Sharing the love

A colleague in one of my networking groups, Rob Clark of The Elusive Fish, once likened social media to being at a party. He suggested that just as we would at a party, we need to get out and talk to people.

Jean Gogolin (in her WordTales blog, found through links from other bloggers), suggests basically the same thing when she encourages those of us who lurk on blogs to comment. As she says, comment to learn, to become part of a community, to meet compelling people, to add your point of view and more.

I can’t tell you how many times another blogger has (virtually) introduced me to someone else I have found to be funny, smart, interesting, entertaining and with plenty of wisdom to share. Why wouldn’t we let those people know how much we enjoy their words? Why not let them know their words aren’t wafting silently through cyberspace, unseen and unheard?

I was already following Copyblogger and Seth Godin, two of the blogs Jean cites. But she introduced me to the hilarious Naomi Dunford and her Ittybiz (“Work from home tips to help you stay sane”), where I found and ordered Naomi’s cleverly named How to Become an SEO Ninja. I can’t remember where I heard of Danny Evans’ Dad Gone Mad (“this is your brain on fatherhood”) or Quinn Cummings’ QC Report, or Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist (“advice at the intersection of work and life”), but I thoroughly enjoy all of them.

I’ve probably doubled the number of blogs I follow based on mentions from other bloggers or people commenting on them. That’s both a good thing and sometimes not so good, as in when I get distracted from my appointed tasks by reading, following links and, usually, having a good laugh. However, you could say that’s good, too. What day isn’t enriched by a good laugh? And I’m pretty focused when I have a deadline to meet.

My friend and colleague Donna Papacosta at Trafalgar Communications is always very good at commenting, even when I happen to know she’s crazy busy. So I promise to work on my tendency to lurk and do likewise; comment where I have something to say.