Are You On Social Media?

I like social media and of course many people do.  It's a great networking tool and great for keeping in touch with the world.  My main uses of social media includes Twitter, Facebook and Google+. We often see the best side of social media and sorta push aside the the bad side, but overall, with many things we do, it's how you use it that matters and knowing that will help you steer it the way you want it to go, for you.  If you are not engaged and participating in the top social media sites then the world is leaving you behind. Whether you are engaging with social media for yourself or business or entrepreneurial reasons, you need go in with your eyes wide open. Some of the reasons I like social media includes:

Is the world leaving you behind?

• It's Internet, so the cost are minimal, compared to traditional networking or marketing such as print or television, if for business purposes.
• The communications are virtually quick from others who are engaging with you.
• Makes me laugh.
• Every contact or follower could be a potential customer or an outlet to leverage more customers.
• You can be more creative on social media. The models, layouts and templates are numerous and very effective.
• To use your voice - you can project your viewpoint to the world. It creates a more well rounded understanding of all topics.
• Job prospects and opportunities in general.

Of course there is a not so good side to being on social media, mostly in the business arena. If you are on social media for social and personal reasons then you may not have to deal with some of the down sides of social media. Here are some reasons you may not like social media so much:

• Social media marketing demands on your time. Content must be created, edited, approved and published; comments must be responded to and sites and pages must be maintained. You can pay someone to do any or all of these jobs, but that money also.
• Keep up with the tools, they change often; one day Myspace, the next day Twitter.
• The face-to-face communication with others may be reduced, diminishing your interpersonal communication skills.
• Others may feel they want to express their side of a story and negatively affect a brand's reputation.
• It could cost; Danny Brown, a VP, Partner Strategy at Jugnoo Inc., and internet and media technology speaker and blogger, laid out the real cost of social media, especially if you are on it for a business.

Well, just like anything, there are downsides to social media but, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Remember, social media is here to stay, so the question is not whether we are on social media or not, but how well we do it. The worst thing to do, is to do nothing. Feel free to follow me on twitter, Facebook or Google+ and good luck.