I participate in several Tweet Chats, among them #blogchat, which is all about blogging and, to a degree, Social Media. Learning SoMe, as it is often acronymized (new word?) is part of my job. There are all sorts of tips one will hear along the SoMe highway. One that is over-used in my opinion is “Content Is King.” Sure content matters, but that is sort of obvious. Another word that is over-used is “Engagement.” I still prefer using that when someone has a ring to show. My thing is commenting.
SoMe is about interacting with great content and people. The BEST way to interact, and to learn, is to comment on a LOT of blogs on a variety of websites. First, you will learn from the better material you read. Second, you will bring happiness to the blogger and possibly begin a friendship or virtual relationship. Third, you will hone your reading and writing skills. And, fourth, you will have fun.
Being the grown kid that I am, having fun is a big part of my second career and post-50 life. When I set out on this new career I had four NUTS (aka Non Negotiable Unalterable Terms – taken from my friend and colleague Wayne Levine). NUTS are essentially goals, but they are serious and not to be violated.
Mine were – IN ORDER:
1. Make the world a better place. Make a difference. Do good.
2. Have fun!
3. Show my boys a working, successful dad. This was because I retired and became a SAHD when my boys were quite young. They have little memory of my former career in showbiz…just some occasional anecdotes and an award or two lying around in my office.
4. Monetize.
Number four was and still is a distant FOURTH in priority to the first three NUTS. I am actually working towards monetizing my considerably varied activities in 2012, but NONE of those efforts will be at the sacrifice of ANY of my first three NUTS.
Commenting has slowly become my #1 tool of SoMe. It is my #1 method of interacting and connecting with new people. As a member of Triberr – an incredible website that allows you to share and see so much content – I’ve got regular access to great writers and great blogs. Triberr encourages ME – though you do no have to do it my way – to read, review, and comment on a great variety of content from a great variety of websites.
What began as a sort of joke – calling my self the Commenting King – has become a daily ritual that literally fills 60-120 minutes of my day – EVERY DAY. I read fast, I think fast, and I write fast. Nonetheless, it is a time consumer but one I value. I would estimate that I read and comment on AT LEAST 25 blogs a day.
Sometimes those comments are just a sentence. Sometimes it’s a short diatribe. Often they are intentionally funny.
As a result of months and months of this, I have enlarged my virtual pool of friends, followers, and met and made IRL friends as well. Start commenting. You will like it. You can begin below…
