SOCIAL MEDIA: Are You Delivering "Value?"

Goal of YOUR Social Media Efforts?

Scroll through your twitter feed lately and see on something that really caught your eye?  How about the news feed on your Facebook?  Did you stop? Ask yourself "what made me read it?"

In the field of communications or any form of business that aims to "message" the public, there is one common thread.  Push out things of "value."  In other words, are you about something that actually adds something to the audience?

I love the question that comes up frequently about executives and twitter.  Should they or shouldn't they take part?  To me, the answer is fairly simple.  For the most part, I believe "yes" as most top executives have risen to a point where what they say makes people think.  What they say, makes people consider taking action.  And most always, what they say becomes perspective that might make you - or anyone who listens -  better at their craft.

In social media circles, "value tweeting" or "value posting" is where your followers come from.

 

Anybody can post. And anybody can tweet.  But if there is no "value" to the majority of what someone has to say, or a common thread, what it really becomes is spam for most people.

Whipping down a twitter feed at a quick pace is interesting.  But the real "artists" deliver something that becomes engaging.

The goal isn't to turn people off.  The goal is to turn people on to you....  through information or expertise or opinion.

I fully admit that a majority of what I tweet is business related to the organization I work for.  To those who like golf, or closely follow women's golf, the goal is to provide information and elevate exposure for the game and it's best players.  I also enjoy tossing out

some commentary or jumping into idle chit chat with folks about various other topics.

My goal with this blog has always been to add some sort of "value," insight or perspective to folks interested in media and communications, presentation and public speaking - or various other topics associated with it.

Do These Words Fit Your Posts?

So ask yourself this .... What is YOUR value?  Look at your last 10 tweets, or your last 10 posts and assess yourself.  Are you adding value to others?  Are you sharing things that you feel secure about and would like to see pushed out further?  For now, social media is free.  So take advantage of the opportunity to show your value.

After all, isn't the biggest impact you can make based on the value you add to others?  If that doesn't define success, I don't know what does.

I always welcome your thoughts or ideas for posts.  Feel free to comment directly @KraigKann or share a comment below.

Thought of the Day: Do your social media platforms serve as placeholders or do they actually add something of value to the reader?  If creating a true following is important, assess yours ASAP.