Just a few years ago, while chatting up a client at a cocktail party or meeting over lunch, if you would have said any form of these three words they might have thought you a bit unbalanced.

“Check please.”

Honestly, it took me a bit to fully grasp the idea of social media as more than a place to re-up with old friends or college roommates.  Social media to me means more than just sharing links, which I’m very good at, but to engage people that I would not normally have contact with.  Social media as a whole has been pretty good to me.  I get my message and photos out.

Freshwater Images was founded in March 2009.  My first tweet through @freshwatertweet follows:

launching a new brand, company and creative direction all in the same day, might need some more coffee.

2:21 PM Mar 8th from web

While I still share lots of random links and self promote I also try to provide value to anyone and everyone.  I try not to simply climb to top of a tall building and scream, “Here I am.  Now pay attention to me.”

That example is like a car alarm.  Why do people even use such an annoying device.  No one listens anyway.  I have never gotten up and said, “Wow, some dude’s car is getting stolen around the block.  We should check it out.”  Be honest, have you ever checked it out?  I love my neighbors, but my neighbors also don’t have car alarms.  I value my neighbors not having car alarms.

>Social media, in a way, works in the same function.  A wise man, @tonyfelice, gave me the tip to provide value.  It totally makes sense and he’s right.

What is the point if you don’t give something of value?  You have such a small space to focus your words but an unlimited amount of ideas and thoughts that someone or many someone’s may build from or improve.  The hope is that someone or those many someone’s will do the same with their limited amount of space and provide you with something of value.

Below is a word cloud of just a few days of Tweets.  I’ve been experimenting with hashtags (shift+3) – small markers that include more information or metadata into your otherwise awesome Tweet.  Say you work on an organic farm and Tweet between chores.  A good example of using a hashtag would be:

Bright Ridge Farms is looking for some good ideas regarding #organic-farms and #organic-food for our next round table discussion.

There is no formula for being a genius social networker.  Some may disagree with that statement, but what can be agreed on is that there are many known unknowns – as someone once said.

Your job is to figure out the known unknowns, for your company or brand, and Tweet with the Twitter you are given.

Cheers,

Nathan

(Author’s Note: This was previously posted on a former blog of mine. You can berate me in the comment section for recycling a post, if you feel the need.)