When it comes to the Internet, everyone is interested in conversation, comments, friends, followers, tweets and more. But, one of the best ways to better understand why the Internet has become a very Social Media is to start sharing even more.
Yes, you may be sharing information in places like Facebook and Twitter. You may be sharing your photos on Flickr. You may even be sharing access to your professional network on LinkedIn, but it’s not enough and that is only the first step. What makes sharing ever-more powerful online is when you start sharing the information and content that you find valuable with your community. What makes the Internet so fascinating is how much information each one of us consumes. The really great stuff we store, keep or hold for later.
Why not share all of that great content?
Here are 6 ways to share some more:
- Share with Google Reader. If you’re using a news reader like Google Reader (and, if you’re not, start doing so immediately), it is very easy to "star" information (to save it for later). But, under each news item that you open, there is also the ability to "share". For one week, try sharing everything you would normally star. Also, when you do share, Google provides you with a publicly viewable URL (here’s mine: Google shared Items). Make sure to share that URL as well (put it in your Blog, sig file or even mention it on Twitter).
- Share with SlideShare. If you give presentations or workshops, SlideShare is an online social network where people connect and share their presentations. If your slides have rich content on them, why not share it with your community? You may also be surprised how many new and interesting people you will meet.
- Share with Twitter. Tons of micro-content passes through Twitter everyday. A lot of times, it is either people promoting what they’re up to or a conversation that you’re not directly engaged in. For every five tweets you send out like that, consider sending out one (or two) that direct people to something that has captured your imagination and ask for people’s opinions and insights.
- Share with Facebook. While RSS is one of the best ways to get information, it’s safe to say that we are in a state of information overload. If you Blog or post any kind of information on your own space (it could be images, audio, video or text), why not add that link to your Facebook profile as well? I do this with my Blog posts from Six Pixels of Separation, and that simple act of sharing a little more in a different channel creates a whole different type of engagement and conversation.
- Share with Email. Email is not dead. Each and every one of us uses email to communicate. If you see something that might be of interest to a friend or colleague, forward it to them via email. There’s a good chance that this person is not using a platform like Google Reader and when content is shared with more of a personal note (something like, "I saw this article online and thought you might like it, so I am emailing it to you. Please let me know what you think"), you may be surprised at how important it makes the person receiving it feel. By the way, you can email news items directly from Google Reader, which makes it even easier to share.
- Share by burning a CD or mix a MP3 file. If you listen to audio Podcasts, then you know there is a deep and rich amount of valuable content available to consume. Subscribing and syncing Podcasts to a MP3 device (like an iPod) is not complex, but it’s not the simplest thing in the world to do either. Why not grab four or five episodes of different Podcasts that have really made you think and rip them to a CD for a colleague? This way you can create copies and share this content with those who may not be inclined to get online and download them for themselves. If you know people who are better with tech, why not group a bunch together and provide your community with a simple place to grab and listen to the MP3?
Ultimately, the most amazing part of this Digital channel is our newfound ability to share everything, so please do share some more.
What are some of the unique and different ways that you are sharing what you’re learning about and finding online?