Thursday, June 14, 2012

Have you taken a shine to social media?

This past week a very interesting question was posed, one I had not really thought about but now has got me thinking. Paul PC4T asked the question " Are more and more radio amateurs are using social media such as Twitter and Facebook"  Paul had checked the stats on his blog traffic and it was down....due to what, was the question?? I will be the first to admit I am really not up on the social media scene at all. I do have a Face-book page and Twitter account but I really don't understand them or use them all that often.  Here is my question to the bloggers out there....

1. Do you see social media taking over for blogging?
OR
2. Can social media and blogging work hand in hand?

 How about those who have jumped into the pool of social media how is it working for you? Where and how does it fit in with Amateur radio?

21 comments:

Dick said...

I opened a Facebook account a couple of years ago. Did nothing for me and I ceased reading and posting a month or so later. I never closed it and don't even remember my user name and password, so there it lays slumbering.

I opened a Twitter account, remember my name and password but rarely get on.

I prefer blog reading and writing, even if the subject isn't always amateur radio, and sometimes weeks go by with no updates (like me lately).

VE9KK said...

Good morning Dick, my Facebook account is the same I am not even sure how to post a comment on Facebook anymore.

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Mike, I prefer blogging and reading blogs. I use a Facebook and Twitter account as a portal to my blogpostings. It shure gets me more visitors. Well, thinking about these so called social media....20 years ago it was called radiocommunication or telephone. 73, Bas

DL1SDZ said...

In fact a blog and "social media" can work together. Two different ways of communication which complement each other. But to break it down to the real world.

I have my blog running for over a year now. And I managed to get a connection between my blog and Google+ and Google Hangouts which is complementary and satisfying. I even solved the problem of writing in different areas of interest and to attract the right people. This solution is possible for discussions in Google+ are more content based. It is less a pool of people with the same interests. There were real discussions with more than 100 comments. I collected my experience in my blog.(http://hajos-kontrapunkte.blogspot.de/2012/06/blog-and-google-unite.html) Thanks VE3WDM for your starter question.

Paul Stam PAØK said...

Hello Mike, I think when you ask this question here on your blog and/or on your twitter account, will give you different answers, don't you think so? I use my Twitter account as Bas wrote. Just point to my blog posting. I think bloggers like the slowness of the blog postings. Most of them don't like the fast and constant stream of information like Twitter or facebook. I tend to like the blog format too. Enough time to read and give a comment in due time. 73 Paul

Unknown said...

I don't use Facebook or Twitter and can't see what they might do for me so I'm firmly in the blog camp. I think that if someone doesn't consider what they have to say to be worth writing a few lines of properly spelt and punctuated prose then it won't be worth my time reading it.

Paul Stam PAØK said...

For me it's about the content of a blog that counts. Maybe my blog isn't properly spelt and punctuated prose, but my English is absolutely better than Google translation. Hi. That's another point of reflection: should I write in my own language or English? American English, UK English, Aussie English, King's English or whatever? Even when I write in Dutch it will not punctuated prose. That's for a few gifted people. A minority speak ABN (Comparable with Kings English) in The Netherlands. When I want to read prose I shouldn't visit a ham blog. The choice between a blog and other social media could be a generation gap. Maybe Younger people choose rather Twitter or facebook. 73 Paul

VE9KK said...

Good evening Bas, yes times sure have changed it did not seem to long ago getting on the Internet meant using the phone line. Anyone who called while you were on the net was not able to get through. It's good to know that social media can attract more to the blog.

VE9KK said...

Top of the evening Hajo, yes they sure are different ways to communicate for sure. I will have to do my social media homework as I am not sure what Google+ or Google hangouts are!! Hajo your welcome and I like to stir up conversation.

VE9KK said...

Good evening Paul, yes twitter can be very fast and it's for that reason I mainly check twitter for news feeds. It seems Twitter is just to get info out there with little interaction.

VE9KK said...

Hello Julian, I too (up to this point) have not used either Facebook or twitter to promote either my blog or ham radio. I do have an account in each but just for the sake for having one and getting breaking news. I am now going to have make sure my prose and spelling are in order....:))

VE9KK said...

Hello Julian, I too (up to this point) have not used either Facebook or twitter to promote either my blog or ham radio. I do have an account in each but just for the sake for having one. The only thing I use twitter for is getting fast up to the minute local news.

Top of the evening again Paul, my wife Julie has looked over a post from time to time. She then turns to me and says "I read this and can't believe you have a Masters degree" I tell her it's called spell check!! I have not been known for my writing skills.....but having said that one of the reasons I joined the blog world was to improve those skills along with my creativity.

Paul Stam PAØK said...

Hi Mike, sure, it's a way to improve writing. I have noticed that my English is improving too, when I compare it with many years ago. Of course my Dutch would be better to express myself. Any way, I like the foreign contacts I have with my radio blog. That's the main thing. It's all about sharing and communication. Have a nice weekend, 73 Paul

Casey Bahr said...

Everyone thinks of the big brand names first, FB and Twitter. There are lots of other social media sites and kinds of social media sites. There are even social sites aimed specifically at bloggers! I don't think there are any really successful blogs (depending on how you define success) that don't take advantage of social media. For myself, I deleted my FB page some time ago, but am now strongly considering starting a new one, but not personal, instead for one or both of my blogs.

73!

Jspiker said...

Hello Mike,

I'm strictly a blog reader; although I have a Facebook page too. My Facebook page is for networking on a local level. Mostly for the family since everyone is going in different directions at different times. It's a good way to keep in touch with them.

I find blogs MUCH more interesting. Don't have a twitter account and don't plan to get one. Can they all work together? Probably, but there's different things for different folks.

I don't see blogging being taken over, or left behind, because of either Facebook or Twitter.

VE9KK said...

Good afternoon John, I too see Facebook, Twitter and blogging all having their own place and applications. To have them all work together for me at this point is foreign to me. With some practice I will have no problem getting them to work hand in hand.

VE9KK said...

Good afternoon Casey, I too have a FB page but it's not dedicated to ham radio at all it's more personal. As for Twitter I do have an account there but just check it out for the news feeds. Over the summer I should look into social media and add it to my blog and see how it works out. Happy fathers day and have a great what's left of the weekend.

VE9KK said...

Good afternoon Paul, I too have been happy with my progress with regards to coming up with something to blog about. So the writing skills are coming along...slow but sure....happy fathers day!!

Bert, PA1B said...

Hello Mike, I like blogging. Writing something interesting takes time. So I don't have time for twitter.
The next post on the Blog will be about the CQ WPX, but I still have to do an analysis. Sometimes it's difficult to deside what to analyse. Until now I did not deside yet. hi
I have been writing an very nice article about attenuators, for Sprat. It took some time to write it and to make the drawings. So I had far less time for blogging. Now I am thinking of a next article. hi
73, Bert

VE9KK said...

Good sunny afternoon Bert, I will be very interested in the attenuator article you are working on. Yes Bert there are times when you have other things to do and thats when blog writing time seems to get away from us.

VE9KK said...

Good morning, yes I was surprised by the amount of feedback the posting got. It's great to get everyone thinking out there. Thanks for taking the time to stop by the blog and adding your comment.
Mike