How do you like to communicate with social media contacts?
I’m quite curious about this. I have a theory that E-Mail usage is declining as other methods become cheaper and easier to use.
How do you keep in contact with your social media contacts?
- Face-to-face
- Telephone/Skype
- IM
- Twitter/Pownce/Jaiku
- Blogs and blog comments
- Message boards/Ning groups
- Other?
Please leave a comment – I’m curious to know how YOU keep in touch?
Michael Martine, Blog Consultant:
Now that I’m on Twitter, I use email less to communicate with the same people.
15 March 2008, 2:52 pmAnjali:
Social media contacts being the keywords…Twitter and Facebook. E-mail is more for close friends (though some of them come in the Twitter/Facebook group as well) or business, not casual acquaintances, of which there are many on the other two.
15 March 2008, 2:53 pmJansie Blom:
I still like email a lot. i don’t have an RSS reader. i prefer receiving RSS in my email inbox. and if the site does not have RSS email functionality, i make use of rssfwd.com. twitterfox’s working well, and mixx direct messaging has proven quite successful.
15 March 2008, 2:55 pmrjleaman:
You’re on to something here, I think. Twitter has replaced a lot of my emails for some contacts (but also added a new layer of communication due to its speed & spontaneity); oddly, however, telephone contact is also increasing – but I attribute that to floods of spam slowing down the sort-and-respond time for email. If a communication needs to be filed for reference or documented, or if there’s an attachment – obviously email still rules. For a quick consultation, not so much.
15 March 2008, 3:01 pmJansie Blom:
yeah i forgot all about facebook! i use that a lot. very convenient.
15 March 2008, 3:01 pmrjleaman:
Oh yeah, and Facebook. But I keep forgetting to check it, and I find there’s too much ‘noise’ to allow automatic update notification by email.
15 March 2008, 3:04 pmrobojiannis:
Email is the way to go. I believe twitter and all similar services have an expiration date…
15 March 2008, 3:07 pmInstant messaging is also one of my favourites, although it can become addictive if you have many friends.
I suppose, I’m traditional…
Michael Martine, Blog Consultant:
Some people really love Facebook but I find it a waste of time. By the way, if anyone wants to follow me on Twitter, you can find me here.
15 March 2008, 3:29 pmkimberly:
i don’t use myspace so much anymore…but i use facebook a LOT; that’s probably because i’m in college though. i write on people’s walls and send them messages on there. after that, it’s probably a tie between IMing and texting. i spend hours online talking over aim, and i text all day, every day. i only use email if i need to talk to a teacher or an athoritative figure. i don’t actually talk on my phone much…but being face to face with someone will always be my favorite means of communication.
15 March 2008, 4:15 pmbrainadmin:
@All – what a great conversation!
My own preferences: I use E-Mail a lot for work (unfortunately this fun activity doesn’t cross over) and very little at other times. I was using Facebook a lot for IM type communication, but Twitter is really replacing that. I do use a different IM service a bit.
@robojiannis – interesting point about the temporary nature of Twitter/microblogging communication (although you can save those messages quite easily)
It seems to me that Twitter is turning into an initial point of contact for people who don’t know each other well, and then deeper forms (i.e. E-Mail or IM) kick in when appropriate.
One thing about E-Mail is the spam factor, which I’m certain could be managed properly, plus the fact that I tend to be suspicious of incoming E-Mails unless I can clearly identify the sender. However, it’s better for more detailed conversation that’s less time sensitive.
Thank you, everyone!
15 March 2008, 5:45 pmJennifer Van Grove:
Twitter and IM. There both instant, effective, and fun.
15 March 2008, 10:54 pmbrainadmin:
@Jennifer – thanks!
15 March 2008, 11:16 pmRobert Worstell:
Here’s probably the latest study on the subject from Pew Internet Research They say that some people actually tend to move off email in favor of cel-phones and social networks.
17 March 2008, 8:15 ambrainadmin:
@Robert – thanks!
17 March 2008, 9:20 am