SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

Social media is transforming how we work, socialize, play and collaborate. As a participant in several social media outlets, some more than others, it's amazing the reach you have for notifying people, updates, sharing your experiences, call to action, etc .

The following media outlets are all part of the social media umbrella but offer somewhat different services.

1. Facebook:
 Is my preferred social media vehicle. It allows me to share short messages with friends and do call to action posts where not only my friends participate but their friends can also. It has an exponential effect and is the clear leader amongst the various outlets. You can share text, video  and images very easily, perform marketing campaigns effectively and each year the outlet becomes more seamless to use. The interface has become very intuitive over the last three years and has become the de-facto destination for anyone using social media today. It's also a great way to stay in touch with friends and colleagues and stay connected to what's happening in their lives.

2. Twitter:
I follow others on this platform more than I post. There are sports writers I follow, spiritual leaders, topics of interest to me and my wife and I find it a great way to stay connected without having to invest to much in individual postings yourself. It's also a great way to quickly share a thought or concern or issue without the necessity of details.

3. Instagram:
I find it visually appealing out of all the social media outlets. It's designed for sharing graphics and video content - "a picture is worth a thousand words" - is pretty much the model for this outlet. I find it to be great for exploring the creative side of my mind and interests.

4. LinkedIn:
I use this for staying in touch current and former colleagues and building my professional network. It's a powerful tool for job searches, exposure to potential employers and great for promoting benevolent causes that you may want to garner sponsors for.

There are dozens of other social media outlets but given my lifestyle and schedule, the ones noted above are the ones I find most useful at this point in my life and for the reasons I've noted above.

Ron