What blog posts have you recently read that ask more questions than they answer? I wonder how many would dare to write a post that offers absolutely nothing other than encouragement for users to share their input on what they would like to see next in Social Media? What pieces may currently be missing from the landscape, which might make a major difference to enhance the user experience? There are few such posts, I would think.
The overriding objective of many bloggers is to dazzle their audience by pontificating on some subject-matter, which they consider themselves experts in, such as Social Media.
Since the advent of Social Media, we have been warned to "beware of the snake oil salesman", who has anointed himself a strict authority in Social Media and its business cousin, Social Media Marketing.
Can we agree that nearly every Social Media blogger seems to have his or her own unique dogma regarding how to make money using his/her pet platform and favorite tool; sort of the online flavor of the month? Of course they have, because the greatest knock one can get in this field is to be considered a "parrot" of the already agreed upon rather than a "thought leader" with something new to share.
Well, many of the blog posts we read then, just might be considered self-serving would they not? Why most blog is to create awareness for them and their products and services.
Sure, we are offered some "value proposition" to convince us that the blog's author is more interested in giving than receiving.
We know that is more often not the case than it is.
After all, few of us have the time to write, edit and promote a blog post unless there is something in it for us.
It's a business tool for many, except the occasional retired fellow or lass, who loves to write and remind us all that he or she is still relevant and vital in today's world.
Among these are - perhaps - the best blog posts we'll ever read.
No strings attached; nothing expected of us, except - maybe - for a virtual pat on the back for the author.
This is a small price to pay for good stuff.
So, how does one create a post that draws more value from its audience than is offered by its author? Very simple.
Like a skilled interviewer or surveyor, the writer just needs to ask the right questions and provoke critical thought.
Mine is not a post for lurkers.
Lurk all you wish, but you won't get anything more from this one than the effort of thought and the act of sharing.
Social Media is and has always been about engagement and human interaction.
It takes, at least, two to have a conversation.
It often takes more to hear both sides and decide what is best for the many and not just the few.
You need to communicate with others if you ever hope for your own needs and wants to be heard and satisfied.
Silence is only golden in Sunday school.
The real world works best when it is operating on all cylinders.
Imagine, if Thomas Jefferson sat back quietly and never shared his brilliance with the rest of us regarding Democracy.
John Adams was never bashful when it came to expressing his thoughts.
He cared not what others thought of him, personally, so long as he could move the processes of revolution and democracy along quite nicely - and he did So, without a valid reason to lurk in the shadows of this post - these important questions - will you still choose to deprive others of your worthwhile ideas or express them in a way that is meaningful to many others? There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to ideas; just wasted thoughts living in limbo for all of eternity.
So, I ask you all - what is missing from Social Media that you think is needed to make a difference for user? Is Facebook as good as it ever will be or could suggestions improve the way we engage with others on that particular platform? Are you OK that Twitter currently has follower limits that restrict us from following back others without having to dump existing followers? As for Social Media platforms and tools that may not currently exist, what might you develop to fill a gaping hole in human relations, doing business online or educating others in necessary ways? For example, how would be received a new platform that is geared to bringing out the good in people's characters? Major media spends almost all of its time sharing news dealing with the dark side of human nature.
Perhaps, a platform where people could learn of personal strife and perform acts of kindness to help remedy some of these social ills would do more to benefit mankind, than some other site where people go to share idle gossip and condemn others.
That's my two-cents.
What's yours? Nothing good has ever come from silence.
The best things we have came from the words of people like you and me.
Why leave our needs and wants to others to give us what they think we need and want? That is a recipe for failure.
Companies have failed and people have lost their jobs when their visionaries missed the mark and failed to capture our imaginations.
We are in a tough economy that demands that we all pull together and build a better Internet, a better America and a better world.
This is not intended to be a passive post, it's a challenge; a call to action.
The gauntlet has been thrown your way.
WWYD?