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Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, Google +…. the list of social media platforms people talk about seems endless. Wading into the world of social media can seem daunting; many feel they just aren’t of the generation that “get it”.
Although getting involved with social media may seem overwhelming, there are many reasons making the leap are worthwhile.
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Connections
Your friends, family and kids are online. By being on Facebook you will keep up to date with people you don’t have the time to keep up with regularly and know more about what is going on in the lives of people that you DO keep in touch with.
The sharing of photos, news and ability to support has never been as easy with the people you already know as they have been since Facebook has grown to what it is today. Don’t miss out on what is there, even if you don’t want to share a lot of your own personal information on the site.
Community
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A great myth when it comes to social media is that it takes people away from real life interactions. The opposite is often true, with social media helping people to find communities that they then bring into their real lives.
Through Facebook pages and groups, Twitter, and Linked In groups, people are able to find groups of people within their own cities to get to know and then become friends with. Great examples include groups for new mothers, parents, weight loss support groups, and business groups such as Chambers of Commerce.
Business
People now expect to be able to find a business online.
If someone looks for a business online and finds it on Facebook, they can choose to “like” the business, thereby sharing this opinion with their friends. If that business isn’t findable, the business has just lost the opportunity to reach out to new people who are likely in the same demographic as that person. This is the kind of targeted marketing that can’t be bought. The key message is that people will be looking so businesses need to be there when they do.
The opportunities from the consumer standpoint is to find out what is going on with businesses they believe in, to endorse companies they believe in and to build relationships with those businesses.
Regardless of the reason, social media is a place to build relationships and engage in a way with friends, family, businesses and potential friends in a way that has never existed before.
I challenge you to jump in and test out the waters, you may be surprised at how easy it is and how much you like it!
