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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Re-post from the IDG: Social Media and Genealogy

Okay, I know what you are thinking, “jeesh another post about social media, whoopee!”  Well, before you pass this by, ask yourself: do I really know what “Social Media” is?  Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Have an answer?  Good.  Social media is hard to define, or even describe to most people, as it is ever changing and almost fluid in the way it evolves over time.  The most important thing to remember is that this concept refers to a community based, online communication forum that relies heavily on sharing of content and collaboration.  To me, that sounds a lot like what genealogists due online and off line. Wouldn’t you agree?
If you asked 10 people what they thought social media was, and to define it, I bet not one of them would give you the same answer.  Of course it all depends on who you asked.  In my opinion there is not a common answer because we each use the platforms that best fit our needs, thoughts, ideas, and patterns.  Some love twitter while others detest it.  Some are pintrest obsessed while others avoid it.  That is the great thing about this ever evolving world of collaboration and sharing: you can make it what you want it to be.  It is like putty that you can shape and mold to fit into your way of doing things. What works for you might not work for someone else, but there is something out there for everyone.
Where do you think you fall on the social media usage scale?  Take a look at this infographic from Media Bistro.  It shows the 12 user personalities on social media, and you can read the full article here.  Do you think you see where you fall?  Maybe you have several personalities depending on what you like to use.  You might be a lurker, an ultra, or even an informer I hope you will be willing to try something new and possibly shift personalities by the end of this post.
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Click here to read the rest of the post over at the In-Depth Genealogist Blog page.

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