The Organised Approach to Websites, Part 2: Social Networks

This post is part of a series.  You can find part 1 here.

Photo by luc legay.

Social networking sites are places to meet new people, and potentially attract new readers to your site.  The problem is, there are so many networks for you to join.  BlogCatalog, MyBlogLog, StumbleUpon and Entrecard all have something slightly different to offer you and they all want you to use them.  Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg: there are many, many networks for you to discover, try out, and potentially use in the long term.

With so many sites to choose from, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed.  What if you try a few sites and don't like any of them?  Does that mean the other sites aren't worth trying either?  Conversely, if you love the sites you've tried, what else could other sites offer you?  And if you're new to social networks, where do you start?

This is where the organised approach to websites comes into play.  This approach may well ease your experience of trying out new social networking sites and deciding if they're for you.

Creating your five-step approach

The original five-step approach we looked at in part 1 can be used for things other than writing blog posts, but it may require some tweaking.  Here are the basic steps I'd suggest using for reviewing social networks:

1. Identify the networks you're going to try out.  You can try two or three at once if you have time.  The important thing is not to try too many all at once.
2. Plan and research.  Set a date when you'll join each network.  Decide how long you'll use each network for, based on your available time and how much each site has to offer.  Register a username on each of the sites you'll be using and browse around.  Don't put your site up or create a profile as you're browsing.  Make of note of some approaches you'd like to use for each network, such as customisation options, adding friends, joining groups, requesting support and so on.
   
3. Start using the sites.  The timescales aren't strict - don't feel you have to time yourself on each site - but try to balance the time you spend on each site so you're not neglecting one of them.  Level the playing field - make sure you have enough time to look over each site in a fair amount of detail.  Don't get frustrated with a site and abandon it.  Above all make sure you set aside the time to try out each site.  You should have planned to use the sites when you can spare the time, but if unexpected circumstances occur, reschedule.
4. Review your results.  Which networks did you like?  Which were easy to use?  Which had good support?  Which was the most beneficial network for your site, and why?  Also, have a look at your traffic sources to see if the networks you used generated any new clicks to your site.  Refer to part 4 of my Google Analytics guide if you need help.
5. Document your findings.  This is a perfect opportunity to write a great blog post.  Others will thank you if you give the site a fair trial.  There is no issue with disliking a site if you explain the good and the bad points, and readers will be much more likely to try out the site you like best if you tell them why they should consider it.  You don't need to have a site that focuses on blogging tips.  Lots of people want to know what others think of the various networks out there.  Why not try a few networks that are just starting out so you can give them some valuable feedback, and possibly attract some new users to the sites, too?

What if everyone writes a post like this?

Think about people who review their favourite band's new album.  These people are familiar with past releases from the band, some will like the new album no matter what, others will say it's like a new beginning for the band, others will be disappointed.  Of course, it really depends on whether the album is any good!  But if 100 people review an album, why shouldn't you have your say as well?

The key is in writing a post with your voice rather than just stating the facts, i.e. what a social networking site provides.  If you and 10 other people write a post about BlogCatalog, don't worry about all the other sites who publish that post.  As long as you write your opinions and whether you think the site's worth using or not, people will want to know what you have to say.

Do I have to write a post about it?

Not if you don't want to.  If you'd rather use this approach to review social networking sites for your own purposes, that's your call.  But seeing as you're doing the research, trying out each site and deciding which ones you'll stick with, why not share your thoughts with others?  After all, that's a big part of blogging: sharing your opinions.

What do you think?

Have you published any posts with your opinions on different social networking sites?  (blogging networks or otherwise)
Are you sometimes overwhelmed by how many sites there are to try?
Would this approach help you?

Reminder: In part 5 of this series, I'd like to feature anyone who is willing to give this approach a try.  You only need to explain how you will be applying my ideas to your blog or website.  There will be a follow-up post at a later date to see how you're getting on.  Your site will be linked from mine.  If you're interested, please leave a comment.