Riddle me this. How many social networks must a blogger join before they become a blogging superstar?
20? 30? As many as it is possible to join, and then some?
I’m actually willing to go out on a limb here, and bet the answer is closer to “as few as possible”.
As a busy (theoretically) blogger how many social networks could you actively participate in, while seeing some sort of return (that is, traffic), on your time investment?
Certainly for me the answer would be, as I say, as few as possible. Specialisation, and not spreading yourself too thinly, are key here.
While I have found that what I put in, I tend to get back out again, there is only so much time one can spend “putting in”.
And while places like MyBlogLog, or Blog Catalog specialise in blog promotion, it seems more and more people are turning to some of the “other” networks in a bid to further promote their blogs.
So now, not only is the promotion conscious blogger part of the blogging networks, they are also beginning to harness the networking potential of places like MySpace, Bebo, and Xanga, for instance.
But there’s a problem. Bloggers signing up for membership at these other places don’t know any one, or have many “friends”, there.
So what do they do? They invite people who are already their friends or contacts at places like MyBlogLog, or Blog Catalog to join them at their new abode!
What sort of a waste of time is that? Why then move from the specialised blog promotion networks in the first place?
I’ve actually been deleting invitations to join this, that, and the other social network, because I don’t see the point of being a member. I am happy to keep to keep tabs on Joe Blogger at MBL, but not half a dozen other places also.
So here’s what I think.
Go ahead join Bebo, or whatever, in order to promote your blog. But rather than issuing “come on over” invitations left, right, and centre, try doing a member search first.
If a blogger you know from elsewhere already happens to be there, then fine, make a connection. Some people in their network might take a shine to your blog, and in that case, your efforts may pay off a little.
Otherwise leave it as is. If a blogger is already part of another network of yours elsewhere, be happy.
Besides isn’t the idea to find new sets of eyes to read your blog, not people you already know?
Hi John
For me, the question is not how many network one should join but rather, how much time can one afford to ACTIVELY participate in the network in order to make the membership fruitful.
I can’tagree more with you about inviting friends in exisiting network to join your new network. Totally defeats the purpose of networking.
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Though I’ve ended up joining a number of SNs I’d prefer to limit my membership to those I can have some sort of involvement in. Otherwise you end up trying to recall login names and passwords and the like. I think it’s pointless having “empty shell” accounts all over the place.