Social Media - Drinking from a fire hose
Time is money. Yet, anyone with a passion for social media knows all too well how easy it is to lose sight of that principle.
The deep abyss that is the Web can take even the most diligent surfer on a seemingly endless journey of blog posts, articles, research reports and YouTube videos. Sitting at my computer a few hours in, I often jar myself out of semi-unconsciousness wondering what piece of information I had set out in search of in the first place.
For those of you who want to be thought leaders in your own niche and balance the rest of your life, here are 4 technologies that when used for good (not evil), will power you to social media super-stardom. Ok, perhaps that is a bit overstated. What they will give you is a couple of hours back. What you use those hours for is up to you.
1. Google Reader – How to drink from the fire hose? Google Reader is the answer. Through the use of RSS feeds I point all the content I am interested in reading to Google Reader. The incredible fact is that virtually everything on the Web can be transformed into an RSS feed. Want to keep track of trending keywords on Twitter? Follow someone on Facebook or LinkedIn? Keep tabs on what your competitors are doing? All of this can be funneled to Google Reader to allow for easy browsing. From there, your information can be sent almost anywhere – Email, Twitter, Delicious, Evernote, or your own blog. To learn how to use Google Reader the most effective place to start is YouTube. For rookies start with watching Google Reader in Plan English. For a more advanced understanding watch Ed Dale‘s three videos introducing the viewer to ever increasing levels of functionality.
If you liked this video thare are two more just like it:
Instapaper screenshot
2. Instapaper – Now that you have the social media fire hose firmly pointed at you how do you manage it? Google Reader allows you to organize the content but now you have to do something with it. Instapaper to the rescue. In short, Instapaper easily bookmarks the article so you can read it again later. Why you ask? Time is money. In my case, I have approximately 200 feeds headed my direction. I use Instapaper the way a nurse would triage an emergency waiting room. Using Google Reader I quickly sort through the articles sending those articles I believe are worth a in-depth read to Instapaper. Once sent, the article is automatically downloaded ensuring that when I do get back to it I don’t have to wait for it to load. Have I mentioned that time is money?
3. HootSuite – Now that you are armed with content ready to share the trick is how to do it efficiently. If you are like me you have multiple accounts – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, the list goes on. In fact, you might even have two or three in each channel depending on the verticals or niches you cover. Hootsuite allows you to post once in many places. Load your account information, write your posts, and presto – your content is published across your multiple channels. You can even share account access allowing more than one person to post to a single account. For corporate social media leaders this tool is a godsend.
iPad & Iphone - Essential tools for advanced social media
4. iPhone/Ipad – I know people are probably sick of hearing about the iPhone, or its steroid enhanced sibling the iPad, but the reality is that for anyone serious about social media it is an essential tool. Android users your time is coming. Using an iPhone, the iPad and its a corresponding series of apps, anyone can be a thought leader in their preferred niche. One word of advice invest in the 3G iPad. I didn’t and I am still kicking myself.
From free to $4.99, here are a set of apps I believe are worth investing your time and money in:
- MobileRSS Pro and Reeder – Allows you to take Google Reader with you.
- Instapaper – Make the investment and purchase the $4.99 version.
- Hoostuite and Twittelator Pro – Hootsuite’s app even allows you to schedule re-tweets while Twittelator Pro’s integration with Instapaper is sleeker and faster than Hootsuite’s. I use both.
Share your thoughts – I am always on the lookout for software and technologies that help me stay on top of my niches and allow me to spend more time with my beautiful wife and kids. If you have found something that works for you please share by leaving a comment and link. I promise to return the social media love.
P.S. This blog post is part of an assignment for my Social Media Certificate Program at Algonquin College.
Hi Doug,
I’m a huge fan of both Google Reader and Instapaper. I actually dedicate one class of GED3202 to managing information overload and those are two of the tools I introduce students to. I’ll check out HootSuite – TweetDeck is my current choice.
I’m wondering what you think of the new MarkMeHere tool at Algonquin? I’m the developer, and have had great feedback from teachers who have found surprising increases in student engagement, but little feedback from management. Any thoughts from your end?
Tyler