Source: Blogbridge
When you want to find useful or entertaining information online about your favorite subject where do you go? When you want to interact with people online that like the same things that you do, where do you go? When you want to share your knowledge online about your favorite subject how do you do it? When you want to meet new people online, where do you go?
If you’re like most people, you’re first step will most likely be to enter your search term in a search engine. The results may be numerous. Now is a good time to narrow your focus. Look for a forum, blog or social network that specializes in your subject of choice. There you will find information, have the ability to interact with others, share your knowledge and meet new people.
When I want to find out about the newest ski gear, I go to my favorite ski forums & blogs. I go there because I love to hear about people’s unique experiences with new products. I love to read about their advice for both pro and con. It’s invaluable. Just for fun, I may also pick up a magazine or two to satisfy my urge to actually turn and page rather than just scrolling one. Old habits are tough to break.
Each medium is different. A forum can have multiple people, posting multiple topics in different threads. Forum members can jump in at any time and respond. Over time, you get to know the regulars and build trust with one another. A blog is written by one or more people. The authors share a more personal view & opinion on the subject at hand. Comments are then made by the readers and a conversation begins. Social networks are a newer hybrid of the two. They allow you to talk in a forum, chat, blog, put up a profile etc. Unless it’s a really focussed social network like LinkedIn or Active Rain, then I think it could become boring after sometime.
Traditionally, print has been the popular choice for finding useful and entertaining information. Is it still? How many of you still buy magazines rather than just viewing the online version of the story? I confess, I love magazines and still buy them. I love the covers, the pictures, the layout and the ads. Yes, I said it. The ads. If I buy a real estate magazine, I’m curious to see the ads because many ads are for new and innovative products. If I buy a ski magazine, I love to see an ad for my favorite Atomic skis or Salomon boots. But here’s the funny thing. I do not like to be bombarded with flashing banner ads or sponsored links when I’m in a forum, blog or website. Why? It’s just distracting. Who likes looking at clutter anyway? We are so desensitized to ads that many never pay attention to them. They seem to be just plain old mediocre. In order for an ad to be really successful & memorable, it needs to be unique and stand out. It seems like that only happens during the Super Bowl.
Take television as an example. Basic tv is free. With that, you get tons of commercials. When a commercial comes on, it’s usually a signal for a bathroom or snack break. Many people use TIVO, a wonderful tool to zap the television ads. What an invention. You get to watch your favorite shows and skip the commercials. Now if you are an advertiser online or on broadcast televison, why do you continue to waste your money? Did you know that word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing? If I want to see an ad, I’ll see one in my favorite magazines.
Blogs and forums are popular because the opinions and advice being shared there are made by regular people who love that niche. They are not being paid to talk something up like in an ad or commercial. I get more value from the real life experience of a regular person than from corporate advertisers. When an advertisement claims they are the best or have the best technology, do you believe them? Or would you believe 5 regular people like yourself who actually have tried the product or service? The answer seems obvious. Their word of mouth means more than any paid advertisement or commercial ever could.
People are naturally social. We want to talk. We want to interact. We want to share our knowledge. We want to fit in. If you’re reading this, most likely you have participated in a blog or forum. But have you been consistent? Are you just lurking? Don’t be shy, jump into the conversation. Who knows, you might make a friend or two. Maybe even find a client.
Jump in? Don’t mind if I do!
You touched on the idea that getting a recommendation from a ‘regular’ person often seems more valid to us than getting that same recommendation from some drone expert on tv. I fully agree with this. I’d also add that blogs and forums are valuable to me because of the variety of opinion. The best experiences are often those where five people post five different points of view on the same topic - leaving you, the discerning reader, to weigh the facts and make up your own mind.
I’m enjoying the blog. Keep up the activity!
Thanks Tyler. Good luck to livium.
And good luck to sellsius
Thank you Sellsius! Your explanation upon these subject has been very
useful for me.Blessings for you and good luck.
Here is some advice, go check out the forums, read and learn. I learn alot everyday just by forums.