- Articulate what you want to get out of and contribute to gather. That helps focus
- Join groups and make connections with people who have interests similar to your own
- Publish articles on those topics and comment on the work of folks you interact with
I have seen a lot of quality versus quantity debate (common interest as opposed to random contact with a lot of people). I suppose both have their merit. Would like to hear others' thoughts on this...
I have also noticed:
- Don't spam (use accurate email headers)
- Think of your audience; write to their interests
- Post quality work (use spell check)
- Keep your articles short and, in general, avoid articles that you post in "parts"
- Include photos/images
- Use numbered lists, bullets, and bold-face font to highlight a few key points
- Visit and interact often
Other suggestions?
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Comments: 36
Wonderful tips !
I can't find the sell check feature for the pings or email - would you know how I might access it ?????? My spelling is just ATROWSHUS.
I thank you in advance with your help with this.
Madam 'X'
I wrote:
" sell check"
Just great - huh ??????? ( heeeeeeeeeeeeeelp !!!!!!! )
2. Avoid the "anything" groups and "points" groups - They're POINTLESS!
3. Post your content only to groups that match the topic of your content. If your content has no topic then don't post it!
4. Connect to people because you like their work or you know them, not just to have more connections (It's not a popularity contest).
5. Post thoughtful comments. Posting thousands of "nice pic" comments is not thoughtful.
And, most important, HAVE FUN DOING IT!
Kate, you are the perfect example of one who practices what you preach. Glad you and I are connected. Thanks for this article.
Some additional thoughts: Spam is generally defined as excessive use of email to generate attention to topics that the recipient has not expressed an interest in getting. By connecting with people on gather we are expressing an interest in what they have to say. My personal distinction here is in sending emails that don't accurately inform the audience what you are asking. A possible way to handle this would be to put something in the header like FYI (for your information) or "Request for review" or--if its the case of wanting to get points because the person is close to getting a card (I don't actually understand this process and should probably look into it)--"I need points, pls comment."
I believe there is a difference in publishing an article to groups and sending an email request. The articles scroll through each person's customized "my gather" page, and it's specifically designed to let members see as much or as little as they want. I see this as different from emailing contacts. Opinions?
Cortney makes a great point when she calls out that by connecting with more people and joining a variety of groups, even the "points" groups we are increasing our exposure to more people and to diverse ideas. I also have learned a lot from unexpected sources, and we are only getting information if we have joined the group.
Gather is a great place to grow our communication skills and share our art. I appreciate learning from you all.
And if you don't find a group that fits your needs, you can start own!
I detest invites sent to my inbox to read articles. I've found that about 90% of the people who do this never reciprocate.