Thursday, July 23, 2015

How Can We More Effectively Manage Multiple Social Media Networks?

If you're like me you manage multiple social media networks.  Though my commitment varies across networks, you can find my on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram.  Not only am I participating in these various social networks, but I follow several people across these platforms.  I'm noticing that friends have two styles of posting:  some push the same information out across all networks and some tailor posts to the particular network.  With the plethora of social media networks available I'm hoping you'll share in the comments your thoughts and suggestions about managing multiple social media networks.

Each time I join a social network I try to determine my purpose within that network.  There are times common threads run across my social media accounts, but I try to post differently in all networks so friends who follow me across spaces see different updates.  I suppose this could make me appear one dimensional if you only follow me on one network, but I'm hoping it works toward my purpose.

My Purposes within Social Media
Twitter:  Twitter has really become my professional home.  I want to apologize to every friend outside of my educational life who decides to follow me here.  For me, Twitter is all about networking, finding information, joining professional conversations, and making learning connections.  I host three accounts (yes - I may have a problem).  My main account, @CathyMere, is focused on professional conversation around literacy, technology, and practices that grow the work I do with children.  I also host an account to support public education, @PublicEd4Kids.  Here I follow, and occasionally tweet, about policy, politics, and information that supports public education. My last account is where I share information for our school community about reading.  From @DarbyCreekReads, I send important updates to parents, share reading information, and post learning celebrations from my students.

Google+:  Google+ is one of the spaces people keep pulling me into despite all of my efforts to resist (my Google+ account).  I've come to enjoy Google+ and use it entirely for professional purposes.  I find Google+ to be my favorite space for working in learning communities.  The ability to create groups, organize subheadings within communities, interact with others in connected conversation (all in one space), write updates with more information, add links/images/etc., and other features make this the perfect space for gathering as a community.

LinkedIn:  I recently joined LinkedIn and use it only for professional purposes as I kept getting requests to join. I really haven't explored its abilities to connect and interact.

Pinterest:  I use Pinterest for personal and professional reasons.  This is probably the one space where my worlds collide most.  My main account, Catmere, hosts personal and professional boards.  You'll find me posting links to favorite recipes, quotes I find inspiring, writing mentors, and links to rethink education.  I also host two other Pinterest accounts:  Cathy Mere Books (Started when I was having problems with Listmania.  Here I collect links to book collections I like to return to for teaching.) and Mrs. Mere's Class (Links for families).

Instagram:   I'm the last to jump on the Instagram bus.  My daughter convinced me I needed to give it a try after watching me continually snap pictures of favorite places, flowers, and interesting things that catch my eye with my phone.  I've decided to use Instagram more personally @cathymere1.  I also like to share poetry here.  It just seemed a good place to bring poetry and image together.

Facebook:  Though I follow many educators and many education related pages on Facebook, most of my posting is personal.  I use this platform to connect with family, friends, and educators I've gotten to know over the years.

For me, having a purpose and focus for various accounts makes it easier to organize the media I share.  I'm hoping it helps those who follow me to see a variety of information instead of seeing the same posts across networks (though I know sometimes something has to come across my feed five times before I see it).  What are your thoughts?  How do you organize and manage your social media networks?  Do you think it is best to send the same or different information across networks (and why?)?

3 comments:

  1. I primarily use Twitter and Facebook, with a smattering of Google+ and LinkedIn. I have "growing bookworms" accounts on Twitter and Facebook, in addition to my main accounts, and I do social media for the Cybils and KidLitCon. I use HootSuite to share any articles or blog posts that I run across, and I decide for each article which audience(s) might be interested in that. I can't share to Google+ from HootSuite, so I mainly use that to share my own blog posts. And I rarely share anything on LinkedIn, because I use that purely for keeping up with work contacts (and my work is unrelated to my blogging). Like you, I use Facebook more personally, and will enter updates directly there. I definitely couldn't do it without HootSuite's ability to share to multiple platforms - I try not to have the entire stream be the same on any platform, but I definitely cross-post things.

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  2. I like how you determine a purpose for each network.
    Helpful to read how you use them.

    How do you have three Twitter accounts? Is it possible with one email address?

    I chose to not be on Facebook and Instagram now. Wonderful in many ways but I found it was too much for me. I decided to just stick with Pinterest and Twitter.

    With Twitter, I do not follow friends and family. I wanted it to be for teachers and professional development (and I enjoy inspirational words from authors and speakers). However, I do keep a private list of family and friends that I can go to from time to time.

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  3. Cathy I have a similar outlook and plan with my social networks. Facebook is typically personal but has some educational posts because it's a part of who I am. Twitter is strictly professional; I have a second account for my class. I do follow a few people for my entertainment but that's it. I do not use Linkedin or Instagram, I feel like it's too much to keep up with. Like you, Pinterest is where my two worlds collide. I have one account and everything is on there.

    I like keeping things separate, my non teacher friends do no want to see tons of education posts and my teacher acquaintances do not want to see the deer in my back yard. :)

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