Now my first thought was 'it's my social media, don't tell me how I should use it' but as the book was given to me by a friend of the author I thought I really should make the time to read it. I lack 'skill and grace' when dealing with things that wind me up and I open my mouth (send tweets) without actually thinking about the best way to communicate effectively.
I had a mini melt down last week on and about Twitter which has resulted in me unfollowing a large number of people.
I'm fed up of seeing the same hashtags & product reviews by the same people and don't get me started on the bloody blogging awards and 'vote for me' posts doing the rounds at the moment.
I don't hate blog posts about people's lives and experiences. I don't follow or subscribe to any blogs at all, I just pick up links from twitter and Facebook and if the title and introduction catch my attention, I click and read.
I blog about family life as an expat, food, travel, up cycling and charity work. I don't fit a niche, but I have a varied life that throws new challenges up at me daily. My blog is read in the real world, by people who aren't on social media sites, by family and friends, with a large chuck of my 9000 hits per month being world wide and a lot of interest via Russia and China, but those referral sites are a little dodgy to say the least. If like me, and you don't like what you read, then unfollow, walk away as you would do in real life if someone on the street was spouting crap at you for hours on end.
So what has Rich Simmonds' book taught me about Social Communication in a digital age? It has taught me the importance of keeping the private life and the business life separate and I'm thinking it could be time now to decide on what type of blogging focus I should have. The kids have left home, so my advice on parenting teenagers probably isn't relative to many people who are at that stage. What about travel Blogging? Yes I do a lot of travelling and living in South Africa there are numerous opportunities even if it is all local things. Food and up cycling posts? I don't really do many and I've been told my style of writing and general haphazard approach to it, just isn't of interest to the leading retailers.
So what does it leave me with? Charity blogging and fundraising, that's what. I work full time as a volunteer, I'm involved in so many projects that I'm working sometimes 40+ hours a week, either at a facility or behind the scenes researching, fundraising and contacting sponsors.
I guess you could say I haven't really done a review of the book yet, as I've nothing to share with you about my findings, but I've read it, I've made notes and I'm going to try and apply it to a new blog and twitter account, one that focuses on fundraising, charity and education and hopefully keep all the crap on this blog and learn to fit the mould if I want to be successful in encouraging sponsors and donations to come my way.
And if Rich Simmonds' is reading this and fancies following up on Chapter 13, I'm free to meet for that coffee.
Mug and Tweet was published today and is available to buy online.
