Join the conversation and stay connected with EDN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

In this world, one either stays up to the minute or falls behind. That’s what we heard from our readers when EDN’s Twitter efforts were so well accepted at its spring launch. Now @EDNmagazine on Twitter is approaching 1,000 followers. From what can be told from their listed bios, they are a mix of design engineers, execs, sales folk, at-home tech hobbyists, professors, and students — a rich and vibrant community of innovators from around the globe.

So far, there has been little complaint from @EDNmagazine’s Twitter following. Rather, after a warm welcome by our audience at launch, many of our tweets have since been "retweeted" or shared by our followers and @EDNmagazine is often noted in "Follow Friday" posts.

But despite that, and despite the fact that the latest Nielsen Online report pegged Twitter usage growth at 1,382% from February 2008 to February 2009, with more than 7 million new US users signed up in February alone, we here at EDN understand that Twitter isn’t for everyone.

In conversations with several of our Twitter followers and more traditional readers on social media, we learned that that many of you prefer LinkedIn and Facebook over Twitter because of the networking opportunities they present as well as their immediacy of information. So that’s where EDN is going next.

Now, to be sure, you won’t be losing EDN’s print magazine, or any of its e-newsletters, or its RSS feeds. With these social networking tools, we aim to offer our audience more options for receiving information and staying informed, not less. But if you do choose to follow EDN via social media, you’ll get real-time news updates, technical analysis, and quick posts on our blogs, editors, and opportunities. You’ll also get the opportunity to network with other EDN readers by sharing in idea exchanges via the tools’ individual comment, discussion, and direct message features. You’ll still want EDN’s magazine, newsletters, and RSS feeds for the full industry picture, but to quote my previous blog on EDN joining Twiitter, "it never hurts to have information readily at hand in this rapidly changing, fast-paced world in which we design, partner, and compete."

And, to be true, like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook are far from perfect. While EDN supports the below efforts, we have no control over decisions made by the independent companies that own them as to how the pages are presented, how ads are generated, or what is done with your personal information.

But we will be managing these efforts in the same way we have managed EDN’s Twitter presence: Your time will not be wasted with insignificant blurbs. You will not be overrun with 50 updates a day about every little thing going on in the EDN universe. And you can be assured that our LinkedIn and Facebook messages will be held to the same high standards we here at EDN hold all of our editorial products to.

So join the on-going conversation and stay connected with the below EDN supported LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter groups.

As always, your comments are welcome below. Whether you love that EDN is leveraging social networking tools or hate the idea, voice your opinions in the "Post a comment" section a few lines down.

LinkedIn
EDN’s Electronics Design Network is the essential LinkedIn group for the full spectrum of information needed by design engineers, engineering managers, and upper management through each phase of the design cycle, from product-concept development to the manufacturing of electronics. 

Twitter
Success with Twitter is like anything else: Align with the right partners, and you’ll find that there’s real value here in making connections, delivering information, and staying informed. Follow EDN on Twitter for real-time news updates, technical analysis, and quick tweets on our blogs, editors, and opportunities. Also follow EDN editors Rick Nelson, Brian Dipert, and Margery Conner, as well as our Webcast team, on Twitter.

Facebook
Facebook is quickly becoming the most popular mass social media available. Become a fan of EDN on Facebook and join in discussions with your peers, keep track of industry events, and stay on top of news and trends.

Become a fan of EDN on Facebook:
EDN: Voice of the Engineer on Facebook

Also follow EDN’s award-winning Brian’s Brian blog on Facebook.