Social media time management & work organization: filtering filtering filtering

How to use social networks properly: filter, filter, filter. But how does time management work? Work organization on the social web?

Pure type thing

Social media is free!? This is one of the biggest misconceptions that many make People still attach. Because not only do we use our data to pay for the free use of services such as Twitter or Facebook. No, depending on what we want to achieve, we also need a lot of (working) time and Energy into the Commitment put. Unfortunately, the matter cannot be dealt with as incidentally as many would like it to be. And especially Companyswho have favourited social media Marketing-channel, have to deal with it extensively and continuously deliver added value. This brings us to the question: how much time does social media really cost? And how do we best organize ourselves?

The question of how much time is needed can be answered very easily. Or maybe not. The answer is: it depends. Namely what and who you want to achieve in social media. Do you just want to know what your friends are doing or find out about the whole world? Do you just want to consume or become active yourself? Are you already active or just starting - in that case the effort will probably be greater at the beginning. Therefore, the time spent is different for everyone.

A detailed study published by MTV Networks in cooperation with Volkswagen and Nielsen Research in autumn 2010 shows just how different they are. Topic of the MePublic study: The usage behavior of young people in social media. In 9 months, more than 26.000 participants in the Age from 14-29 years surveyed in 10 countries. Some of the participants from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, France, USA, Japan, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand also led Online-Diaries about your experiences, which you discussed with the makers of the study. In the preparatory phase, around 200 academic research papers, commercial market media studies and press publications had previously been analysed. In addition, the elaboration of Ask used the MTV network intensively to capture cultural differences as well.

Different intensities in use

Six user types have emerged, the social networks with different intensities and with different levels Motivation to use. The Skipits use social networks skeptically and cautiously, and accordingly less frequently. The Funatics aren't particularly active themselves, either, but spend more time socializing networks that are part of their entertainment program - for example to play games. The crewsers, on the other hand, are particularly committed: they maintain a particularly intensive Communication and interaction with their friends, so the main themes for them are friendship, love and community. For Tagtics, social networks are primarily used to exchange information. You too are very active, albeit more observant. Your network is not big, but you have a lot of close friends in it. The power users are the mediacs: social media are their companions in the Everyday life, whether it's for information, fun, or community. They are active in several social networks at the same time and spend several hours in them every day. They are also the most likely to share experiences about products and brands with their friends. After all, the blatant opposite are the nobuddies, who don't use social networks at all or have sworn off them. They can hardly see any use in them, they often lack the time and users have concerns about data protection.

So the study shows that there are six quite different types of use that use social media applications with very different intensities. But how does this affect the usage time? And how much time should, must or can I spend with social media? Here the American author Beth Kanter helps us. Kanter differentiates between five different stages of social media use - and differentiates the amount of time depending on the level of activity from users who only want to read and consume, who also want to share the content, to those who are interested in building their own community. The numbers she calculated should be understood as guidelines:

How much time does social media cost?

1. I just want to listen and read, but I don't want to be active myself: Tools like Twitter, RSS reader or Google Alerts help here. A maximum of 5 hours a week is sufficient here.
2. I want to share with others and share simple information: Tools like Twitter, Ping.fm or Fac help hereebook. You should expect about 5-10 hours a week for this.
3. I want to spread reports on a professional level in order to do self-marketing, but keep the effort low: Channels like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, FriendFeed, StumbleUpon or Twitter clients such as Hootsuit or Tweetdeck. You should calculate 10-15 hours per week for this.
4. I don't just want to spread the news, I want to spread my own content: Bloggin platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Posterous, Tumblr, photo communities like Flickr or Picasa, video platforms like YouTube or Vimeo - and of course the aforementioned social media tools, especially Facebook and Twitter for redistribution. You should expect 15-20 hours a week for this.
5. I want to build my own community: Now at the latest it makes sense to link the activities from point four with the most well-known social networks, for example by adding a FacebookPage is growing. Since responding to readers and answering inquiries takes a lot of time, you should calculate 20 hours or more per week.

Because every Jeck is different. For example, I use Best of on my blog HR - Berufebilder.de® also significantly more time than 20 hours a week. But he also saves me a lot of time, for example when researching, because the blog serves as an archive of topics for my work, but also during acquisition, because customers and journalists approach me after they have gone through me have found the net. I also process the requests of my readers via the comment function or forum, because the bulk of the requests via eMail could hardly be answered. The blog is thus almost the center of my communication, on which all threads come together and with which I earn my money. So it's no wonder that I spend most of my time directly or indirectly on the blog.

Are you already twittering or are you still alive?

