Of The Social Train

Social Media is an epic train taking the internet and us with it to destinations unknown, who is even driving it ? I dont know, but here’s a few lessons I have gleamed from it…

•Its not just Social Media

The term Social Media gives it the distinction which makes it sound like a Club you go to hang out, what larks. True, it may have started off purely for social entertainment but it has become an interface with the world, especially now with the lockdown restrictions, where we have virtual meet ups, virtual learning, virtual friends and virtual social interactions.

For better or worse, some people regard Social Media as The Internet. The high price of internet access and promotional bundled packages offering various Social Media suites has contributed to a skew of the balance of net neutrality.

I regularly experience this when I reach out to my friends and family on social media to read my blog and am met with the response that “I do not have the data to check your blog but I will…”

The point is there are lots of people for whom Social Media has become a primary source of news, current affairs and updates on global situations while also staying in touch with family, friends and strangers.

Information travels quickly on Social Media channels and has helped some issues raise awareness or crowd funding support and donations for those in need. Some business models have risen quickly powered by Social Media, viral images have catapulted some social media users to global recognition.

Revolutions will be powered by Social Media – at some point the internet was shutdown in Zimbabwe as Social Media had been blamed for being used to incite people to violence and co-ordinate acts of civil disobedience

Maybe the revolution will be hashtagged, tweeted retweeted and live streamed

Or maybe people will revolt and no one will look up from their devices as the advocate of unpopular opinions pointed out how unsocialable social media makes us

Social Media may be a double edged sword, but it’s not just Social Media

•You don’t have to be everywhere all the time but you should still be found

As a Digital Content Creator you should allow the world to find you. Have some sort of presence on the main Social Media Networks, yes, even the ones you don’t like. Just because you do not like a platform does not mean that your audience is not there.

Note I said Be Found. I did not say you have to actively be there all the time. You could simply have a page or profile which directs people to the best platform to reach you. You can use the marketing tools on your site settings to make your blog automatically update new content to your various social platforms.

•Pick a platform and build it

All the Social Media platforms have their own advantages and disadvantages and there’s no universal social media strategy that works everywhere, although you should try and use the same handle or user name across all your social networks.

Pick the one that works best for you and work on it, you can layer in the others and have then redirect to where you are most active.

I prefer Twitter, its unruly, interactive, real time and I use it as a Search Engine to find out whats happening in the world around me.

My twitter feed is a draft of ideas and thoughts that may one day become blog posts.

Click image below for 7 twitter tips that could transform your twitter use:

•Its Ok to disconnect

Social Media can be overwhelming, triggering or toxic.

There are people who seek infamy by spewing vitriol others are just hateful individuals, trolls. Its easy to get caught up in the drama

There are mute and block options.

You could even take a hiatus from Social Media (but do try and leave a notification for those who may look for you while you are away)

~B

PS Which one is your social media of choice?

You can find me on:

Twitter @Beatonm5

Facebook BecomingTheMuse

Instagram Beatonm5

Goodreads Beatonm5

Pinterest Beatonm05

It would be awesome to meet you out and about the streets of the internet…