Social media failure is not an option

I know lots of people who are social media veterans and just as many who are newbies. I try to encourage the rookies when I see them getting frustrated because I know that all this social media stuff is worth it. Lots of people quit, though. Too many.

When I first started tweeting and blogging, I felt like I was on mute. Hello? Is this thing on? It's easy to get discouraged when you feel like you're putting in the effort, but no one cares. Here's where the words of wisdom kick in: you have to believe in yourself and the tools. They work. You just have to use them correctly.

When you first get started, you're probably right. No one cares about your blog post or about your carefully crafted tweet. If you start to engage with your online communities, though, people will begin to notice you. They will come to recognize your avatar in their Twitter streams, notice your profile picture on their Facebook News Feed, or grow familiar with your photo in a LinkedIn discussion group. That's where the relationship begins. But, it is up to YOU.

Don't wait for someone to say, "Hey, come join the cool kids' table. We've been waiting for you!" It's up to you to reach out first. Yeah, I know, not everyone is comfortable doing that. But, get over it. It's how social media works. Sure, there are some nice folks who send a tweet to welcome newbies or who will introduce you around. Unfortunately, not enough people do that. Again, the power rest in your hands. Make it happen!

Persistence is the key word here. Keep at it. Don't give up because you feel like you're an audience of one. You know the saying, winners never quit and quitters never win!

Keep blogging!
My early posts got very little traffic and it took me awhile to get my first comment, but this week I was excited to earn a spot on Sparkah.com's "LA's Top 100 Bloggers You Should Take to Lunch" list! No, I haven't hired a virtual assistance to handle all my lunch bookings yet, but it was neat to be recognized. Think that would have happened if I had thrown in the towel? Not a chance.

Keep tweeting!
Remember, Twitter is a TWO-WAY platform! If you talk at people you'll go nowhere fast. If you talk with people, Twitter will change your life! Listen to the discussions, chime in with your opinion, be encouraging, answer questions, provide guidance, lend support--become a contributing member of the community!

Keep connected!
Too many folks abandon their blogs for months, and even more people open a Twitter account and then forget about it after seven tweets. Don't do it, my friends. Stay active! Maybe you can't live and breathe this stuff like the social media addicts, but stay in touch with your online network. These aren't websites we're talking about; we're talking about people! Work to establish those connections, then feed and water them. They'll only grow if you give them the care they need.

Alright, that's the end of my rah-rah, cheerleader speech. But, trust me, these online communities are powerful. They can grow your brand, develop your professional network, and help create wonderful, new friendships. The only trick is you can't give up. Let me repeat, failure is not an option.

Have a social media success story to share or a challenge to overcome? I'm all ears...

4 mistakes I've made as a blogger

When I started my blog, I didn't personally know anyone else who had one. I had no mentor and most everything I know today, I taught myself.

Now, I'm not talking about writing. That comes easy. I'm talking about the mechanics behind a blog.

So, today I share four mistakes I made as a beginning blogger (I'm sure there are lots more, but I'll cop to these for now). I hope you learn from my errors because if my boo boos can benefit anyone else in the blogosphere, that's a good thing!

1. I didn't install Disqus on day one. Although I've always replied to readers' comments, it just isn't as clean and coherent if you don't use a program that threads commenting (for those not familiar with Disqus, it's a blog commenting system which you can learn more about HERE). When I did finally install Disqus, it didn't thread my old comments (there's no way it really could), so the comments on my older posts look different than my newer posts. As a stickler for uniformity, I hate that. However, I love Disqus and am so glad I finally started using it. 
2. I didn't know the magic piece of code that makes links open in a new window. Fortunately, Anita Nelson (aka @anitanelson) shared the line of HTML that I now use regularly. Here's what you do, look for your link in the HTML, then put target="_blank" after the URL but before the item that you're hyperlinking. 
3. I was too modest. When I added the tweet button, I had the option of adding "via @wordsdonewrite" in the text of the tweet. I thought it sounded too full of myself to add that, so I didn't. But what I quickly learned was that I didn't know who was tweeting my posts because I didn't see the mention in my Twitter stream. That's important to me because I like to tweet those people to say thanks. I've now added it and it allows me to better interact with those who visit my blog. (And, if you utilize the "reactions" option when you use Disqus, it will also let you know who is tweeting your post and what they're saying!)
4. I moderated my comments. Comment moderation is a highly debated issue nowadays and I understand the rationale behind moderation. However, I also understand the benefits of throwing caution to the wind. I recently lifted the moderation on my comments and, although it was scary, I think it allows my blog to have life even in my absence. And, with Disqus, commenters can reply to one another and further the conversation even if I'm not online.

Is there anything about blogging you learned the hard way? Or anything you're curious about if you're a newbie? Don't be bashful. This is a safe place; I promise.

Has this blog gone too far?

Just a minute ago, I saw a tweet in my Twitter stream that got my attention. Lindsay Fultz sent a link* to a site called BirthOrNot.com and voiced her disgust. Of course, I had to see what she was so upset about.

Well, to cut to the chase, Pete and Alisha find themselves with child and are debating whether or not to keep the baby. Instead of making this very personal decision by themselves, or with the guidance of close friends and family, they've decided to start an online poll. Keep the baby? Or abort it?

Now, I don't care what your personal feelings are about abortion (and please don't share them with me), but regardless of how one feels about the issue, I think most of us would agree that launching a website with the sole purpose of deciding your child's fate is downright demented.

