Unraveling Social Media..Doh!

Don't be overwhelmed by the threads. There are millions of them and if you tug on one it can take you rambling through searches and "sign up here" pages for an eternity. Start with the three-legged stool: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Some experts refer to these three platforms as the "golden" trilogy.

Facebook begins for many as a way to connect with friends and family. I still use it that way but it also has become an incredible business resource. These two purposes are not mutually exclusive and you can juggle two personae on Facebook. There is, however, a caveat. If you get too business-y, your friends might roll there eyes and grouse. Use your own judgment based on your personal and professional goals and objectives. If you are a new blogger, Facebook is the bomb-digity (technical term) for sharing information with other new bloggers. Don't be afraid to poke around (oops, bad choice of words) on Facebook. You won't believe the opportunities!

LinkedIn was an enigma when I first signed on. I had a dozen or so business contacts. For a couple of years, I didn't explore the vast number of options. No more. When I got serious about branding I decided to revisit LinkedIn in earnest and, holy guacamole (another technical term), the resources for business applications are nothing short of astounding! Follow some LinkedIn groups, sit in on a couple of webinars, and you'll be maximizing your LinkedIn presence in no time flat. This is an unbelievable resource. Experts are right at your fingertips. When I invite former colleagues to join me and they write "...I don't really check LinkedIn...don't have time...don't do social media.." I try hard not to be smug. Smugness is not attractive and typically unappreciated.

Twitter is a passion but it was a slow-burn. Like LinkedIn, I signed up but didn't fully engage for months. Just didn't get it. Then, after one serendipitous conversation with someone head-over-heels in love with it, I gave it another try. Now, it is my social media war room more so than Facebook. Every day, I check in for world news, national news, music, quotes, book reviews and a never-ending flow of social media tips.  And, the friendships I have developed with people all over the world are phenomenal. I can hear your eyes rolling, but it's true. The subject of social media friendships will be covered another day. My Twitter friends deserve a post all their own.

So, go ahead. Pick a thread and tug. You'll enjoy where it leads!

9 Ways to Maximize Your LinkedIn Profile

9 Ways to Maximize Your LinkedIn Profile

Why Laughing Babies?

My journey has begun! Just a year ago, I never dreamed that I would describe myself as a "social media enthusiast." In fact, I don't think the phrase would have had much meaning for me. But two things happened that led me down this path. First, in 2009 social media exploded and the world went all "a-Twitter" when Ashton Kutcher (tweeting as @aplusk) hit the one million follower milestone. Sure Twitter had been around for a couple of years prior, but when the word "trending" hit mainstream media, all bets were off. It quickly became a "get on the bus or get out of the way" proposition.

At the time, I was working for a small non-profit and with fund raising sources hard hit by the economy, we moved forward with Twitter to try and shore things up. As development director, I was in charge of social media (ha!) and as with all endeavors, I jumped right in with both feet. Imagine my enthusiasm (ergo the word enthusiast) when FastCompany (http://www.fastcompany.com/) listed the small non-profit as one of five up and coming non-profits to watch on Twitter. My enthusiasm for social media suddenly exploded, too. No longer just a personal web tool for keeping up with family and friends, it became a major marketing tool to be reckoned with. I was on fire for social media.

The second (and third) life-changing events that led to my enthusiasm for social media were the births of my two perfect grandchildren. Clearly, it was time to follow my passion and become my own boss. My desire was overwhelming to be able to set a schedule that allowed for family time.  Time to enjoy two beautiful laughing babies..and laugh right along with them. I want to see and hear those two laughing babies as often as possible!  As they grow, I want them to sit by my side as I tweet, blog, and post. Although I may have to wipe the PBJ off my keyboard now and then, these two perfect babies are my joy and my peace followed very closely by this new thing in my life called social media.

Many wonderful people have helped shape my journey this past year with one of the most influential being Guy Kawasaki (co-founder of Alltop http://alltop.com/). If you are not following him on Twitter, please do. In his Twitter bio, Guy describes himself as "a firehose that answers the question: What's interesting?" My philosophy is very much in sync with Guy's. If you're going to do it, be a firehose.  Social media is not something that requires you to tread lightly or with trepidation. If you snooze you lose. It's a brave new world that requires brave new souls ready to jump in and bob along fearlessly in a stream that can change into rapids on a dime. Jump in and jump on board. Those who don't will be left standing on the shore wondering what happened and wishing they had the same joy and success of those in the water.