The other night on the subway on the way home, freshly relaxed from sports, I was reading Twitter on my smartphone. I also want to use my empty times effectively instead of staring at people in the subway! With the relaxation it was then, however fast over: I had at least seven Article discovered that I wanted to read or bookmark on my computer. When I sat at home with seven browser windows clicked on, and by the way again quickly eMailWhen I called it up, I had to ask myself: Why is it that a few messages get you so upset? What makes us want to keep clicking on all the exciting and important news? And how do we stop?

The Solution is actually very simple: We have to identify the cheerleaders and pushers on the internet – and not let ourselves be seduced by them. Because that's exactly what's in Internet and the Problem: Headlines, tweets or even the subject lines of eMails are usually and intentionally designed to seduce us. In any case, if the copywriters know their craft. I've rarely noticed that as much as on that evening: in the 140-character preview, the texts all sounded super interesting. Well, when skimming through your home screen, not even half of it was really worth reading. Just good marketing! The Twitter virtuosos in particular skilfully play with the curiosity of their readers. For example, if they write such advance notices: "I know I will never use this app, but I still have to buy it!" And of course everyone wants to know why someone Money want to spend on something they know in advance is unnecessary. If the person in question had just tweeted, "This could be a really exciting app!" – the effect would not have been the same.

Media works the same way. Not just Twitter. The Dadaist Hugo Ball wrote in his 1919 Criticism the German Intelligence: “As a German prophet you have to shout out loud and clear talk. Because the people are hard of hearing. Infinite repetition of a few thoughts eventually miss hers Effect not." Not everyone who publishes on the Internet is a prophet, but the mechanism is always the same: something exciting, important and urgent is done, desires are aroused, a specific one Information absolutely having to click now, which is actually not that interesting after all, or which you could have read just as well another time. Or that you don't have to read it at all because you've often read or heard the content in a different form. We keep falling for it because our Brain reacts more to strong stimuli, feelings and exciting topics than to boring messages - which may contain the more interesting information.

Every Jeck is different - so is every message

Robindro Ullah, who is responsible for additional services at DB Services, has also recognized that the biggest time wasters on the Internet are other people's messages: “Social media costs a lot of time. Writing tweets or status updates is the least “evil” here. It actually takes time to read along with the target group, identify trends and topics and monitor friends / followers / contacts etc. ” And for Klaus Eck, one of the most famous German social media experts, nothing works under an hour per channel: “Social media costs a lot of time if you want to do it well. Blogs, Facebook, Xing and Twitter are no longer just 'nice to have'. They are time wasters that push us to our personal limits. As a rule, a minimum of one hour per communication channel is required to operate social media professionally. I always say this clearly to make it clear that nobody can do social media on the side. Anyone who spends less time on these communication activities will also have to weight their expectations accordingly and with less success satisfied have to be."

The solution to the dilemma? Above all, that we are aware of where our time is going on social media. Make us aware of why the attention-seeking appeals to us more than the in-depth analysis - and the next time simply don't click on it again. Or work out a regular schedule. How it can look, however, is different for everyone. How much time social media costs depends on the personal Objective away. Why do I want to communicate? With whom about what? Twitter, Facebook, Xing - which tools do I use for this? Which are particularly inspiring? Who do I reach with this? And where is time wasted unnecessarily? What information am I really interested in - and who is stealing my time so that I ban it from my timeline or my feed?

This is how scheduling works on the web

What can help with such an analysis is to keep a close eye on every day for at least a week and to document your own social use in minute detail.

For the first time, some people will then really realize how much time they spend unnecessarily in Facebook surfing or tweeting instead of being really productive. And think carefully about what he prioritises Future sets so that he gets the important things sorted out. The most common time managementMethods more information, from the Eisenhower window to the Pareto principle, can be found conveniently on the Internet. Only: Will that help to really set priorities differently in the future and stay away from Facebook and leave twitter? If only it were that easy with productivity. Because the net is seductive and attracts with all kinds of distractions.

The productivity dilemma

“I started researching a great topic on Google. After four hours I got to the third link, which I used to find an expert with whom I want to arrange a telephone interview, but I found his eMail-Address on the page not, in his list of links he refers to a completely crazy forum, madness, got the other authors immediately gemailt, we're concluding a whole series of articles that will provide material for three weeks! But first I have to continue typing the other article I started. Where did I save that? I should get a to-do list, you can do it on the computer, with a reminder function. It would be cool if you always had such a list with you on the go, shouldn't be a problem with an iPhone. In fact: the AppStore shows 15 different list programs, try them out right now. Ok... this one can't be synchronized with the desktop computer, but that one can, you just have to register briefly on the associated website, no problem, that's it. Just wait for the confirmation email. In the meantime I'll test another list, which is also much nicer. Yep, that's how it works Fun! I'll use it from now on... oh crap, it can't be synchronized again."

