Blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking and so forth are fast-evolving media. A few things that might stay constant:

(YouTube video embedded here to make the rest of this post a mild surprise as we scroll through. This is an old-school technique for hiding things readers may not want to see right away, such as sports scores for games they might be recording. Also, this song is Twitter-friendly because it has three words — four if you count the scream …)

1. Faster, faster, FASTER …

– Smile! You’re about to be on Facebook and Twitter!

– Tweet it now

– Share pictures now

2. A “work” blog/Twitter feed/Facebook presence is not the same as your personal blog/Twitter feed/Facebook presence.

– Duh

– Not more formal, but more focused

– SEO. Not just writing for your friends

– You are not Dave Barry

– Plug your stuff (within reason)

3. The noise, the NOISE, said the Grinch …

– Self-edit or lose friends

– Use tools (RSS readers, TweetDeck, HootSuite) to filter through your feeds

– Consider more than one Twitter account

4. ontex

– Something that only works if you know where I am

– Explaining a link you’re sharing (and maybe using it as a trial balloon for a blog post)

5. Engage

– Ask questions

– Answer questions

6. Why do we have to this?

– Joining conversation and building goodwill

– (Related) Your sources are there, and they may say things on Twitter they won’t tell you.

– Immediacy

– Marketing – like 24-hour talk radio plugging your site, your paper, your brand (which may outlive your paper)