There’s been a lot of chatter recently about reciprocal social sharing or syndication network with the goal to achieve greater social reach and SEO benefits for your blog content. Much of the criticism is valid; however the blame is misplaced. It is not the platforms which wrong, but how many people use the platforms. The platforms are set-up to share other’s work with ease. They were created; because, there was a need. The issue is those who just push out nonstop without much thought to the content… those who spam with Twitter feeds with auto-posts.
I’ve used syndication platforms and I’m not ashamed for it. I like to think of myself as a responsible user. I enjoy sharing content with and learning from others. I use Triberr and have done so since the platform first launched. I read all of the posts from the tribes I belong to before I post. At first Triberr did have an auto-post feature, but a year or so ago stopped it where it is all manual which I think did improved the platform. From the original tribe I belong to, they are already in my RSS reader so I’m reading those blogs regularly. When I’m in pinched for time (which is common these days) unable to add a specific comment regarding the post in the tweet from my RSS reader, but I still want to share the content, Triberr is perfect for getting the information out in an efficient manner. Through other tribes, I’ve been exposed to others I may not found organically. All good stuff. Again, I read those blogs before I post. And I don’t share everything posted in the tribes on Triberr. I pick and choose. That is common with the tribes I belong to. And I think that’s OK. While I may not agree with all that is written, I still share it if I feel it adds value and respect others thoughts.
Back to the user. It really comes down to the user. If you are going to participate then there are three musts you should do and they are:
– Limit how many networks, communities, or tribes you belong to within the platform.
– Actually read what is being sent out.
– Manually approve the posts.
These syndication networks are tools, but the tools are only as good as the people using them. Use the tools wisely. Don’t abuse them.
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Ann Marie van den Hurk, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with over a decade experience bridging the gap between traditional public relations and emerging technologies. Need help reaching your business’s customers, call 302.563.992 to schedule an initial consultation, or contact Mind The Gap Public Relations.