What Johnny Häusler, one of the best-known German bloggers, is describing is the constant dilemma in which everyone who works with and on the Internet finds themselves. The web offers an almost endless variety of possibilities and the right tool for every need to work faster, better and more productively. However, the selection so big, new and improved programs and features are constantly coming onto the market that it takes a lot of time to find the right ones. Because finding out which of the little software helpers nestle as seamlessly as possible into your own workflow and thus make our work easier is like looking for a needle in a prickly haystack.

One tool that die-hard social media users have been saying has been dead for a while is this eMail. And actually, since I got to know the shortness of 140-character messages on Twitter, I think so too eMails increasingly annoying. However, a study by Nielsen Research shows: The longer people stay in social networks, the more time they spend with it eMail-Management. Reason: If you are in a social network like Facebook registers, often receives so-called friend requests, social media mails, event invitations, etc. In addition, social media increases one's own circle of acquaintances, which means that there is more communication overall. And those who blog, very often get the comments on their texts via eMail. The eMail, which many had long ago labeled as an antiquated communication method, is still very much alive and will probably remain so for a while.

Tips for working efficiently with social media

• eMails and personal messages are still the biggest time wasters. Those who are constantly reading and answering, especially on the go, not only stress themselves, but also repeatedly interrupt their concentration. What helps: eMailCheck only once or twice a day. Or a no-eMail- Introduce Day. And: Who doesn't eMails want to have on the cell phone, should do without a smartphone-
• Switch off notifications: It is constantly flashing somewhere on the computer, the smartphone beeps at everyone eMail-Entrance. Annoying! Turn everything off. Above all, the notification functions in social networks such as Xing or Facebook, which is the default for every unimportant activity of your friends eMailsend s.
• Use idle times: Smartphones may be annoying due to their constant availability, but to use idle times, e.g. in the waiting room, to read the latest tweets quickly or at least eMails they are worth their weight in gold.
• Forget the Protestant work ethic: people always want to get everything done, but it just doesn't work on social media. Some things also have to remain uncommented and unanswered.
• Schedule breaks. Necessarily. If you are constantly under constant stress, you will no longer get anything in order.
• Combine your communication with as few online services and software as possible that cover different social media accounts - e.g. with such as Hootsuit or TweetDeck.
• Keep it simple: Use software and web services that send as few notifications as possible and are easy to use. Clarity comes before coolness.
• Be selfish: If other users annoy you with unimportant information, messages, emails, etc., just banish them from your timeline or friends list. It's not always nice, but sometimes there is no other way.

There is another dilemma with the tools: Unfortunately, companies want money with their software to earn: Therefore, they often provide free beta or basic versions for free testing. However, they either do not (yet) have the full range of functions or simply have errors that cost a lot of time and nerves. Once the user has happily gotten used to the functionality of the program, the scope is suddenly subject to a charge. This is what happened with Hoot Suite, a client for managing and sending Twitter and other social media applications. As a user, you either have to pay or register for one Alternatives look around.

Or the company is broke or sold. This is what happened at Delicious, the pioneer of social bookmarking applications. In 2005, Yahoo acquired Delicious. When Yahoo announced in December 2010, Delicious merchandise, and even wanting to close it, there was an outcry on social networks, showing how dependent users are on their usual tools, which are usually used free of charge. Incidentally, Delicious is now run by Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, who ironically also have their own very successful ones Foundation YouTube sold to Google in 2006. The roulette keeps spinning. No wonder, then, that even at Internet conferences, almost the entire room speaks up when the question is whether one's own productivity is suffering from the constant pressure to communicate on the Internet. But how do you filter correctly?

Tools, tools, tools: work organization with social media

There are people who can no longer live without social media. And not because they became addicted, but because social media tools have become an integral part of their professional or private communication. The Hamburg-based personnel consultancy Atenta, for example, handles all of its internal communication via the microblogging tool Yammer and uses Facebook-Groups for project management. But many people also receive private birthday invitations, parties or meetings with friends, for example via Facebook- organized invitations. Because it's faster and more practical than constantly eMailsend s back and forth. Sad side effect: If you don't get to Facebook is simply not aware of it.

