I’ve been on Facebook (personally) for about 8 years now. I’ve been on Twitter for three, I’ve been on Instagram for about 2, and I’ve been blogging for two as well. That’s a lot of years of social media. That’s a lot of experiences and that’s a lot of lessons learned! So, here are what I consider my most important lessons that I’ve learned about social media!
1. Not Everything Has to Go On Social Media – To most people this may seem like common knowledge, but we all know the other group who aren’t quite aware of this yet! It doesn’t matter if it’s that adorable naked baby picture of your youngest or the reason why you were arguing with your spouse. Some things just don’t need to be on social media! And, it doesn’t matter whether it’s being posted on Facebook, Instagram, or a blog…somethings just don’t belong. So, before posting really think about who is going to be viewing it and the message that you want to send to them and everyone else who might see it.
2. Nothing is ever “Gone” from Social Media – I think we’ve all done it…posted something to a social media and then seconds or minutes later thought, “that probably wasn’t a good idea” (see Item #1); so you go back and delete it and breathe a sigh of relief! I hate to tell you but…it isn’t gone! Since the invention of the cellphone and all it’s amazing features, we now have the screen shot! We all need to remember that when posting because we have no idea who may have taken a screen shot of our post to use for later. I urge you that if you are posting something on a knee-jerk reaction, please…take a deep breath and step away from the platform. After you’ve thought about it for several minutes, if not hours, proceed! Remember, it’s never really gone!!
3. It’s Good to Try New Things – This is especially true if you own a business, have a new venture that you would like to advance, etc. It’s easy to settle into our comfort and never try new things, but in order to move forward and advance, we have to try new things, so if you haven’t tried a new platform (Instagram, Twitter, etc), give it a try! If you find it scary, find an expert to help you along the way! I promise that it will be beneficial in the end.
4. Be Adventurous and Yet Be Cautious – Remember #3? It’s true! Be adventurous and try something new, but at the same time, use the brain God gave you and be smart and cautious! If you don’t know the person who sent you a friend request…don’t accept it! If you think someone who started following you on Instagram is sketchy, block them! It’s OK, It’s better to be safe than sorry! But, have fun with social media because….well, move on to number 5!
5. Social Media is an Amazingly Wonderful Thing – It’s true! Social Media is a fantastic thing! It keeps us in the loop and the know with our family and friends at a distance, it connects people who wouldn’t have otherwise met, and it helps to move businesses in a forward motion! It doesn’t matter whether you are using social media for personal or business, it is a wonderful thing! I’ve been connected with people I haven’t seen or talked to in decades on a personal level and through my blog and social media work I’ve met some of the greatest friends in my life now! Embrace that social media is here and what it can do for you!
