By Eleanor Pierce
The new year is almost here, and methinks it’s time for a few New Year’s resolutions.
My first resolution: None of my resolutions will be related to dieting.
Hey, if there’s an upside to being gigantically pregnant (Seriously guys, I’m pretty sure I’ve started waddling. I get winded putting my shoes on these days.) through the holidays and into the new year, it’s not feeling at all guilty about refusing to even think about counting calories. Woohoo!
That said, I do have a few ideas for New Year’s resolutions relating to social media. Some are specifically for marketers, some are for any of us who use social media.
Here is a list of ideas—feel free to take what you like.
Resolve Share Links to Articles You’ve Actually Read
Does this seem like a trend to anyone else: In order to look authoritative on social media, and in order to do this thing we’ve heard about called “curation,” it seems as though there’s more sharing of articles happening than actual reading of articles.
It’s kind of annoying. Let’s resolve to read the stuff we share.
Resolve to Think Through the “Why”
Marketers: Let’s don’t Facebook for the sake of Facebook. Certainly don’t SnapChat just because the kids are doing it.
Think hard about what you’re trying to achieve, come up with a well considered social media strategy, and trace your social tactics to actual goals.
Resolve to Be More Visual
I’m fairly guilty of this, too.
It’s not always easy to think about visuals with social media—it can take extra time and effort, and who always feels like they have time to spare? But, thinking visual for your social strategy pays off.
It works.
Incorporate visuals (and fortunately, we’ve shared some great tools for making this happen) and you’ll be happy with the results.
Resolve to Check Your Facts
Let’s all try being a little more skeptical in 2015. I mean, if we’re not all guilty of major gaffes such as the millionaire teen and the Rolling Stone UVA story debacle, most of us are at least a little guilty of sharing bad science, stuff that fits our political biases if not the facts, or just big, fat lies.
Try this: Bookmark Snopes on your browser. Maybe even Politifact or FactCheck.org.
These sites may not always help with fast-moving news stories, but some of the stuff that goes around is pretty easily debunked.
Resolve Not to Drunk-Tweet (or Facebook, For that Matter)
You probably don’t do this. I certainly never have.
Nope. Not once.
Never.
Still. It’s one to keep an eye on. Perhaps on New Year’s Eve, even (you now, for those of you who will be drinking this New Year’s … )
Resolve to Keep Social Media Social
Don’t just collect connections. Actually connect with them. Serve the people in your networks. Introduce people. Do networking by helping others.
Some of us are better at this than others, but it’s something most of us could do more of, and it helps make all the time we spend on these interwebz feel more like time connecting to other people, and less like time spent staring at glowing screens.
Cut Off the Negativity, But Don’t Fear Exposing Yourself to Contrary Opinions
There’s conflicting data on whether the oft-proclaimed social media echo chamber really exists.
But personally, I know I’m guilty of having hidden, unfriended, or blocked many, many people whose political or social opinions make my blood pressure go up—especially when those opinions lead with anger.
I just can’t with all the raginess.
As a result, sometimes it seems like I rarely see dissenting opinions (unless I get crazy and start reading comments on news sites. And, yikes. Don’t do that.).
I think I’m protecting my sanity, but in a way, I’m protecting my own opinions from being challenged.
In 2015, let’s all try to cultivate friends and connections who offer a differing viewpoint without being jerks. They’re out there.