I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of digital ones Order. For example, when I look at the overwhelming amount of press material, catalogues, invitations, etc. on paper that I still have today, in the age of the Internet, eMail and Twitter is sometimes sent unsolicited, then I am already looking forward to the point in time when digitization will have fully established itself. I can guess how far away we are from that, if e.g Employees by authorities first at her ITdepartment must ask whether there is one at all eMailaddress there. It may be that free electronic means of communication invite more information and Advertising to be sent than would be the case by post. However, these were also deleted, sorted and, if necessary, found again much faster using the search function than is the case with paper mailings. Disposing of the constantly accumulating waste paper takes longer!

I can also organize appointments much better thanks to social networks. Professionally anyway, but above all the private ones. Because for most people, work appointments have priority. This leads to the many ye privacy don't want to organize too. In the past, if you wanted to meet several friends, you either had to call them all one after the other oreMailsend s. Then it said “Do you have time on July 14.07th at 20pm?” Some said yes, others no, someone suggested a different date, everyone added their mustard - and every time it was eMail sent to everyone. A huge effort for a small meeting. Today, for example, at Facebook, Xing or Doodle organizes an event. There everyone can enter whether they can or not. And if necessary, you can discuss another appointment, visible to all participants. You just have to be careful that you only make the event visible to the people who are supposed to participate and - for example at Facebook - accordingly sets to private.

Organize on the net

If I want to access information from various sources and always have it ready, I subscribe to it in an RSS reader. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Blogs, social networks and many websites offer RSS services - usually recognizable by an orange button with a white stripe. On many pages it is also possible to subscribe to individual topics or sections. Browsers or special programs, so-called RSS aggregators, RSS readers or feed readers are used to read an RSS feed. The latest posts from the subscribed page will appear there as a headline with a short text outline and a link to the original page.

Increasingly, however, complete content is also provided as full-text RSS. In this way, I can automatically compile my own news ticker from a variety of desired sources. In this way, you can efficiently maintain an overview in the information jungle. A new Idea the intelligent eMail-Message management comes from the USA. If I don't use the service, which previously only works with Google Mail, I like the idea of ​​not just chopping out messages, but rather “inquiring” beforehand whether the recipient is right now. Certainly a step in the right direction. And it works like this: Users of the Courteous.ly service grant the service access permission for their personal Google Mail account. Courteous.ly then provides information based on the inbox eMail-Partners about how full mine eMail- mailbox is. The sender can then use the Courteous.ly decision leave it up to when eMail is delivered to me. Courteous.ly checks my inbox every 10 minutes and selects the cheapest time.

Social media fully automatic?

There are countless other ways to automate work processes in the network and on the computer. With services like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, you can post messages to different social networks at the same time and with little effort - at a predefined time. You can also automatically send blog posts to social networks - at Facebook for example via RSS graffiti. Yes, there are even auto-blogging tools like the WordPress plugin WP-o-Matic that you can use to compile automatic blog posts. If you write texts for communication in social networks and have to enter similar texts over and over again, special programs such as TextExpander for the Mac will help you, with which you can automatically insert long texts with a keyboard shortcut. OpenOffice, for example, also has an autocomplete tool for creating text, in eMail- The Thunderbird program can automatically attach a signature, which can also contain contact information for your social media channels.

But watch out: Social media is about establishing a personal exchange, a quick and useful contact to other people, institutions and brands. And these target groups naturally want to be addressed personally. Accordingly, automation tools are frowned upon. Because other people notice whether they are talking to an authentic person or an anonymous machine. Therefore, automation should not hinder personal exchange and should not be used to spam other people. Above all, use automation to filter content and possible reactions, others steps and set priorities.

An important aspect that plays a role when you use different social networks: password management. There are insecure methods that are not recommended for data protection reasons: For example, saving passwords in the browser or the option for the applications to remember the password themselves. It is also not recommended to use the same password for all websites. The solution is a password manager. For example, KeePass Password Safe is an available program that saves not just individual passwords, but the entire database including usernames, web addresses, and notes. Thanks to the password generator, passwords of any length and type can be created draw up. The database is secured by a master key, without which the database cannot be decrypted. The main password (“Master Password”) must be entered manually and a key file (“Key File”) can be used, which is located on a mobile drive such as a USB stick or CD, for example. One Combination key file and password is possible and increases security. Particularly practical: the password database can be used not only on your own computer, but also on any other computer. There are not only versions of the program for Windows but also for Mac OS X and Linux. There is also a portable version of the program that can be taken anywhere using a USB stick. And there are versions for most popular cell phone operating systems. So you can always have your passwords with you. There are of course other password managers out there. An interesting one Concept, albeit under Privacyaspects are risky, for example LastPass, in which all data is stored on the Internet.