Comments on: How high is your bar set? http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/ Helping companies understand the 'social' part of social media Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:27:18 +0000 hourly 1 By: Leslie Linevsky http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-5063 Leslie Linevsky Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:31:45 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-5063 This is a wonderful post; what a great visual you created with the trauma-filled pass-catching line. It is a challenge to remember to add a "wink" to our social media efforts, like building our fan base on Facebook. We are concentrating on interactions, not numbers, and believing that engaging is more important than collecting. There is no formula to draw out a comment or a thumbs up, but we remember that other horrible place in school: the lunchroom. So, we are adding a friendly "come sit with us!" to our messaging. It's supposed to be fun, not intimidating! This is a wonderful post; what a great visual you created with the trauma-filled pass-catching line. It is a challenge to remember to add a “wink” to our social media efforts, like building our fan base on Facebook. We are concentrating on interactions, not numbers, and believing that engaging is more important than collecting. There is no formula to draw out a comment or a thumbs up, but we remember that other horrible place in school: the lunchroom. So, we are adding a friendly “come sit with us!” to our messaging. It’s supposed to be fun, not intimidating!

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4963 Mack Collier Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:16:47 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4963 Thanks Shane! I appreciate your first comment, hope you'll stick around! What's your Twitter name, I want to make sure I am following you and that everyone else here can as well. Thanks Shane! I appreciate your first comment, hope you’ll stick around! What’s your Twitter name, I want to make sure I am following you and that everyone else here can as well.

]]> By: Shane http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4945 Shane Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:24:05 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4945 Nice post Mack! Totally agree on it, I've been following your blog for a while and have not commented :) though I have shared the ones i like out on twitter. It is important to lower the bar and be accessible to a larger audience as people do tend to get intimidated by the SM gurus or Subject Matter Experts even if they do have something of value to share. Nice post Mack! Totally agree on it, I’ve been following your blog for a while and have not commented :) though I have shared the ones i like out on twitter. It is important to lower the bar and be accessible to a larger audience as people do tend to get intimidated by the SM gurus or Subject Matter Experts even if they do have something of value to share.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4930 Mack Collier Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:43:15 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4930 David you're right, I don't think this approach works for every post, and honestly if your content is always 'easily accessible', it likely won't be as valuable to your readers, since it won't be pushing them to think in new ways. It's a tradeoff, I think. David you’re right, I don’t think this approach works for every post, and honestly if your content is always ‘easily accessible’, it likely won’t be as valuable to your readers, since it won’t be pushing them to think in new ways.

It’s a tradeoff, I think.

]]> By: David Spinks http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4929 David Spinks Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:39:29 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4929 Mack, I think this is great advice, depending on the purpose of your blog. If you lower the bar too much, you may disappoint those readers who have been with you for a while, and they're looking for the real content. If bloggers are always lowering the bar, who's going to take readers to the next level, and raise the bar of thought and insight. If it's a blogger's responsibility to educate and insight, is lowering the bar not counterintuitive? Wouldn't you now be better suited to raise the bar on your content, but create a design and navigation that draws in those beginners/introverts and gives them a place to get warmed up? Perhaps based on your story, it's not about changing your content (you still had to catch the ball) but rather about adding a personal, friendly touch to help the reader become more comfortable (the coach saying your name and winking at you). Like I said it depends on the goal of your blog. Mashable lowers the bar as much as possible because they are very focused on producing content that beginners feel comfortable with. If that's not your goal, then lowering the bar on your content may not be the best idea. David Community Manager, Scribnia.com .-= David Spinks´s last undefined ..<a href="0" rel="nofollow">Response cached until Thu 4 @ 18:57 GMT (Refreshes in 2.43 Hours)</a> =-. Mack,

I think this is great advice, depending on the purpose of your blog.

If you lower the bar too much, you may disappoint those readers who have been with you for a while, and they’re looking for the real content. If bloggers are always lowering the bar, who’s going to take readers to the next level, and raise the bar of thought and insight. If it’s a blogger’s responsibility to educate and insight, is lowering the bar not counterintuitive?

Wouldn’t you now be better suited to raise the bar on your content, but create a design and navigation that draws in those beginners/introverts and gives them a place to get warmed up?

Perhaps based on your story, it’s not about changing your content (you still had to catch the ball) but rather about adding a personal, friendly touch to help the reader become more comfortable (the coach saying your name and winking at you).

Like I said it depends on the goal of your blog. Mashable lowers the bar as much as possible because they are very focused on producing content that beginners feel comfortable with. If that’s not your goal, then lowering the bar on your content may not be the best idea.

