Social Media may not be for everyone, but when I hear someone say “I don’t care what people had for breakfast!” I can’t help but think they don’t have the full picture. So here’s my list of ways that Social Media sites (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube) enhance the day-to-day lives of people who love it. And I couldn’t keep it to 10 – had to go with 11! I’ll top off the list with some cautionary tips.
- Stay connected with distant (and busy!) family without long-distance and time-consuming phone calls (and playing phone tag).
- Reconnect with friends from your past without having to attend your reunion. Most social sites have tools to help you do this.
- Get instant updates from school mom networks when emergencies arise at your children’s school.
- Career connections –Your former supervisor could be the connection to your next job!
Be found (or ‘found out’ !) as a potential candidate by companies searching for employees on social sites such as LinkedIn. - Own a business? Establish relationships and credibility – more cost-effective than traditional advertising, great potential for reaching YOUR target market. It’s a great way to develop relationships over time – a long term strategy.
- Causes-Keep up with causes you care about but don’t have a lot of time for. From political, social, and legal causes to conservation, fundraising, and awareness.
- Support, Fellowship,and Information: Find groups in the socialsphere that help you feel like you’re not alone. Moms, book writers, divorcees, veterans, dieters, medical issues of every kind, accident victims, crime victims, addicts (but remember the public nature of social), job seekers, travelers, musicians, entrepreneurs, hobbyists – just to mention a few!
- Learning-There is so much out there to learn – and so much of it is free. Find lectures and webinars on topics of interest to you.
- Know the new. “Listen” to what people are saying about trending topics that are “now.”
- Entertainment-Games, pictures, videos, stories – some of it is just pure entertainment!
- Ask a question – get 50 responses!
CAUTION – 4 things you NEVER want to do on social media
Do NOT ignore your Privacy settings – know where they are and how to remove yourself from a site if you need to.
Do NOT send money to someone who has contacted you through a social site – even a “friend” – without speaking to them by telephone or some other method outside of the site where they contacted you.
Do NOT post anything you don’t want to be public knowledge. What you post is public and can be viewed by insurance companies, law enforcement, judges, and prospective employers. Not to mention your mom. 😉
Do NOT assume that news posts are true. Plenty of fake online news stories lure people in with sensational headlines in order to drive traffic to underhanded web marketers. Consider the source. Is it from NewYorkTimes.com or SomeWeirdName.com?
Let us know how Social Media makes YOUR life better!
