I understand what is said in the article (Un)Social Networking, but I cannot agree with it entirely. The article covers that people are basically losing interest in real conversation face-to-face and would rather turn to social network sites like Twitter and Facebook. Conversations are considered more shallow within the social streams.

As a person that writes for TwitterWatchdog.com, I have connected with quite a number of people. Some, I talk to via email, or they visit my site.

Some of the comments that I receive as well as the ones I give at other sites would be enough to write a blog entry alone. Some of my social networking conversations, especially on Facebook are lengthy and can go on for days.

So, here is what I am coming to as the point.

NO – Social networking does NOT break down real communication.

If you are finding yourself unsatisfied with shallow conversations in your social networking circle, then you have failed to know how it works, especially if you are also trying to attract visitors to your website to hopefully continue a conversation on your blog.

You need to find better conversationalists. You can also look up Tweetups in an area near you at TwtVite and meet these people that you have been talking to online.

I actually had a conversation with a guy at my local library while he was using Twitter. He expressed the same concern as Ian’s post that I linked to above. When I explained how he could enrich his social networking experience, his doubts were gone. He now actively meets some of tweeps from the area and hang out.

So, if you are looking to connect or influence others, you need to step out of the box and find people who might be interested in speaking more than a 140 characters.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think social networking encourages less real conversations in person?

Related posts:

1. Social Media 101: Your Business Cannot Rely On Only Social Networking
2. Search Engine versus Social Networking Traffic?
3. Social Network Sites And Blogging Are Hurting the News Industry?

I am not a grammar Nazi. I actually was one years ago and you know, I really had no right. I am dyslexic and have often spelled words wrong or mixed up wording.

But for others who are in the same boat, you can still write in your own words, but you need to be conscious of your articles. For those who want to reach a lot of people and have several writers, it might be ideal to ask someone to proof your blog post.

If English is not your first language, a lot of people understand, but you can also benefit from getting a second opinion. I used to be married to a guy (we are still friends) who spoke Spanish as a first language and often writes exactly how he speaks. The verb tenses and sentence structure are not the same. I was lucky that I studied Spanish for 8 years before I ever met him because I probably would have never understood why he said things in such an awkward format. A lot of other languages have a somewhat similar story when translating to English.

In doing so will only increase the chances that your blog will be understandable to others who know English as a second, or third, or more language. There are quick dictionaries that are online like Dictionary.com to help with vocabularly issues too.

Remember, your writing just needs to be understandable and be able to provide a way for the reader to connect. It does not have to be perfect. Even in English, it can be hard to find the right words.

Do you sometimes have problems finding the right words? Is English your first language or is it secondary language?

Related posts:

1. Guest Blogging: Does It Really Help Your Site?
2. WordPress Plugin Review: Global Translator
3. Blogging And Working in Groups

It is important to not put so many tags in your posts. Like keywords, the density should be low. For sites that contain a lot of posts that talk about the same subjects, but not exactly be the same, it might be best to use something different than another post.

Though I have no definite number that is generally acceptable, you can use tools like Website Grader to see if you are excessively tagging. For Blondish.net, I use anywhere between 1 to 5 tags. Considering my front page has 8 articles, my front page could have a collective tag number of between 8 to 40. Obviously, 40 is a lot, so I have to try to make sure the tags I use are fewer than that.

Now, keep in mind tagging and keywords are not exactly the same. Tagging is just another way to organize an article in your’s sites navigational system. However, sometimes the search engines do pick up these tags. In fact Lorelle, writes a great article even way back in 2006 that I think is still quite relevant called Keywords Versus Tags.

Although there are great SEO plugins that can help for your site, make sure you are applying the same concept in using keywords there too. This is where you can use a few complex keywords, rather than use the tagging system to stuff words in.

So as an overview:

- Make sure to use only a few tags per article
- Be clear with your tags
- Optional: Use a SEO plugin if you want to write more complex keywords, rather than rely on the default tag system.

What is your policy on tagging?

Related posts:

1. SEO 101: Meta Tags
2. Search Engine Optimization
3. Guest Post: Applying SEO To The Title Tag

I felt that my response could be better stated in an article rather than a long comment. I tend to get winded in my comments.

Blogs can be very similar to plants. Your design is the soil- the foundation to prepare for your plant. The seed is the content itself that needs nuturing. You can nuture your site by bring in people to read and comment. Each comment quenches the seed’s needs in order to grow.

As more seeds are planted, the blog becomes like a garden of various flowers.

Is that a cheesy analogy? For me… no.

It is important that you find out how to make your blog grow. Some methods work better than others, and some work hand-in-hand. Some great places to find people who are interested:

• Social networking sites
• forums
• relevant blogs in your niche

In return, you can help nuture other sites too by leaving comments. It only takes a minute to do and can prove to be valuable to the website owner. Do not be afraid to ask how you can improve your own site and what you should do to promote it?

How do you nuture your blog?

Related posts:

1. The Art of Blogging: Do Not Be Afraid To Leave Comments
2. Blogging and Social Identities: Make Yourself Available
3. The Art of Blogging: Trends for Commenting

We got to talking about businesses who believe that just having a social network handle alone would not cut it. He said and I paraphrase “Whoever thinks that is crazy.”

I laughed because even though it was funny… it was TRUE!

I love to meet new people, especially business owners and this was a true joy to hear from someone who has been doing business for a while, passionate about what they do, and have made an honest reputation.

It is hard and takes work to build a dojo, especially in small towns. In fact, any business can be difficult. However, bringing it online gives a face to the business and the surrounding community. However, having just a Facebook account alone or even a Twitter account will not cut it! A blog is also a tool. You should have a website. You should also connect at forums and communities relevant to your field.

Only using a social network is like “cutting off your nose despite your face.” You have the opportunity to tell people about your business, why not find out how? There are so many people online, including myself that give free advice on how to do this.

Is social media that intimidating to some? It is just another form of marketing.

You do not have to have loads of money to do these things. However, you do need to invest your time and some money. A well rounded presence online will increase your chances of being heard and possibly be the person that others will want to know, even do business with.

Have you heard people talk about it this? Or have you talked to anyone who has a business and has not made that next step?

Related posts:

1. Social Media: For Those In Business
2. Social Networking Breaks Down Real Communication? What?!?
3. Why Social Media Could Be For Everyone