The key to creating a successful PLN is by aligning oneself with the right people. In my case, these are individuals who can provide different perspectives, offer disruptive thoughts and ideas, and are passionate about the emerging topic. I would leverage Twitter to achieve my goals because it is a fantastic resource and a social platform tailored for conversations, and it allows me to have connections with a range of people from different countries and even live in different time zone. Moreover, Twitter has a positive environment for me to communicate with my friends and even the social publics, therefore I feel Twitter would be the resource I choose to establish my PLN in the first place. Firstly, I would follow the professionals and industry experts that I know. Secondly, I would go through their respective ‘following’ lists because they are likely to follow people that would also be of interest. Thirdly, I would scroll through their profiles to identify the hashtags that they use. Considering Twitter uses hashtags to isolate topics of interest, I would then search those hashtags to further build my PLN.

After I have followed a select few, I would begin to engage with my PLN. Firstly, I would comment on existing conversations. One such way is through Twitter Chats – a virtual conversation carried out by a host around a unique hashtag. Secondly, I would comment on the posts of people in my PLN. The comments could range from raising a question to acknowledging that the individual has made a good point. This step would go a long way towards building relationships because it would show that I can participate in a meaningful discussion. For people to look up to me as a leader in my chosen space, my online presence must mirror the same qualities that I look for in my connections. Based on it, I would also share useful resources, such as websites, articles, and videos, to show others that I am legitimate and that I will add value to the PLN conversation. Overall, being respectful and proactive is key to building trust and reputation within the PLN.

Reference

Moore, Shelley. One Without the Other : Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=4832579.