The other night, my friend Emily asked me why she should join Twitter. Why would anyone care what she was doing? I explained to her that Twitter, like the other social networks, has come a long way from just telling people what you are doing. As social media becomes more and more mainstream, the possibilities of what you can get out of joining a social network are endless.
So you want to join or get more involved in social media. Where do you start? Before you go anywhere, you need to understand what you are getting yourself into. Social networking takes time and commitment on your part. Finding connections, building and maintaining relationships, and sharing meaningful content take time and it adds up… quickly. Do not get me wrong, you can commit as much or as little time as you want; but social networking is what you make of it. You will get what you put in.
So you understand the time needed to make the experience worthwhile and are ready to take the next step. Now it is time to understand the different networks available and how they are used. Some of the most common social networks include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and Myspace (yes, Myspace). Before you join one (or all of them), I encourage you to look around these communities and get a feel for the people there, the content they are sharing, and what they are using the network for. If you find some like-minded individuals and like what they are doing, jump on in!
You have made the jump. You are really doing it! Now what? Now you will want to find a direction for yourself and understand what you want to get out of using this network. Do you want to keep in touch with friends via Facebook? Do you want to tweet your way to a job through Twitter? Knowing what you want to get out of using these social networks will help direct you to the people you want to connect with and the content or media that you are going to share. It is not an exact science and there is a lot of trial and error involved. After a few days, weeks, or maybe months you will find your place within the network.
Emily was intrigued with when I told her what I have learned, the great people I have met and connected with, and the opportunities that have come my way because of Twitter. After hearing about it, she decided to dive right in and try it for herself.
What advice do you have for someone who is looking to join or get more involved in social media?