David
Community Manager, Scribnia.com
.-= David Spinks´s last undefined ..Response cached until Thu 4 @ 18:57 GMT (Refreshes in 2.43 Hours) =-.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4928 Mack Collier Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:37:53 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4928 Heather I hear you, and this is where I *hate* how some people in this space are viewed as 'popular'. Because what happens is we are unintentionally ranking people. If someone is deemed to be 'popular', and I see that I have one tenth of the followers that they do, it's too easy for me to think that I am NOT popular. And that I can't comment on their post. In many ways social media can be very cliquey, and I hate that. Heather I hear you, and this is where I *hate* how some people in this space are viewed as ‘popular’. Because what happens is we are unintentionally ranking people. If someone is deemed to be ‘popular’, and I see that I have one tenth of the followers that they do, it’s too easy for me to think that I am NOT popular. And that I can’t comment on their post.

In many ways social media can be very cliquey, and I hate that.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4927 Mack Collier Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:35:19 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4927 Hi Suzanne! I think not only do the 'lurkers' or 'newbies' need encouragement, but when they take that first step, we need to acknowledge that. When I am in #blogchat, the tweets are often coming too quickly for me to respond to every one. But if I see anyone tweet that this is their first #blogchat, I will always reply to them and thank them for coming. A very simple way to reach out to someone that takes that first step! Hi Suzanne! I think not only do the ‘lurkers’ or ‘newbies’ need encouragement, but when they take that first step, we need to acknowledge that. When I am in #blogchat, the tweets are often coming too quickly for me to respond to every one. But if I see anyone tweet that this is their first #blogchat, I will always reply to them and thank them for coming. A very simple way to reach out to someone that takes that first step!

]]> By: Heather Villa http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4915 Heather Villa Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:46:00 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4915 I work with a lot of virtual assistants and this is very common among some of them. They are afraid to leave a comment or do any kind of social media work. They think they may make a stupid comment or will be ridiculed in some way. It really is the same feelings the unpopular kids in school have. I encourage them to just be them self and to not force a comment, to just start small, maybe add just a short sentence or say that you liked something that was said. .-= Heather Villa´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HeatherVilla-ImplementationSpecialist/~3/1jw7BNvZuk4/" rel="nofollow">What to do When the Ship is Sinking</a> =-. I work with a lot of virtual assistants and this is very common among some of them. They are afraid to leave a comment or do any kind of social media work. They think they may make a stupid comment or will be ridiculed in some way. It really is the same feelings the unpopular kids in school have.

I encourage them to just be them self and to not force a comment, to just start small, maybe add just a short sentence or say that you liked something that was said.
.-= Heather Villa´s last blog ..What to do When the Ship is Sinking =-.

]]> By: Suzanne Vara http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4902 Suzanne Vara Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:29:21 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4902 Mack In social media I think that everyone needs that nod of approval or a little push to be motivated to leave a comment or to reach out. Think of how many times when we enter a space where we have not been before and how big it seems or so unfamiliar. The first feeling is how does this work or am I doing this right as if not, you are not accepted but if you are doing it right and are accepted, you return and repeat. Familiarity breeds confidence to continue. Some people are apprehensive to comment as what if they say the wrong thing or there are so many other comments that it would go unnoticed. As more and more people join the space and learn how to interact with it, the need for acceptance grows but yet the amount of comments does not always. Just as something so simple as the coach knowing your name took every bit of fear out of you and ensured that there was no chance you were going to miss that ball, someone who has never commented or is new to space/blog needs that encouragement to share their thoughts to be a part of the team. Mack

In social media I think that everyone needs that nod of approval or a little push to be motivated to leave a comment or to reach out. Think of how many times when we enter a space where we have not been before and how big it seems or so unfamiliar. The first feeling is how does this work or am I doing this right as if not, you are not accepted but if you are doing it right and are accepted, you return and repeat. Familiarity breeds confidence to continue.

Some people are apprehensive to comment as what if they say the wrong thing or there are so many other comments that it would go unnoticed. As more and more people join the space and learn how to interact with it, the need for acceptance grows but yet the amount of comments does not always. Just as something so simple as the coach knowing your name took every bit of fear out of you and ensured that there was no chance you were going to miss that ball, someone who has never commented or is new to space/blog needs that encouragement to share their thoughts to be a part of the team.

]]> By: Mack Collier http://www.mackcollier.com/how-high-is-your-bar-set/comment-page-1/#comment-4898 Mack Collier Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:01:46 +0000 http://mackcollier.com/?p=480#comment-4898 I hear you Jeff. Someone once said that the good thing about social media is that now everyone has a voice. And the bad thing about social media is....that now everyone has a voice. As you touched on, there's just SO much information that it's hard to filter it down to find the relevant information that will help YOU. I think that's what we need, better filters so that everyone can find a way to get the information of value to them. I hear you Jeff. Someone once said that the good thing about social media is that now everyone has a voice.

And the bad thing about social media is….that now everyone has a voice.

As you touched on, there’s just SO much information that it’s hard to filter it down to find the relevant information that will help YOU. I think that’s what we need, better filters so that everyone can find a way to get the information of value to them.

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