The social network burnout backlash continues: Noted by Mark Ghosh of Weblog Tools Collection (and others, but that’s how I found it), the GigaOm blog has a very interesting post today about a project which will allow social network style functionality in WordPress and other blogging systems, called DiSo (also here). There has been some buzz in the blogosphere lately from some of the bloggers I respect, such as Hugh McLeod, Brian Clark, and Darren Rowse about how social networking isn’t exactly stealing any thunder from blogging.
I’ve noticed that some of the new services and plugins available to WordPress bloggers specifically (and in some cases bloggers on other platforms) are designed to enhance and facilitate the social experience of being part of a blogging community (a blog’s authors and readers). Examples are nested comments plugins, subscribe to comments plugins, and forum-like commenting services. So the idea of enhancing the social networking aspects already found in blogging is on trend in the never-ending drive for markets to be conversations.
This trend in general, and the results of the DiSo project in particular, are important to note for business bloggers: freelancers, consultants, micro-ISVs, and forward-thinking companies, all of whom nowadays tend to have to blogs as their main “customer interface.” Having and strengthening that strong connection between you and your customers is critical to maintaining and driving business with a blog. Less technically-inclined people and those who are very busy don’t want to or don’t have time for managing multitudes of social networks. If you already have their trust, time, and attention, you can maximize that by enhancing the social networking aspects of your business blog. This is something that you can look forward to being implemented here, on Remarkablogger, in the near future. I’m going to participate in this general trend in order to see if the case can be made that it will benefit business blogging as I believe it will.
Thanks for the tip about DiSo.
Maybe we should think of social media as the means for mass communication for those who don’t want to maintain a blog?
@Mark: Interesting question. I don’t know if social media are a means of mass communication. I think perhaps social media is more like communication within our circle of influence. More like narrow-casting instead of broadcasting. Some people have bigger circles and more influence than others. My blog is read by a great deal more people than I have on the friend lists of the social networks I belong to.
Michael – it will be interesting to watch – I’m on a little social overload myself. I agree worpress blogs are a great way to have a mini community.
I was wondering just today if all the social networks like facebook, twitter, uttrz, Active Rain for real estate agents etc. are the water coolers of our day and at some point the novelty wares off and we have to all get back to work – it’s amazing the time it can take to maintain social etiquette – somethings gotta give – less networks, less friends, I dont’ …any thoughts
I find that the I am seeing the same faces on all the different social networks. It’s like a small band of friends who hit a different nightclub every hour and share the same information. Any way to streamline this is worth looking into. – Ashley
@Ashley: That’s a pretty apt comparison — good one!
@Michael – Now you can see why I love that girl – she’s so sharp! Got Margaritas? Yum!