Ugh – the phrase 2011 social media resolutions returns more than 12 million search results on Google and I find most of them totally insufferable. Let me guess – in 2011, you resolve to “blog more often,” “double the number of Twitter followers you have,” “stop spending so much time on Facebook,” and “engage more with your customers/readers?” Two years ago, I even did one of these posts myself.
So why do I have such an aversion to these posts now? To start, most of them are cliche (blog more often!), totally ambiguous (engage more!), or common sense (listen to other people!). For most people, the social media resolutions post has become blog filler that doesn’t really offer any value, to the author or to the reader. Now, if you really want to make some social media resolutions, here are the ones that I wish I’d see more of among those 12 million.
- I will stop using the terms “guru,” “ninja,” “evangelist,” “rockstar,” and “czar” to refer to people who know how to use social media.
- I will blog less. I will stop filling the Interwebs with my self-important crap and instead blog only when I have something valuable to share, not so that I can maintain some search engine ranking or social media web ranking.
- I will do at least a cursory Google search before I write a new post to see what other people are saying about the topic about which I’m going to write.
- I will not copy and paste other people’s entire blog posts onto my blog with two lines of “analysis” and claim it’s a post that I wrote.
- I will write about someone other than myself or my company at least once in a while.
- I will read every blog comment I write at least once to myself before clicking submit to make sure I don’t sound like an idiot.
- I will check the facts of the content that I post before I upload it.
- When I make a mistake, I will apologize and correct it as soon as possible.
- I will attribute all content to the original author if it’s not my own.
- I will stop getting frustrated with people who don’t understand social media and instead will empathize with them.
- I will finally come to the realization that for all the hype I help spread about Twitter, it’s still only used by less than 10% of the U.S. population.
- I will stop telling my clients that they have to have a Facebook page, Twitter account, Second Life presence, or blog. I will instead help them integrate these tools into their strategies where it makes sense.
What about you – what social media new year’s resolutions would you like to see more of?
More human connections – which all of this social media can facilitate.
I like your list, even tho it remains as ambiguous as the ones you made two years ago. 😉 I particularly like point 0 and your second #1.
do you think twitter will die?
Focus less on doing…and more on “doing it well” (LL Cool J style)
Amen! to the “rockstar, ect.”
A resolution I wish others to follow: I will post actual substantive content that provides a workable solution to a problem rather than just making vague statements like “we need better communication” or “engagement is the answer.” I’m tired of sizzle; I want steak!
I’m glad none of these come with a life sentence or I would be locked up for an eternity. Good tips but definitely will be hard to phase out.
I can’t commit to blogging less, any less and I’d have to take my blog down. However, I will definitely incorporate a few of your resolutions into my process this year. Thanx.
I’ll focus on the quality of my connections, not the quantity.