Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Getting all Social

     Once upon a time..... okay, maybe it wasn't that long ago, being social meant your lucky shirt, or fave party frock, a group of friends, all in the same place and a night, a day, a weekend of fun. It didn't require a profile, a friend request or a tweet. Ahhh, good times. Life was so much simpler then.



     The WWW stepped in and changed all that. Then everyone HAD to have a cell phone. Now being social is media, networking. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, Reddit, StumbledUpon, Digg, Pinterest, Klout, RSS feeds and I'm sure there is a host of them I missed. Let's not forget the rise of the blog, that's why we're here after all. Living in the information/wireless/digital age.

     I've got my blog. I've got my Facebook page. I'm LinkedIn. I'm Google+ed. I have boards to Pin to. I just figured out how to schedule posts for the blog. I rarely update my Facebook status and only recently figured out, No I can't or don't know how to set up a separate Facebook page for it. LinkedIn keeps emailing me alerts about people I don't know and Google + although promising, requires yet more time to learn how it all goes together. I won't even start about Pin-ing. It can get a little overwhelming.

     I don't tweet, I don't own a cel phone. When I grow up and learn to take care of my toys OR they invent one that is surgically attached to my head, then I'll get yet another one.  Until recently I thought Twitter was a cell phone app. I must have known differently at some point but with Paris, Demi and Ashton flogging it in it's infancy, I took a pass and ignored it. Up until now.

     Why the change of heart?

      I'm exploring the blogsphere more. I can't tell you the number of times I either can't comment on or figure out how to follow a particular bit of the interweb. Blogger spoiled me. Everything I thought I wanted all tied up in one convenient, easy to follow package. Then people started adding 3rd party bits (Damn you IntenseDebate and your comment system that hates me) or linking to other places of interest where Blogger just won't let me follow. I bookmark everything, it's easy. I don't actually know how to use a reader program to follow along with a feed. Sad but true. My days of feeling even vaguely competent in cyberspace are over.

     Blogger is retiring GoogleFriendConnect. WTF. It was so easy to use. How will I bask in all of that bloggy love now? Why do I care who's following or if they're following.

    Your reasons may be different from mine but there is a real advantage to getting the word of my blog out there as widely as possible. I do family research. The more people my blog reaches, the better the chances of connecting with other relatives who have more pieces of the puzzle. And of course there is the basking. Who doesn't need a little more love?

     Where to turn? Ever Googled social media? Yeah, a bazillion hits. I'm still working on getting the social media buttons on my blog let alone figuring out how they all work. Am I alone in my quiet despair? I hope not. My solution, other than hours of reading about and testing all the different options. Why I'm turning to you. That's right all of you out there.

     February is social media month here in the Kitchen. Whether you're savvy or so far behind you think you're first like me, I want to hear about it. Comments are great, guest posts are even better. Email me if you'd like to participate. Maybe we can turn my flat line into a learning curve.

     Are you social?

6 comments:

  1. Paul, I don't think my Intense Debate system hates you. It hates me by f(*&#ing up all the time. But you it likes!
    I don't want to touch Pinterest for fear that I'd become addicted. And although I tweet, it's very rare. Some people are on there all day long. Who has the time?
    Take care! m.

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    1. Ah Mark, glad you're back. Hope all is well with you and yours. IntenseDebate really does hate me, even yours. I have to reload pages over and over to get that one line to load properly so I can comment. But I take that time, your worth it . ;)

      I have spent very little time on Pinterest and still haven't taken the plunge with Twitter. Like I need to give people another reason to call me a "Twit". LOL

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  2. no worries for your handy Follow Me widget...Blogger is only retiring the gadget for non-Blogspot blogs.

    Finally someone at Intense admitted that there is a problem with the whole Open Id thing in their comment system. guess they are still working on it. Do you get email notifications when you someone leaves you a comment? If so, I might be coming back!

    When you are ready for the social media buttons....just let me know - I'll be glad to help!

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    1. I get email notifications if I subscribe to it, but I'm also getting weird cross scripting errors in my replies so I think the bugs aren't all out of this system either. IntenseDebate, oh well....

      You know I'll be getting in touch, you're my blog goddess. LOL

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  3. I can totally feel your pain... I just started to blog got all the handy widgets and bam...GFC is going away...Google+ here I come. I already had the Google+ set up...and as Les said...GFC is only going bye bye for us non-blogger users ( How dare we use something else?) I'm getting pretty savvy and I am hopelessly addicted to all things social media... I've been tweeting a lot more and I like it. I have not checked out Pinterest because I'm scared of adding more to my long list of things to do!!! :)

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    1. I already get the side eye for spending so much time just writing mine and reading others, the last thing I need is more time devoted to it LOL It's amazing how time will fly here in the blogshpere.

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Thanks for your comment, I hope you enjoyed your time in the "Kitchen".