some folks go splat! (fail) in social media
Whether its blogging, podcasting, social networks (like LinkedIn etc) and the other tools, some folks either understand social media or they don’t.
But just because they don’t understand the tools and more importantly the community, doesn’t mean they don’t pick a channel and run amok. They just look a little foolish doing it.
New Blog
I was pinged to a new blog today being written by a fairly well know broadcasting name. That’s about as much information as I am willing to share as I’m not looking to bury the person. But in this individual’s frequent communications via various media over many years (long before social media was even a concept) this individual’s writing and attitude kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
Hyper-critical when critical would have been fine. Self-aggrandizing and always selling something (and for those who may be confused, I am not talking about myself in the third person here).
For what it’s worth, this same individual seems to make a good living at communicating and selling his/her wares. For my taste, it lacks a kind of style but maybe that’s just me.
So as I read this new blog I see some terrific content! Read some stuff, watch some stuff and think to myself “hey, good effort.” Then I read the very bottom of the blog.
Splat!
It’s a disclaimer about the content contained on the blog. I’ll have to offer a paraphrased summary to maintain the blog’s anonymity but also because as this disclaimer intimates – woe to the persons who tries to use any of my stuff elsewhere’. What?
Basically if you post something on this blog, you can use “your” content anywhere you want and (the author notes) so can they in her/his various communication tools. It goes on to say that no one can use any of his/her stuff anywhere.
This person does not understand social media and how to be successful in it.
Different Rules
I am no stranger to copyright and ownership laws etc. And those laws can be applied to content in social media. Certainly nobody wants their content stolen and repackaged under another author’s name. I get that.
But have you ever looked up the definition of social media. I don’t think this person had. Let’s check in with our friends at Wikipedia.
“Primarily, social media depends on interactions between people as the discussion and integration of words builds shared-meaning, using technology as a conduit.
Social media utilities create opportunities for the use of both inductive and deductive logos by its users. Claims or warrants are quickly transitioned into generalizations due to the manner in which shared statements are posted and viewed by all.”
Do you see a word that dominates in those graphs? Shared. In fact, in the blogosphere, the more you’re quoted or linked to the greater your popularity. People feel your content is worth sharing and discussing. That’s a compliment, hello!
To not allow sharing, indeed to forbid it, is akin to buying the car and not bothering with the gasoline. What’s the point?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
If there is content you want to hold sacred (and that’s true in my case, on occasion) then don’t post it. The community (probably also a foreign concept to this person) will only absorb what you put out there. In social media, the rules are completely different from “what was”.
People can produce podcasts and twitter and blog until their blue in the face but if they don’t bother to understand the foundation of social media, they are only communicating with themselves.
And in high school they told me I could go blind doing that.
