Compared to some, I not a big user of social media -- but I want to be, for both personal and professional reasons. Personally, it's a great way to stay in contact with friends and family (well, those on this side of the digital divide, anyway).
Professionally, it's a great way to drive traffic to our company's website, and blog, and podcast, and our Linkedin network, and -- well, you get the idea.
The problem is, though, that we're talking about social media. Which means I've got to be social. If I want traffic to my blogs, I've got to read and comment on other blogs. If I want folks to check out our label's MySpace page, I've got to do the same for theirs. If I want more Twitter followers, I've got to actively follow other Tweeters (is that the right word?).
Don't get me wrong -- it's not that much of a chore. I'm having a blast. But at the same time, especially for the business side of things, I have to balance time and effort invested. After all, Digital Chips, Inc. has a very small staff, and the time I spend being social is time not spent working on projects, or completing paperwork, or doing any of the other million-and-0ne things a small business owner needs to do (beside producing the actual product or service).
So what's the balance? How much time should be spent developing and maintaining social media networks vs. other parts of the job?
I'm still experimenting with the mix, but I don't quite have the answer yet. If anyone has a solutions they'd care to share, please let me know!
- Ralph
Day 170 of the WJMA Web Watch. (I think these guys might be even further behind the curve than we are)
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