Posts Tagged ‘Pinterest’

 

Tumblr + Pinterest = Medium

Saturday, August 18th, 2012

What if there were a way to combine the visual interest of Pinterest with the blogging simplicity of Tumblr?

This past week Biz Stone and Evan Williams, co-founders of Twitter, did just that when they launched the new site Medium.com.

What Is Medium.com?

From the creators:

“Media is still the “connective tissue of society,” as Clay Shirky eloquently put it. And we think it can be better. Better for creators. Better for consumers. Better for the world. So, we’re re-imagining publishing in an attempt to make an evolutionary leap, based on everything we’ve learned in the last 13 years and the needs of today’s world.”

My own take on Medium is that its a faster, sleeker social media platform for those who appreciate design over writing copy.

Why Would I Use Medium?

Though the ability to post onto Medium is not yet open to everyone, the draw to incorporate Medium into your social media consumption and production is two fold:

1. You don’t have to become a blogger to use it (read: no writing).

2. You don’t have to develop an audience.

For some, those are two major selling points that other social media platforms don’t offer.

Take it For a Spin

Admission: I was a bit skeptical. Another social media site? Really?

And as the saying goes: don’t knock it ’til you try it.

So I jumped onto Medium.com and read this page. I found myself saying yes a lot while reading more and more about why Stone and Williams founded the new scocial media site.

Initially, many users who feel that Pinterest is just for recipes and fashion will enjoy Medium’s Pinterest-esque feel with it’s broader scope of topics and interests. Many Tumblr users who don’t want to take the time to write copy will also be drawn to the layout and simplicity of Medium.

I particularly enjoyed a sample page called Been There. Loved That.

Have you tried Medium? If so, leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Seven Pillars of Social Media Content

Friday, April 6th, 2012

Social media’s exponential growth affords myriad opportunities for meaningful connection and interaction.

Along with the many opportunities for connection, pitfalls also lurk within every post, tweet, or share if guidelines are not applied.

Much like a gangly teenager seeking to feel comfortable in an ever-changing body, many users of social media’s capabilities feel the continual growing pains. Teens often need guidelines.

No guidelines, know trouble.

Know guidelines, no trouble.

Source: keithmaguire

Pillar One: Don’t clog the feed.

You’re at a holiday party, trapped in the corner of the room with the guy who won’t stop talking. This guy’s not making any friends.

Similarly, Facebook, Twitter and nearly any other social media platform exists to build relationships, not conversation monopolies.

Pillar Two: Do provide value.

Pinterest is an excellent example of providing value provided it’s users pin content that is helpful, usable and beneficial.

Pillar Three: Don’t grow silent.

At a recent Dale Carnegie seminar on How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age, the instructor admonished that “Twitter is a microphone.”

When that mic grows silent, the web-space goes dead.

Pillar Four: Do share.

Remember that guy who wouldn’t stop talking at the party? He’s not a giver, he’s taker.

Sharing is caring.

Pillar Five: Don’t be negative.

People gravitate toward the helpful, the positive.

People also quickly unfollow, unfriend and unlike the negative.

Pillar Six: Do keep it brief.

Content is king, yes. But the king now has many crowns and he’s a busy, busy man.

Creating content with pictures, infographics and video are powerful ways to engage your audience with brevity.

Pillar Seven: Don’t make it enjoyable.

As social media is about engaging in conversations, it should be fun. Zig Ziglar, selling guru, one said that “selling is a transference of feeling.”

What do you want your content to accomplish? How do you want your readers to feel?

If you have fun doing it, chances are your readers will enjoy it as well.