While social media enables you to connect across the globe on any and all topics, it also causes you to weed through more junk than ever before. It takes time to find the real, valuable conversations. As a new mom, I’m constantly consulting friends and family online and offline for ideas and advice. But I also seeks help on social media. Here’s how I meander through the social web to get the best content and what I avoid completely.
What to Use for Good Advice:
Tweets. Social-savvy brands and individuals will respond to your questions, so Tweet at them directly.
Forums. There are forums for anything and everything. And if your question isn’t there, you can join as a member and ask!
Messaging. Whether it’s an old friend on Facebook or a new connection on LinkedIn, reach out to them directly for questions and advice using messaging.
Videos. No matter how specific your topic, there’s a video on how to do to it. And if you can’t find it, make it!
Blogs. There are plenty of self-proclaimed experts blogging on topics that interest you. Comment on their blog if you have questions.
What to Avoid:
RSS. By signing up for RSS feeds of your favorite blogs and sites, you’ll get a constant stream of content directly related to your topic of interest. While Google Reader is going away, Feedly does a good job at this too. However, it’s a lot of content and getting a specific question answered will require a digging.
Facebook Pages. These are great for brands to share information and engage with fans, but you may not break through if you ask questions here, since there’s a lot of conversation happening.
Twitter Feeds. Depending on how many users you follow, your Twitter stream can become unmanageable. Contacting the users directly, as mentioned earlier, is the best way to seek information and advice.
Forums. These are a double-edge sword. On one hand, you can search the info you need, but on the other, it’s not always a place for top-notch advice. Ensure the advice you’re getting is legit and consult multiple sources before you move forward. That goes for any social platform.
What other tactics do you use to get the information you need on social media? And what do you purposely avoid?
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