It has been such a ride this past year, and as we look forward to the coming year, we always look back at what we learned from mistakes we made in the past, or what we learned in terms of new ideas that left a mark on us. Social media has been growing steadily over the past few years, and it was the buzz word in 2010. So many people wanted to know more about it, wanted to use it for their business, or simply wanted to boost their influence online. No matter what the reason for getting into social media, people were amazed at the impact it made.
Websites like FaceBook, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon and many other social media sites have gained so much popularity because of all the learning and connecting with friends and family 24/7. Personally, I have seen my own growth in terms of learning so many things, valuable insights, values and information that I would have never learned as fast if not for social media. I am fortunate to have been part of a large world, rather than just the one I literally live in. People were open and encouraging in the past year, and here are some of the lessons I have learned. I hope this will be helpful to our readers who are just starting in social media.
1. The world is bigger – No one needs to be confined to the geographical place where they live. No matter where you are, you can learn so many different values and so much information from different people from all walks of life. Their traditions and culture are at your finger tips. You just need to follow the right people and connect with them on a regular basis. Just make sure you connect and interact, engagement is the key in social media.
2. You can build relationships and network – This may take some time, but it is real. You can truly connect with people and build friendships and network even with people you have not met in real life yet. The best example I guess would be here at Bit Rebels. This is a blog created, built and sustained by people who have only met on Twitter. @Minervity is a person that I learn from daily.
3. You must be able to take the good as well as the bad – People all have their opinions, and in social media, it is welcomed. You need to be ready to take the good with the bad. If you have a blog, people will react to whatever you write. If you comment on a post, people will either like it or not. You just need to be open and ready to make the necessary adjustments along the way.
4. You can use your influence for good – I follow and am friends with some of the most influential people online, and one thing that I love about these people is that they use their influence for good. They help with causes by spreading the word. We can all do our little part in bringing good to the world we live in. If you are a blogger, write. If you tweet, then retweet causes. Help in any way you can, big or little. Social media is a great tool to help in allowing a message to reach thousands of people. It never fails to warm my heart when I read a comment or a tweet from someone who has benefited from what we have shared here at Bit Rebels.
5. Just Be Yourself – You don’t have to be an expert or a celebrity to be successful in social media. What matters is that you just share who you are and what interests you. One way or another, your message will reach people with the same interests, and you can be a source of inspiration for others. Do not be afraid to share your knowledge, your passion and your heart.
Maybe you have learned some lessons the past year and would like to share them with us. Please leave a comment. We always appreciate learning from you, our readers.
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