Or are they?
I had a great conversation with a new friend the other day and it drove home some thoughts and beliefs I already had, but know that many people struggle with when it comes to social media. If no one connects or responds, are we making an impact? If no one comments on our blog post, does that mean no one likes it or found value in it? If a Tweet goes out and no one mentions it ever again, did anyone even read it?
You can read the original post, Social Media: Where is everyone? on my site, but I wanted to share it with ActiveRain as well.
Why is it that every freeze frame YouTube picks, I wind up looking like a maniac?
Matt, you make a very good point about the need to "keep at it" even if we aren't getting any response. Just this morning I saw a post on here from someone wondering what's the point of blogging because he wasn't getting any comments on his blog posts. Isn't the point of all social media to reach potential buyers or sellers...not necessarily to get comments?
It reminds me of webinars that I have taught where all lines were muted for the presentation. I am all about engaging the listener and when I don't have feedback I wonder how many are playing solitaire instead of listening to me.
The same is true of Social Media. Without feedback you wonder if anybody knows about it but you, but long term you see the results.
We call them "lurkers" (not a derogatory term), and they're out there. And if you're still around, still blogging, and posting when they're ready... they WILL contact you (even if you have a still shot that makes you look like you're having a mild seizure!)
suggested
Karen - My friend's point was that she read what I wrote, but because she didn't need a Realtor® this very second, she didn't immediately connect. The good news is that she is aware of me and associates me with real estate. That's the key point. She also made me laugh because we spoke about postcards (she gets them from two agents, neither of which is the agent that sold her the house) and how ineffective they were to someone like her. It was a great discussion.
Matt it is the same for me on Face Book.. I throw out comments and just hang out at different intervals of the day... and I get leads that way.
Just last night, someone sent me a note saying they wanted to purchase land. I normally don't even see posts or comments from this person. However, if I do see her I "like" her posts or what ever.
You see, my name on FB is Sussie Sutton-Realtor so every time they see a comment from me they see my face, my name AND MY OCCUPATION.
They may not need my services right now but when they think REALTOR they will think ME!
So it has to be the same way for video and if I ever figure that baby out WATCH OUT!
Do vblogs get the hit ratings that regular blogging does? I completely concur with your comment about they already connect with you. I've had people I haven't met in 10 years become friends as a result of "following me" on facebook.
Matt - When I first started blogging, I worried about this, that was until I started getting leads from my blogs (I have more than one) and I discovered that most of the posts that consumers in my market were reading and contacting me about were my hyper-local posts that often had little to no comments.
From that point on, I realized that all the other stuff (points, ranking, comments, features, etc...) don't mean crap because my target audience (consumers in my market) were finding me and reading me. I think the best compliment I get from my prospects and leads is when I am talking to them and they are quoting something they read in one of my blog posts. Thats when you know that you're getting heard.
Matt - Loved your video. Thanks so much for the pep talk cause I often wonder about this very same thing! Happy Friday!!!
Matt,
You raise some very interesting points and something that alot of folks need to hear.
I ended up showing houses all afternoon, due to the blogging we do and leading them to our website.
Matt, I am learning everyday the importance of social media networking. I am working it! I am developing my new staging business and my "brand" as well as defining my style of staging... I am building confidence in blogging and almost ready to venture into posting blogs on the industry.... so much of it with staging is just repetitive. What I don't understand, at Twitter why, one stager with a training program, continually posts, minutes apart about a webinar, course, etc. The same post over and over again.... why? It really just "bugs" me....
Sorry everyone, I haven't been listening.
Just kidding.
I have been listening. I'm always listening.
Hey Matt, I'm fairly new to this social media concept, having only started bloggin on Jan. 1, 2011 but I have faith that it will work and am trying to follow the advice of creating relevant, good content. Whether on not my content IS good is up for debate, but that's what I'm trying right now . . .