Jason, in my view, the more astute will treat each social platform differently. Communities and their needs may be completely different based upon each platform, which requires planning different goals and objectives for each platform’s use. And, just because you can do it (have a social profile on each major platform and more), it doesn’t mean you should. Bottom line, social platforms shouldn’t be ‘lumped’ together at all and it comes down to understanding your communities and building a unique strategy  for each.

Yes, a blog is part of social media. I can talk about how a blog is a community, a two-way conversation, yada yada yada.

But really, the blog is the hub of your social media wheel. You push content out to your social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) in the hopes of driving content BACK to your blog. Once they’re there, they see they can connect with you on those other properties, and do so. Then, you’re able to reach them on more than one platform with brand new content.
Treat a blog like social media. It’s not separate in the least little bit.

I agree with  @danielmckean that each social platform is different and needs to be dealt with in their own unique way, but at the same time, I agree with   @erikdeckers in that the blog is a part of social media.

The blog is the hub of your social media. First there was MySpace, Twitter, LI and all those, but it is the blog that allows them all to be connected.
Traffic should be led from blog to social network, and vice versa, like @ernohannink said.
The blog is the flower, and all the social networks are the various birds and insects that are needed for seed distribution and pollination.

@jasonwiser Hi Jason and Folks! 

Sorry, it is SPRING and that means dealing with the gardener, landscaper and all things outside, besides what we do inside.

I agree @warrenveach made a lovely correlation with the birds and bees too.  :D

Much of my stuff is tied together but the blogs and websites do more than an online business card could do too.  The static text at the websites is perennial, it may change a little from time to time but basically says the same thing from one month or season to the other. The blogs are outbound information whereby comments are accepted but not necessarily needed.  Comments cause interaction and you’d think that was a good thing, however, too much can overpower even the 16 hour workaholic web/internet lover/worker when multiple blogs are a part of your arsenal of tools.

Enter Social Media – Adding social media and creating a chain of information of multiple parts sort of pulls that chain (like a train) but many times (almost always now) in more than two directions. Forward and backward suddenly are not enough directions. Now there is up, down and sideways to think about and it has been that way for years.

Small to medium business owners have a truly hard time keeping up with it all.

I’d say Jason and Warren are right in their contention. That is, at this point the blog is probably as important as the basic website and is probably the hub for social media, et ali. You use those constantly updated blog entries to draw in folks from social media everywhere, so the fresh content is very important.

I’m truly careful with my social media – there is no personal for me, even on Facebook.  IT IS ALL BUSINESS and even the chit chat is mentally edited so as to draw people in and not alienate them with personal OH!pinions.

Oops – a little wordy but I am missing being online as much! Outside duties do call to me in the spring of every year.  It’s lovely out there and I love spending time in the outdoors when the moderate spring weather is this great.  I also leave my cell phone inside the house.  No connections except those with nature.

I did not say anything new here Jason – Just my .02 – again. Thanks for asking!

Eileen

@erikdeckers says it perfectly, the blog for me is the central nervous system of your Social Media strategy. You create content on your blog whether it be an infographic, video, great content, photo album etc and you share it with other social media platforms. All with the aim of bring them back to your blog/site. Think of Pinterest, why would you use it (as a marketing tool) unless you are intentionally aiming to get traffic back to your site

@kristi-hines Totally agreed. Thank you! 

I think a blog is a social network technically because of the format of the writing is generally written in a way that is conversational  way of writing.  Furthermore  because people are allowed to comment back provides a two way street in the communication process..adslot-overlay {position: absolute; font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.65); border: 2px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.65); color: white !important; margin: 0; z-index: 2147483647; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: left;}.adslot-overlay-iframed {top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0;}.slotname {position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px 0 3px 6px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.45); text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden;}.slotname span {text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-transform: capitalize;}.revenue {position: absolute; bottom: 0; left: 0; right: 0; font-size: 11px; padding: 3px 0 3px 6px; vertial-align: middle; text-align: left; background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.45); font-weight: bold; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;}.revenue .name {color: #ccc;}.revenue .horizontal .metric {display: inline-block; padding-right: 1.5em;}.revenue .horizontal .name {padding-right: 0.5em;}.revenue .vertical .metric {display: block; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;}.revenue .vertical .name, .revenue .vertical .value {display: block;}.revenue .square .metric, .revenue .button .metric {display: table-row;}.revenue .square .metric {line-height: 1.5em;}.revenue .square .name, .revenue .square .value, .revenue .button .value {display: table-cell;}.revenue .square .name {padding-right: 1.5em;}.revenue .button .name {display: block; margin-right: 0.5em; width: 1em; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: clip;}.revenue .button .name:first-letter {margin-right: 1.5em;}a.adslot-overlay:hover {border: 2px solid rgba(58,106,173,0.9);}a.adslot-overlay:hover .slotname {border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(81,132,210,0.9); background-color: rgba(58,106,173,0.9);}a.adslot-overlay:hover .revenue {border-top: 1px solid rgba(81,132,210,0.9); background-color: rgba(58,106,173,0.9);}div.adslot-overlay:hover {cursor: not-allowed; border: 2px solid rgba(64,64,64,0.9);}div.adslot-overlay:hover .slotname {border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.9); background-color: rgba(64,64,64,0.9);}div.adslot-overlay:hover .revenue {border-top: 1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.9); background-color: rgba(64,64,64,0.9);}

@jasonwiser It has helped for the search terms “MailChimp expert”. Every time I search on different browsers and signed in or not signed into Google I come up on the 1st page, any where from #4 to #10. Pretty cool … has it translated into my phone ringing? Somewhat – I’m getting leads, but I don’t want to work with all the leads I’m getting. (I’m being pickier in my old age. lol!) For MailChimp alone I get 3 to 4 leads a week.