4 Ways to Rediscover My Social Media Groove

For the past 24 months I had been in a social media groove.

Consider readership for this blog. I started 2009 with an average of about 1,000 unique visits a month. By mid-year my monthly readership had doubled. By Thanksgiving, I was clocking in at nearly 3,000 uniques a month.

Plus, it was an engaged readership. Although most reader comments were in conflict with my views, I was fortunate to have a vocal and opinionated base.

Life was equally rosy in Twitterville. After switching over from micro-blogging deadbeat Plurk, I experienced a rapid rise in followers on Twitter, consistently expanding by 25 percent each month. I crossed the 800 mark by the end of 2009.

I recognize that in a business-to-business environment social media impact is more appropriately measured in quality of contacts rather than quantity. Yet, a healthy, engaged and growing network of followers confers credibility and validates expertise -- critical attributes for a consultant.

I marched into 2010 confident that my social influence would maintain its rise. The universe of participants in online communities continues to expand, affording rabid content creators like myself a broader audience.

So, imagine my dismay at a Google Analytics report that now reveals declining readership for this blog. And post topics that once garnered a dozen or more comments, eke out a reader response or two at best.

The land of Twitter is equally stagnant as my follower community has stalled at just over 800.

What is going on here? I have remained true to my thought leadership approach to content. I boldly step into controversial topics. I appropriately promote my views in social networks and online communities.

How do I rediscover my social media groove?

Here is what I have come up with:

1. Resist the temptation to jump the shark. This is no time for panic or desperation. I have to remain committed to the core mission, goals and editorial direction of my social media engagement.



The hit TV show Happy Days tried to offset its decline in viewership through outlandish story lines.

2. Be proactive in engaging the social media elite. I have to more dutifully read their posts, follow their tweets and track their social activities, identifying opportunities to question their views. This will expose my ideas and opinions to a broad and well defined audience.

3. Accelerate my publishing frequency through contributed content from clients, partners and colleagues. Based on my job responsibilities, I’m good for two blog posts a week and a half dozen or so tweets a day. My objective is to increase both by a third.

4. Cross promote my social media activities more aggressively. I’ve incorporated links in my Email signature line and on my business card. However, I rarely reference the blog during meetings and presentations, or at networking events.