Updating Your Life

What does the term “social media” mean to you? There are a lot of ways to answer that question, but for me the answer is simple: my job. Yes, I am a Social Media Coordinator. Basically, what that means is that I am responsible for posting all updates to Facebook and Twitter in regards to the department in which I work. Unlike some people I actually enjoy what I do because it entails something that I am good at and I have, practically, been doing since I was 17 years old. “Facebooking” (I think we have made this a verb) is somewhat of a normal thing. Can you name someone that does not have a Facebook account? Those people are pretty rare and hard to find. Anyone who is any one has a Facebook account these days. If they don't the first thing you ask is, why? Let's face it; social media sites are all the rage.  If I recall Facebook became something to use to keep up-to-date with friends and such. I read in an article that it began as a way for college campus students to update items, but then it began to spread to other colleges. Before you knew it the Facebook genuises were like, "Wait a second. I think people in their teen years could have one." Boy, were they right. When I was in high school Facebook had really just begun. It seems funny now thinking that Facebook really was not around when I was going through all of those awkward teenage years, but it wasn't. I am actually kind of glad for that. I cannot even imagine my life without Facebook now, which is really sad. :/ If you think about it what would we do with all of our spare time without Facebook? How could we stalk people that we have no interest in talking to, but we are just that nosy to want to know what is going on in their lives? Honestly, our lives might be simpler, but it would leave a little bit of a fun void; for me at least. I have no shame in saying that I really enjoy getting on Facebook. I love reading people's posts and knowing what is going on. If I don't enjoy them I simply block the person from my newsfeed. Not everyone is enjoyable; some people are just downright boring.

Nowadays Facebook is not only for social interaction, but businesses have jumped on the bandwagon. In no way do I think that Facebook or any other social media site is going to take away from the traditional website. There are so many things that you cannot put on a Facebook site that can go on a traditional website. With that being said Facebook is such a great way to reach out to your audience. Facebook updates are a wonderful way to stay in touch with clientele and give them up-to-date information. A business cannot expect the public to go to their website every hour to check out information. With Facebook they are more likely to get updates in a timely matter because let’s face it, people check the social media site way more often than they do the business site. No matter how much people depend on social media there is no way that it can replace the current form of e-mail, etc... An article that I read brings up so many great points to support this fact such as: security, the fact that e-mail works across all platforms and e-mail provides more privacy than Facebook. There is also the sense of professionalism. If you are an employer, would you really want a future employee sending you a Facebook message? It just does not come across as though he/she is completely serious about the job.

Facebook is one thing, but Twitter...that's an entirely new ballgame. Yes, Twitter is a social media site, but the two sites could not be more different. In case you are not familliar with Twitter I will fill you in on the basics. 1) You can only use 140 characters to let your feelings be known. 2) You can hash tag anything by using the pound sign (#). People will hash tag things such as television shows, #Idol, for American Idol. They also use them for things they want to happen. I am not ashamed to use me as an example. We, DOOL (Days of our Lives) fans, have been very, shall we say, PO'd about the lack of screen time for several of our characters. We started the hash tag #WeWantJandM (aka We Want John and Marlena) to get the attention of the people of Days. :) 3) If you want to connect with people you must use the “@” symbol followed by their username. Yes, it can be complicated for some people that have never used it, but it really is a lot of fun. I consider myself a major tweeter (what one calls themselves if they tweet.) Currently, I am closing in on around 8,000 tweets. What do I tweet about you ask? Well, probably a whole lot of nothing for some people. J But, that is completely beside the point. When you are not in a business and you use social media, what point do any of your posts have? I can pretty much guarantee people do not need to read my latest Facebook post, "Lazaro is gone!" This is in reference, of course, to last night’s American Idol elimination.

Facebook, Twitter, LInkedin, etc… have done so many things for the technology world. They have given people the opportunity to network and stay in or get back in touch with people they had lost contact with. It really is a cool thing that I can be sitting here in my living room, but be having a conversation with one of my best friends in Colorado. All of this is without the use of a telephone.

I do worry that people tend to forget that people can see what you are doing. What I mean by this is that young people forget that they can be seen. When I say young people, I am particularly talking about the teenagers who think they know everything, but do not have the brains God gave a billy goat. Social media sites can get people into trouble if they do not use it in the right way. A good and normal way of posting: Updating people on your day; a bad way: posting a picture of yourself doing illegal activities. I cannot tell you how many people I see on Facebook, that are, obviously under the age of 21, posting pictures of themselves with open cans of alcohol. Fact: businesses and companies check Facebook and Twitter. If you post anything they do not like that could cost you a job opportunity. When posting pictures or things on Facebook ask yourself one question; "Would I show this to my mom?" If the answer is no I can pretty much guarantee it should NOT go on Facebook or Twitter. As great as these social media outlets are they can get you into trouble if you are not careful.