<p>[This began as a comment to a Biz Talk post, and then got a little carried away; so here's my full response to someone who was wondering about whether social media/networking tools were worth the effort]</p> <p>I think we are all still "homesteading" in the online social media frontier, although some have discovered and tapped into richer veins of opportunity than others, and maybe a little faster.</p> <p>I've been exploring and building out my presence for about six months; it has certainly been worth the effort. I've been learning a lot along the way--almost as much about my self as about others--and I've enjoyed the opportunity to meet folks with similar (or delightfully contrasting) interests that I would otherwise never have encountered--including many that I have or will meet in person.</p> <p>Briefly, here is the lay of the land as I've found it:</p> <p>FACEBOOK is the community center--increasingly more like a Commons--for informally catching up with and updating folks I already know from multiple "lifetimes," including high school alums and extended family to current business colleagues and associates, and increasingly folks I've encountered in other online venues who I'd like to spend a little more time, but maybe not get caught up in extended discussions (that' for email or Starbucks!). This is the place for an informal exchange of information on family, friends, causes, and events.</p> <p>My BLOG provides a public/private study, where I can leisurely share and archive (&lt;-- this archive function is perhaps the most important for folks who want to learn about you) of reflections and observations on the things, personal and professional, that mean the most to me. This is where I direct new acquaintances from Twitter and FaceBook who want to know more about how I think and what I think about, as well as stories that concretely illustrate my experiences and expertise.</p> <p>TWITTER has become something like a walkabout along the frontier or perhaps more like prospecting in a steady and ever-growing stream of sign-posts from folks literally across the planet, sharing brief insights, discoveries, AHAs! It takes the patience of a prospector, but there are real gems and grains of pure gold in that stream. Low risk, low cost, high potential for great connections that can be nurtured in other online and face-to-face venues.</p> <p>LINKEDIN is more akin to a customizable Chamber of Commerce office or even Career Development Center, for building and extending professional relationships drawing upon your complete background and portfolio. The recommendations feature is perhaps the most useful. Nice place to drop by once in a while, but hardly ever necessary to spend lots of time. When hunting and foraging for jobs, a Firefox plug-in will display who you know or who in your network is associated with specific organizations or businesses--very helpful for identifying and gaining introductions.</p> <p>There's still much more to sort out..but this is one perspective, at least on the community-building terrain, which I believe you must understand before you even think about "marketing." That's certainly worth a whole shelf of articles from as many perspectives as possible!</p> <p>So I'd say to go ahead and get started, dig a foundation, set up your framework, build out the spaces, visit other homestead sites, and get out the welcome mat and signs to invite folks in.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 2009-03-24T19:26:01Z 2009-03-26T12:34:58Z -9.84536 331 3817 true 4 11683 homesteading-on-the-online-social-media-frontier 5 2009-03-26T12:34:24Z 2009-03-26T12:34:58Z

Still wondering if social media/networking is for you? Here's the lay of the land as I've discovered it so far.

1 2009-03-26T12:35:00Z