Getting Started with Social Media

Ok, fine. Social media is kind of a big deal. But where do I begin? How do I get started?

Here are a few easy ways to dig in.

1. Sign up for a "newsreader". Sit back and relax as all of your news, gossip and industry updates come directly to you - via a "newsreader" of course. One of the cool things about social media has been the innovation of a technology called RSS (Really Simple Syndication). By subscribing to the RSS feed of a website or blog, your "newsreader" (i.e. Google Reader or Windows Live) will be notified when new content is available. Then, read the stories and view the images you want in your newsreader at anytime without having to visit each website individually - such convenience!

2. Join LinkedIn. A good network is invaluable. When it comes to meeting new contacts, marketing yourself, finding a job, or getting answers to business questions, LinkedIn is one of the best places to start. It's a great way to see who's who in your industry, and how you are - or could be - connected to prominent and influential people. It's also an excellent source of company and people information - especially when it comes to interviews or business meetings. Because everything on LinkedIn has been placed there voluntarily, it's a good starting point to build common ground and cultivate relationships.

3. Get on Twitter. Even with 140 character limit, you can still get your message across - and much more creatively. Because Twitter is not permission-based like LinkedIn or Facebook, you can follow anyone you want to. This feature gives you access to people whom you might otherwise never have "met". So take advantage of Twitter's openness and expand your network. Engage with industry leaders and influential people; support the people and causes you care about, form communities around shared hobbies...the list is endless! Or, use the network you've built on Twitter to drive traffic to your own content and generate interest in a very big way.

4. Manage the "online you." With so many social media platforms, it can be easy to view them in isolation of each other. However, everyone googles - employers, co-workers, new love interests, old love interests, and even older friends - and you wouldn't want them to stumble upon something that you wouldn't voluntarily offer up yourself, now would you? Which is why it's important to manage the "online you" so that all of your online touch points reflect the message or image you want to convey. Remember, no matter how good your memory, the internet never forgets.

5. Re-evaluate Facebook. But first, if you're not on a social networking site (Facebook, MySpace or Bebo), get with the program! Seriously. Never before has it been so easy to stay in touch - whether it's with family, friends, distant relatives or high school classmates - social networking sites allow you to stay up-to-date with the people in your network and to be part of a much larger circle of friends than the average person's time permits. With that said, if you are on a social networking site, then please, heed the advice above. Decide if your profile is for personal or professional use - it's really hard to do both and be real at the same time.

6. Use Flickr. Instead of posting your drunken/half-naked pictures to Facebook for all to see, upload them to Flickr where you can better control who sees what. Because the harsh reality is that sitting next to a person for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week does not automatically make you friends. Sorry.

7. Discover or pursue a hobby. There are tons of social networking groups that cater to special interests - everything from online games and photography to cooking and politics. Meet people who share your interest and have fun learning new things.

8. Entertain yourself. Watch downloaded movies or TV shows on your phone in the subway, record yourself singing your favourite song, or Twitter to your network as you sit in 2 hour traffic at the border. Whatever you can do to entertain yourself and make time pass just a little less slowly.

You see, by providing us with the tools, social media enables us to have more friends, share more experiences, listen to more interesting conversations, speak to (more) industry leaders, connect with more like-minded people, find more information and faster, make better decisions, and create lasting relationships. It's your life - but better.

Besides, you can't knock it until you try it right? And who wants to turn down an opportunity to make their life better?

So dig in and try something new. You might be surprised at what you find.