You Have Nothing To Lose and Everything To Gain

If I had to make a list of the top questions or statements that people ask or say, when you tell them that they need to embrace social media, one near the top of the list would be, “How long does it take?” or “I don’t have enough time!“.

YOU HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO! But realize that you do not have to eat the whole elephant in one sitting.

Here is my advice:

1. Start with one platform or social networking site.
2. Learn all the in’s and outs, master it!
3. Incorporate it into your life.
4. Move on to the next.
5. Repeat!

Before you know it, you will have a half dozen or so social networking sites under your belt, you will eventually realize that some need your attention daily and others weekly or monthly. You will even find that there is value to be found.

Also important to note is that these things become easier with practice and use, you will get better at it, I promise! Participating will not always be work. You will begin using these sites without even thinking about it, do you really have to think about checking your email anymore?

“But my privacy!“

If you’re concerned about your privacy, set your social networking accounts to “private” whereby others cannot see your page until you accept their friend request. Also, only share what you are comfortable with, you will find your comfort zone expands over time.

We all have to accept the fact that when you type your name into Google, it turns up some of the most relevant search results about you, times are changing you can’t really “hide”.

Carefully consider who you will let into your new found networks, but don’t be afraid to “friend or follow” trusted associates of others. Cultivate new relationships, this is one of the benefits of social networking. For the most part you have nothing to lose and everything to gain when someone adds you as a friend on any social media website, remember you can always drop them, usually they are unaware. Did you know that often you can even block them, so they can’t find you in a search?

Lastly, don’t judge it, until you’ve given it a fair test drive. Online social networking gives you reach and access unlike ever before, it’s not a fad and it’s time to see what all the fuss is about. Those I know who have the worst opinions of social networking, haven’t even tried it or have false paranoid stories. People have their identities stolen from bank accounts and credit cards not accounts on twitter.

What one needs to understand is that friend networks serve different purposes on each social media site so the value of mutual friendships will differ. This is something you’ll instinctively realize when you spend time on using each specific social channel.

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