Tag Archives: engagement

Being Social on Social Media

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Yesterday, as I was riding my bike, I was thinking about just how awesome social media has been in my life. I love nothing better than to engage with new friends all over the world. And, really, isn’t engaging with people the very definition of social?

I used to love twitter so much. I still do but the truth is, it’s just not as much fun as it once was. The people I was friends with in the beginning have moved off of twitter and over to facebook. Fortunately, I connected with them there so I haven’t really lost anyone that I cared about but I’m sad that I don’t have the extensive conversations I used to have on twitter. I still work it really hard but that’s just it: it’s harder now than it used to be to have a conversation on twitter. At my gym in California, I was talking to one of the guys and he said, “Oh, twitter is just a broadcasting platform”. Umm, no it’s not. Is that what people think now? Is that why it’s changed so much?

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I have twitter followers from around the world. 53 different countries! I love that but talk to me, please!

Over the past year or so I’ve fallen madly and passionately in love with snapchat. By it’s very design, it’s an engagement platform and I’m rather blown away by all of the incredible people I’ve connected with there.

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 As the reigning Mrs. Southwest International, I have my community service platform to promote and I’ve done it well on snapchat. I’ve had conversations with people all over the world and I’m set to make appearances as Mrs. International in five foreign countries should I win the international crown. 

I’m absolutely amazed to have connected with people who realize that keeping kids safe from concussions is a message that needs to be spread far and wide and I, personally, will not rest until I’ve told everyone. Just this morning, I connected with another of my followers who is, himself, a former hockey player and a TBI (traumatic brain injury) survivor. I learned that his mom has been helping TBI survivors for 26 years through a foundation she started. That’s good stuff she is doing. 

The reason I connected with him is because, in his snap story today, he asked what the meaning for Snapchat ROI is to you. To me, currently, it’s the connections I’ve been making for my platform. But it will no doubt change over time as my life changes. 

This is the sort of thing you miss if you aren’t social on social media, though. You will never make the incredible connections that could change your life. I love people and I love social media. I will keep engaging my little heart out on all platforms because, truly, social media is a dream vehicle that can take you anywhere you want to go! 

 

Awesome engagement!

snapcode_pinkSnapchat is such a great platform to me. Although it’s my smallest network, it’s definitely my most engaged network. Yesterday, I had a lengthy discussion with a woman in The Netherlands about concussion and CTE. This morning, I had a new follower who coaches football for first and second graders in Texas. I talked to him about CTE and Flag Until 14. I even had one person who follows me be so interested that I was working against CTE that he googled me and found out I was a powerlifter as he is! So, anyway, I love snapchat. smile emoticon

One BIG Reason I Probably Won’t Follow You On Twitter

Twitter is my happy place. I tweet to meet new friends, keep up with old friends, and help connect people. Those are my priorities.

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I love to engage. To me, that’s what twitter is all about and if you’re missing that, you’re missing the absolute treasure twitter can be whether you use it for business or pleasure.

I have a lot of followers right now and I’m sure that if I followed everyone who follows me, I could have more. But I’m picky. I don’t want to miss anyone so I have one big thing I look for when someone follows me.

So here it is:  Do you talk to other people?

If I click into your profile and see only broadcast tweets and no engagement, I won’t follow you no matter what you’re tweeting. I’m not on twitter to buy anything. I’m on twitter to get to know people so I can have coffee with a friend anywhere I go in the world.

@DougDowen and I carpe'-ing the java

@DougDowen and I carpe’-ing the java

If you aren’t on twitter to talk to people, get to know them, you are seriously missing the best part of the twitter experience, in my opinion. I have learned so much and come to know so many cool people. How in your life could you do this if not for twitter?

So go for it. As my twitter friend @LizStrauss said the other day:

 

— Liz Strauss (@lizstrauss) February 1, 2014
I dare you. 🙂