"We all got along fine before the existence of social media (at least the digital kind), so how is it making what we do better or worse?" Our friend David Armano asks the right question over at Logic+Emotion. But what is the right answer? Does one exist...?


To David's question, I answered this way:
As a newbie to the Northeast, having moved my family and my business here from Seattle, blogging has helped me in several ways:
1. I have met people in person and online that I would never have met otherwise.
2. I am able to use blogging to pre-promote my next book, "Lead With Your Heart."
3. I have gotten a gig with MarketingProfs, offering my brand exposure.
4. I have increased my marketing research activities in order to write smarter about ideas, increasing my knowledge.
5. I have learned new things and sometimes contrary ideas from the community.
6. I have become a member of a great community.
7. I feel better about myself and have appreciated wonderful support from that community.
All good!
But since posting my answer, I am re-evaluating the time I spend on blogging. Here's why:
My blog, bizsolutionsplus, began as an effort with two goals: 1) to build my brand with a blog that works alongside and complements my Web site and 2) to provide free marketing content for my clients and potential clients. The primary objective is to build my business. To drive clients to remain loyal and to develop new business.
The side benefits of community and sharing within that community were not goals or objectives, although they prove to be a great surprise and have resulted in new friendships and a beneficial sharing of ideas. I am learning useful things. But how do they contribute to my objective? And should that matter? And couldn't I learn the same things without being an active participant?
Honestly, sometimes as I sit here writing at the Daily Fix or for bizsolutionsplus I feel like the old stereotype of the stay-at-home housewife watching soaps and eating bon bons. Is this any way to build a business or to derive income for me and my family?
Help me out here: What are the measurable and hard values associated with blogging for those of us who are self-employed? What is the value to the corporation and to small and medium-sized businesses?
David is right: When I was in the corporate world we used other tools to reach out to our customers and to communicate with our communities. And I have always been part of several communities before blogging. Should corporations and other businesses create budgets for blogging? What is the ROI of us spending time here vs. spending time building our businesses using proven tactics and best practices? Is this an innovation that serves us well?