It appears Pete and Alisha have put some time into the site and they list several facts about themselves to help people decide how to cast their vote. Again, I'm not getting into the details. This is not a post about the pro-choice/pro-life debate, so please don't make it one. This is about taking the new world of blogging and "engagement" too far.

Obviously, abortion is a hot button issue and the couple says they've received hate mail. But they also go on to thank people for their support. Pete and Alisha liken their collection of votes in their poll to the process on American Idol, saying "voting is such an integral part of the American identity."

I know the online world provides us with great new freedoms and worldwide connections. I've always thought that's great. However, I think asking total strangers to vote on a life or death situation is just too much. It's taking the whole social media thing too far.

Deep in my heart, I hope this is some kind of psychology experiment conducted by a student at some college. I hope it's not really real. I hope Pete and Alisha will not really decide whether or not to have an abortion based on how the votes go. I hope I'm nothing more than a sucker who's bought into their prank. But, regardless, I think BirthOrNot.com sets a dangerous new precedent for the web. It makes me a little sick to my stomach, quite frankly.

Is it just me or aren't there still some discussions that should be private? Asking a sea of strangers to make one of the most personal decisions of your life? I think that's just too much. Too darn much.

*For the record, Lindsay's tweet was a retweet from Susan Cope (aka @susanlynncope).

What kind of blogger turns off comments on their posts?

I read a lot of online content. I'm always clicking on tons of links and checking out great blog posts. Today, I stumbled across a new blog which I really enjoyed, but I was dismayed to see the following information at the end of the post I was reading.

Now, I don't know about you, but I think comments are just as valuable as most posts (sometimes even more so!). They frequently provide diverse viewpoints, insightful commentary on personal experiences, or other input that is of value to readers. Comments are what differentiate a blog from a website; the two-way conversation is a critical component.

In our web-centric world, blog posts also have a life that may extend days, weeks, months, and sometimes years into the future. It's not uncommon for a blog post to be circulated a year or two after it's been written and for it to still be of value to readers. Some topics are timeless.

So why turn off comments after two weeks? As a blogger, that makes no sense to me.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Feel free to agree or disagree with me today or in 2012. Your comments are always welcome here!

How does Posterous fit into your social media portfolio?

There are so many social media platforms to tap into these days that it can sometimes be overwhelming. I'm a firm believer in tinkering around with everything to find out what works best for you and/or your brand. After all, you cannot devote 100% of your attention to every site out there; it's simply not possible.

Last month, I added Posterous to my arsenal of social media outlets. Many people in my business circle are on the site, so I wanted to check it out. For those of you not familiar with Posterous, it's similar to a blog. However, one of the nice features that it offers is autoposting. Essentially, you can post content to your Posterous from the web, or you can email it, and you can determine the other social media sites where you'd also like the post to appear. Currently, Posterous supports Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad, Moveable Type, Livejournal, and Xanga. From a time management perspective, that option alone is pretty valuable.

Since I created my Posterous page, I've added more than a dozen posts and have tried to differentiate my Posterous from my blog, Twitter, Facebook business page, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, and plethora of other social media accounts. I have not used the autopost feature because my approach, at least for the moment, is that I try to avoid redundancy on my social media accounts. Aside from putting up teasers to my blog posts, all the content I post to Posterous is original (i.e. not replicated on my other SM platforms). Essentially, it's comprised of things that interest me and further highlight my personal brand, but may not seem worthy of a full-fledged blog post.

I'm still fine-tuning how I use Posterous and I'm sure it will continue to evolve. After all, social media is all about staying current, relevant, and changing with new online habits. What's big today may be passe in six months!

How do you incorporate Posterous into your social media strategy? If you're not on Posterous yet, do you think it might be worthwhile?

Is sugar bad for corn farmers?

These days many consumers are asking for, and subsequently purchasing, more foods with all-natural ingredients. Consumer buying habits are changing, whether it's due to education or, in some cases, new government-mandated laws (e.g. the war on trans fat). I don't know about you, but I never really thought about the ripple effect here. Who's getting more business because of these changes? Who's getting the shaft?

Well, the Corn Refiners Association's stance is that the resurgence of sugar sodas is bad news for corn farmers. Surely, you've seen the limited-edition Pepsi Throwback which boasted real sugar. Even some Costco stores are selling Mexican-made Coca-Cola with sugar. Sugar is making a comeback. But where does that leave the corn farmers and their vats of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

To combat the surge in popularity of real sugar sodas (and the reduction of HFCS in salad dressings, barbecue sauces, juice drinks, and more), the Corn Refiners Association is launching an all out PR campaign. It spent $12 million in media buys in just the first half of this year. New commercials defending the value of high-fructose corn syrup are on their way to female-focused and family-friendly networks. The Association is even reaching out to mommy bloggers to tell them that HFCS is pretty much the same as sugar, with a similar calorie count.

High-fructose corn syrup has been the sweetener of choice for soda makers in America since 1984. It is, after all, much cheaper than sugar. However, with the "full calorie" soda category flat to slightly down in recent years, the Association is acting quickly to prevent further revenue declines.

And, I can't help but to see the irony. I think it's the consumers who are making a point to buy groceries with all-natural ingredients who are probably the ones who are most sympathetic to the plight of the American farmer. No right or wrong answer on this one (after all, sugar does come from farmers, too!), just something to think about next time you make your selection at the office soda machine.