Find Your Social Media Niche

Still the debate lingers about what is the best way to engage in these social media communities, and specifically, Twitter. Is it purely a conversation tool?  Can a publisher push out links to an engaged audience, or is it a little of both? To me, it’s a little of both. Twitter, (www.twitter.com/automationworld), offers the best place to talk with your community. You can follow a topic thread, such as #mfg (hash tag example for manufacturing), and watch the news (links) unfold or engage in conversation with other members. That’s right, engage in a 144-character conversation. Enriching, eh?  I mock it a bit, but it’s a great way to make a connection to a highly engaged audience member.At AutomationWorld.com, we have the best of both worlds. We push valuable automation content to the automation community and have Editor in Chief Gary Mintchell and Managing Editor Wes Iversen talking automation. In January, there was a great discussion thread on Rockwell Automation’s social media strategy, visit http://bit.ly/7nlHOp. Gary can be found at www.twitter.com/garymintchell and www.garymintchellsfeedforward.com blog and Wes can be found at www.twitter.com/wesiversen. Automation World can be found at www.twitter.com/automationworld.Grant GerkeDigital Managing EditorThe TOP FIVE stories on AutomationWorld.com in January, based on page views:1. Automation Innovation: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Headed(www.automationworld.com/feature-6423)2. Managing Large Scale Automation Projects: (www.automationworld.com/primers-6304)3. ERP Is Reaching the Shop Floor (www.automationworld.com/feature-6424)4. Parallel Programming: Soon the Only Game in  Town(www.automationworld.com/primers-6409)5. What’s Next for India’s Epic UID Project?(www.automationworld.com/news-6405)WEB EXCLUSIVEWill Wireless Device Prices Come Down? The Vendors RespondManaging Editor Wes Iversen queried representatives of two majors suppliers of wireless instrumentation for the February print issue. Jeff Becker, Global Wireless Business Director, Honeywell Process Solutions, and Bob Karschnia, Vice President, Wireless, Emerson Process Management, address the high cost of wireless devices. Visit www.automationworld.com/feature-6502.WEB EXCLUSIVEHCF’s Ed Ladd Responds to Wireless Control QuestionsAutomation World submitted a list of e-mail questions on wireless control to Ed T. Ladd, director of technology programs at the Hart Communication Foundation, which oversees the WirelesssHart Standard. Visit www.automationworld.com/feature-6503, and read Ladd’s responses.WHITE PAPERS: www.automationworld.com/white_papersVisit our White Paper library and find new White Papers. The list below shows the most recent five: 1. Turbo Chain: A New Recovery System Beyond Ethernet Redundant Technology2. Building a Perfect Telemetry System: Seven Key Features3. Machine Vision For Factory Automation4. Machine Vision Guides Robot Motion5. New Developments Open Doors for PC-Based Hart CommunicatorNEW Podcast: Automation Minutes 01.20.10: Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, wonders what’s in store for the automation industry in 2010. Gary talks about communities and Our ISA, a movement to generate grass-roots ideas into a professional engineering society. Visit www.automationworld.com/podcast-6491.Receive targeted Content from AutomationWorld.com via RSS Feeds: www.automationworld.com/rssSubscribe to any of our RSS Feeds to have updated Automation World content delivered to your RSS reader, Google Reader, Bloglines or My Yahoo page. AutomationWorld.com offers targeted RSS feeds, such as News, White Papers, Webcasts and Podcasts, to name a few. Visit www.automationworld.com/rss to find a complete listing of all our RSS feeds.BLOGS: www.automationworld.com/autogearAutomation Gear Blog: Stay on top of product trends by visiting the Automation Gear Blog at www.automationworld.com/autogear. Gary Mintchell and other Automation World editors home in on subtle product innovations that could affect your business’s bottom line. Find Automation Gear blog via our home page or subscribe to Automation Gear’s RSS feed, www.automationworld.com/rss.