2. Part B: Discuss your social media ideas for your online voice. Will you concentrate on Twitter or YouTube or other social media apps? How and why will you execute your voice with these tools?
As I noted in a previous post, I already have a professional online presence, but I would like to expand my voice (maybe even shift it) to “blogger about sports injuries” and “blogger about hip impingement,” a condition from which I suffered. And if my book proposal, about older athletes, comes to fruition, maybe I could add “author of health and fitness books” as well. (If it’s published, that’s a whole other strategy.)
Last summer I created from scratch a blog that focuses largely on my own personal journey to recover from a hip injury – and so I would like to start there. That site admittedly needs some work, but it could eventually evolve into a go-to resource/forum for athletic injuries, particularly among older age-group (amateur) athletes, like active baby boomers and Gen Xers whose aging bodies sustain plenty of injuries. I will need to add more information and pages, along with extra features like video interviews or exercise demonstrations. Those videos could be connected to a YouTube channel.
To promote my blogger persona and blog, I would want to concentrate on Facebook and Twitter.
I would set up a separate Facebook fan page and Twitter account, both of which could include information from my blog posts. (Facebook fans would be directed to follow me on Twitter and Twitter followers would be asked to "like" my Facebook page.)
Of the two, I actually see Twitter as the more useful resource. If I use the right hash tags, post enough interesting tweets, and try to connect with my targeted audience -- age-group athletes who get injured -- I could increase traffic to my blog and promote myself as the expert I someday home to become.
I would set up a separate Facebook fan page and Twitter account, both of which could include information from my blog posts. (Facebook fans would be directed to follow me on Twitter and Twitter followers would be asked to "like" my Facebook page.)
Of the two, I actually see Twitter as the more useful resource. If I use the right hash tags, post enough interesting tweets, and try to connect with my targeted audience -- age-group athletes who get injured -- I could increase traffic to my blog and promote myself as the expert I someday home to become.
Ignore my comments on your previous post. I did not see you broke it into two parts. Anyway, looks like you have some good solutions, particularly the blog/forum on injuries. I think this and YouTube would work better for you, only because of your target age group. I am not sure how much baby boomer and gen ex traffic you will get with social media these days but you never know. I was also thinking of physical rehab blogs out there now(some right here on blogspot) - http://realpt.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletehttp://www.prorehabpc.com/
These may help you join the conversation that is out there now to get some results.
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought by Drake, but I wouldn't assume social media is just for the young or that your topic is just for the aged.
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts on the lack of impact of Mrs. Obama’s campaign when compared to Mr. Old Spice’s and the partisan effect on government effort caught me. I think the political issues could be overcome with a Mr. Old Spice though. Childhood obesity just doesn’t have a good campaign.
The point I want to get across with this assignment is that a campaign that consists of utilizing Facebook and Twitter is not enough. The details of how you will use social media creatively are what matters. Few are participating in the obesity campaign because, as you said, it is not engaging.
How could it be? That is the difficult and real question. The best campaigns often make us think differently about how to use one or more social media forms. Hashtags and fake accounts are two evolutions in Twitter. These ideas don’t jump on the bandwagon; they rewrite the parade route.
The message of the campaign transforms the formats and forums, not the other way around.
In your own analysis, you mentioned that a campaign for your fitness book would be a whole different strategy from your blogging about sport injuries. Why? It’s not like the two topics are apples and oranges. If you build an online presence as a sports injury expert, that could only promote your book proposal. Interviewing older athletes and other research could be a regular feature of your blog.
Keep thinking about how you can use social media. Don’t just consider Facebook and Twitter. Look at other formats. Are there popular athletic social media groups or apps? How can you stand out?
Good work.