If you know me – you know I’m obsessed with the internet. I seem to be the person everyone goes to when they have a question about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, blogging, etc etc. I LOVE this!
I think it is very exciting to be “in the loop” when it comes to social media. This is the direction everything is headed. But, I think there is a big distinction between passive social media users and professional social media users (I think I may have just coined a term here!).
Passive Social Media users are using social media to 1) stalk their friends, 2) get something for free or win something or 3) to just say they “have” twitter. Professional Social Media users utilize sites to 1) network, 2) provide a resource for other social media users and 3) to BE A PART OF SOMETHING AMAZING! The latter is me.
I’ll never forget the first time I became mayor (via Foursquare) of a venue. My husband and I were out with 4 other couples for a birthday dinner and we were enjoying the appetizer when I thought to “check-in” on Foursquare. I checked-in and became the mayor (we had been here before). I start shouting, “I just became mayor! I just became mayor!” Everyone is staring at me like “what are you talking about?” My husband is pulling on my arm and telling me to be quiet and reminding me that most of the people at the table don’t even have Facebook accounts let alone understand what Foursquare is. So I just sat and had my own little internal celebration.
I love connecting with people via social media – I think I’m one of 10 people with a poken in Boston. The real reason, however, is because I’m a people person. I could talk and talk for hours (but I also know when to listen too!). That is what social media is all about – relationships. Transactional relationships are dead (or they should be). When you know about your colleagues children and lives it makes a person that much more invested in the relationship and that is what life is all about!