Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:
It's Saturday Night again -
time for some more Genealogy Fun!!
Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):
1) Go to Jill Ball's Geniaus blog post describing A Small Social Media Geneameme. Note the 8 questions.
2) Answer one, two, some or all of the questions in your own blog post, in comments to this post, in comments to Jill's post, in a Facebook Status post, or a Google+ Stream post.
Here's mine:
1. Tell us about your favourite social media tool and why you like it.
It's not difficult to pick a favorite from blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, GooglePlusing, and more. I favor BLOGGING - I like it because I can cast out cousin bait, get help and advice from my readers, can educate and help my readers, can highlight my genealogical society activities, and provide my experience and opinions on genealogy websites, software and databases. The blog is searched by the major search engines, so people can find me.
2. How do you use social media to further your genealogy career or business?
I don't have a business, and my so-called career consists of speaking, teaching, and writing about my genealogical interests. Almost everything I do on social media is used to promote my genealogical activities. When I publish a blog post, I tweet on Twitter, which appears automatically on Facebook. I copy the tweet and post it on Google+.
3. What advice would you give the cruiser who said “I must be living under a rock” and is not sure about coming out from under it? (This came from my Social Media presentation)
You know, about 80% of the genealogists that I deal with in my local genealogical societies and when I speak have no clue about social media. They are missing out on so much. I would say to the cruiser "if you want to know what is happening in genealogy outside of your local activities, you need to at least read some blogs and access the free educational material at FamilySearch, Ancestry, Legacy Family Tree, and other sites."
4. What aspect of Social Media makes you grit your teeth?
The over-the-top, thoughtless, name-calling, political posts on Facebook.
5. How does social media assist with your CGD (continuing genealogical development)?
It keeps me involved - I try to stay up-to-date on technology, software, webinars, standard practices, conferences, etc.
6. How do you fit social media time into your busy day?
I try to limit my Facebook time to two visits for no more than 30 minutes a day. Twitter is limited to 10 minutes a day. Google+ is limited to no more than 20 minutes a day (unless I watch a Hangout). I use Google Reader to read over 1400 blogs (most of them genealogy), and try to read once and not again. Blog reading takes 30 to 60 minutes a day.
Blogging usually takes 1 to 3 hours a day, depending on how many posts I do. I schedule some posts ahead of time when I know I will be away from the computer.
The balance of my genealogy day (typically 8 to 10 hours total) I try to devote to doing online research, working in my genealogy database (adding content and sources, answering email, doing genealogy society work, and working on my articles and/or presentations.
7. Do you have a story of how social media enabled you to connect with a long lost relation or fellow researcher?
There are too many to count! I've recently connected to three Dill descendants who are first cousins, who found me independent of the others by searching for their great-grandfather, whom I highlighted in a blog post. The mother of two of the cousins was one of my mother's best friends. I have been able to provide them with a genealogy report on their Dill ancestry, including two Mayflower passengers.
8. You have a minute to share a piece of advice about genealogy and social media. Go for it.
Use social media to network with family and friends, but don't let it rule your life. I subscribe to Geoff's adage - "Life is short, do genealogy first" when it comes to social media, and don't get wrapped up in personal life dramas, TV shows or politics.
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Copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver.