In today’s world, there are so many ways to communicate with people, businesses and family, it can be overwhelming. There are many questions that run through your head including:
- Which media am I comfortable using?
- Which media am I suppose to use?
- Will I be profitable using that type of communication?
- Can I keep up with the communication?
- Are the people I am trying to communicate with using the same social media?
- I want to keep up with my kids life while they are away but what do I use?
You are not alone!
There is a reason for the different types of media; different people communicate in different ways. Some people enjoy and have adapted to every type of media they can get there hands on, while others find it beneficial to only use one source. That’s OK! Don’t force yourself to use something because everyone else is using it. If the platform doesn’t seems like it will work for you, don’t sign up for it!
Technology has become everyone’s go-to and is happening now! We are all getting into this together.
Here are some tips to get started:
Set aside time to learn!
If you are unsure of how to use a certain social media platforms, take some time to learn it.
Set some goals and practice using them!
Practice will help you realize what you are most comfortable using and allow you to focus and become a professional. With a little practice here and there, you will be an expert in no time!
The more comfortable you become with one social media platform, it will allow you to focus and have more time learning the other. Set your pace and keep up with how you’re comfortable.
Ultimately, change is happening all the time. By the time you learn one social media platform, another will pop up. Look at Ello for example. Ello is a new social media platform that is starting to make mainstream news by being the first ad-free social media platform. Focusing more on honest communication rather than advertising profit.
Problems with Communication
Once you become comfortable and start communicating with new technology more frequently, the way you communicate is an integral part of getting the message you want to send communicated properly. Trying to reply in the shortest way possible using a minimum amount of words to keep things simple, such as texting or tweeting, may not be the solution.
Problem:
People can’t hear the tone in your voice when communicating with technology. We all get busy, distracted, and interrupted, but take the time to make sure your message is clear.
Solution:
If you are an Apple user and have downloaded the most recent update, I am sure you are familiar with the new voice option to use when texting. If you are not familiar, it basically brings you back to the NEXTEL days when you can radio a message to someone’s text message that they will listen to when they are available.
I have taken advantage of this feature so many times. It is convenient to use when driving or when you have that long message to send but don’t want to take the time to type it out or allow the words in your message to be misconstrued.
Problems with Technology
Social interaction has become so focused on immediacy. Remember when you or someone you know would have to wait to get there messages until they got home; when someone could get their voicemail’s from their landline telephone. Or when they had to check there email at the end of the day because phones were just used to talk to people on, not communicate with every media available. How much have we lost sight of that?
Communication is so much easier carrying around a device that does it all, but it sure can make your other life around you distracting. Again, that message you convey can come across rude or misleading, but this time from the standpoint of people think you are ignoring them because you are on your phone. It is all a balancing act.
Here are a few thoughts I have found with using different social media platforms:
- Facebook – Facebook is my go-to social media platform. It was the first platform I learned and, honestly, the only platform I am truly comfortable with. Anything I find interesting to share, I find on Facebook. Facebook is a great environment to receive feedback from others on topic of interest to me because it is the platform that most of my friends use to communicate.
- Twitter – Twitter is not really my thing, but I am trying to get more acclimated. To me, I feel like a tweet from me often goes unnoticed. I don’t often get replies and frequently feel like I am talking to myself.
- Instagram -Pictures, pictures, and more pictures! That is all it is (OK. I guess they have videos too, but who really uses it for that)? I enjoy scrolling through others photos, but have found it challenging figuring out how to post my own pictures.
- Pinterest – Pinterest is a great source to look up creative ways to do everything! From unique storage solutions to home decorating and even baking, Pinterest is a pretty awesome resounce. However, I’m old school, and still prefer simply using Google to bookmark websites I find helpful.
- Texting – Testing is a communication that has become a comfort zone for me, however, sometimes I catch myself taking advantage of it and avoiding confrontation. That and the fact that some days you just need to take the time to call your mom!
To be honest, I could go on about things that I have learned using different social media platforms, but these are the ones that have perked my interest to learn more about.
My Final Piece of Advice
Find your social media niche and be comfortable with communicating with it. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong social media platform to use, that’s why we have so many different means to communicate!