that.  Plus, shouldn’t you always be learning?  I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know it all and that I need help with things sometimes.  

In this social media world, we are all in this together and we all draw on each other’s experiences and knowledge and learn and grow together.  Honestly, I’ve had my ups and downs in my experiences on here but I wouldn’t change a thing.  You will become a better, more knowledgeable person for being a part of the fun.

These are some very basic thoughts and there is probably much more to be said in this arena but this gives you something to think on if you are feeling the tug into this social media world.

Popularity: 61% [?]

Digg This Post

Other posts by Jim Walton

»

Comments

Twitter links powered by Tweet This v1.6.1, a WordPress plugin for Twitter.