Print Media Rally on Twitter

IPEX taught us a few things in terms of social media and the graphic arts industries — it is a constant learning process with too few participants. Over 50,000 people made their way to IPEX, but only a tiny fraction were found connecting online. The entire print media community is missing a big opportunity to connect.

Hastag: A way to follow a conversation on Twitter on a topic of interest. Starts with # as in #printsm for print social media.

For most print professionals, social media is probably viewed as another time consuming or wasteful activity that is competing for already stressed time. In practice, social media can give unprecedented access to learn, share, and ask questions. If more print media professionals become active users on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, then the flow and exchange of information will be. Of the big three social networks, LinkedIn appears to get more involvement from print professionals through many active groups.

Twitter, on the other hand, is easier to use and more instant in nature. So why the disconnect? Twitter is one of those things in life that cannot be understood completely until you experience it. You have to jump in head first.

For the Twitter pros already having valuable conversations, it is your turn to give back. Let this be the start of a rally to get more print professionals actively participating on Twitter.

Please use the #printsm hashtag to submit any of the following:

• Ideas on how to push the message to get more print media people on Twitter
• Graphic Arts Twitterers to follow
• Any print media lists that should be created and followed
• Reasons you use Twitter
• Specific examples of how Twitter has helped in your business or print lives

What say you? Follow the conversation in your Twitter client, Twitter Search (~7 day history), or this RSS feed. Not on Twitter yet, then use these excellent resources to start at Twitter and Mashable.