We are each a channel of content creation and distribution.  We are all also voracious consumers of content.

We create content in the form of tweets, blog posts, emails, videos, utters.  We distribute content via email, blog posts.  We consume content via RSS, email subscriptions, Facebook. 

But are we guilty of skimping on the SHARING aspects of Social Media?

When you find great content, how often do you …

• Tweet it … ?
• Share on Facebook … ?
• Stumble It … ?
• Digg It … ?
• Save to del.icio.us … ?
• How often are you sharing your reactions via a blog comment?

If you are like me, you probably read a blog post (or skim it, more likely), take from it what you can, and move on.

But each of us is – in theory – an active community participant, eh?  We have created an informal pact with friends & colleagues in our socnets – LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. – and these folks are (in part) depending on us to discover, aggregate, and share our favorite bits of stuff. 

I’ll bet that each of us rely on a small handful of people who always seem to find, save and share “the good stuff.” 

Are we reciprocating?  Are we showing our appreciation to our favorite content creators by posting their best bits to our Facebook newstreams, Stumbling, saving to del.icio.us, and commenting?  Are we adding value to the people in our extended networks by taking an extra 10 seconds to highlight our favorite discoveries for them?

For my part, the answer is “not nearly enough.”  I’m determined to do better.  Consider it an early New Year’s Resolution.  Through my travels in my RSS stream, I’ll try to pop-in to comment more.  I’ll try to “stumble,” save, and share, more.  To show appreciation for my colleagues’ hard work.  To participate.

Will you?

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