To My Social Media Introverts: From Oli with L.O.V.E

 'The web is a “lean forward and participate” medium. Television, by contrast, is a “lean back and let it wash over me” medium.’ ~Oli Dalizu

This week on Monday, late pm hours, I was at the Porter House hanging out with my boy E and my boy D, I can tell you, this guys are brilliant, their intelligence baffles me. They see the world through lenses that ordinary folk would not. E has a way of making you see the big picture over things with such clarity, D on the other hand is the analytics guy, he’s keen to the details, he knows who is who, what’s happening where, what’s the current trends in the market place. On this day, its wasn’t different, E had just connected with a huge opportunity, and was floating enterprise ideas on how we could reach and engage our young people within the east Africa community , (Big Picture), D came into the discussion armed with the right info, pointing out the gaps,  the required resources, personnel, platforms and the likes. In a nutshell, we were talking matters TECHNOLOGY.

‘I hear YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are merging to form a super Social Media site – YouTwitFace.’ ~Conan O’Brien

Technology

Technology and the explosion of social networking sites has shifted the paradigm of how and when we communicate with each other. It has revolutionized the way businesses are re-positioning and marketing their products and services. It has changed the way politicians are running their campaigns. In the middle east, just a few weeks ago, most of us witnessed how Facebook, YouTube and the most recent craze, Twitter, together with rapidly evolving camera/video cellular phone technology, allowed instant communication to thousands of people, enabling political revolutions that has so far given two very powerful presidents the boot. As I type this, someone has just brought to my attention, Facebook news of a Japanese woman who has managed to raise $5,000 from her Facebook friends whom she’s never met to help her recover from the horrendous earthquake that left her city in rubble. Now how is that for Tech?!

Potential

The potential uses for these expanding media are seemingly endless. Not that long ago, if asked, I would have had no clue what the term "social networking sites" meant. By now, most people know about Twitter,YouTube and Facebook. YouTube is the leading repository of user uploaded video content. On YouTube, you can see everything from cell phone videos uploaded by individuals to "professional" videos and clips from record companies, studios and television networks as well as from established and aspiring music artists.

Social-Media-Intovert

For an introvert his environment is himself and can never be subject to startling or unforeseen change. ~ Quentin Crisp

A friend of mine has over the months made me believe that not everyone is as enthusiastic as I am with these so called social media craze. Due to her adamantine nature, I decided to coin a term for her as far as tech goes – SocialMediaIntovert [SMI]. She clearly represents the social media silent majority. Are you one of them? An SMI? Do you hesitate to participate — either as an individual or as the manager of an organization who reads and observes what’s happening in the social media sphere?  Do you want to break out of your social media shell? If so, here is an incomplete list of suggestions that you may remember from high school to help you ease into social media participation. You ready? Let’s get started:

Pick your playground:

 Decide how you want to position yourself on the social media platforms you wish to participate in. Do you want to keep your professional and personal lives separate? Position yourself for where you want to be.

Wear the uniform:

Stake out your name on various social media platforms;  If you have a common name, consider how you will distinguish yourself. How will you brand yourself on social media? Think tag lines, background colors, photographs, videos and links.

Realize that you’re not alone:

On each platform, find your family and friends for personal interactions and customers and colleagues for business engagement. Reach out to them on these platforms and personalize your communications. This is an easy way to develop a social media tribe and catch up at the same time.

Mind your manners:

‘Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.’

That’s right! Social media is small talk on a public online platform that has a very long memory. Remember people’s birthdays to show you care. Comment on people’s walls, the social media equivalent of chit-chat. But baby, don’t OverShare* — even your mother doesn’t want to know everything you’re doing; If she did, she’d die of heart attack, I kid you not.

Learn the lingo:

 Remember how as high school kids, we had our own verbal shorthand? So do social media networks such as Twitter. It’s just the social media version of Sheng, Slang or Pegien English of my Naija friends. Also, note that some social media platforms allow many-to-many communications in addition to one-to-one and one-to-many.

Join extracurricular activities:

 Like in high school, here’s where the action is. This is the path to joining the in-crowd. Among the places to look are Facebook fan pages & groups, LinkedIn Groups and Twitter Chats. Find out what your friends are strongly recommending.

Share your knowledge:

‘Most bloggers who rise above the clutter are quite often prolific –they work hard, not just writing content but networking, engaging in Social Media and more.’ ~Darren Rowse, Problogger.net

Like helping others during study hall, here’s where you can contribute to the community and show what you know. While no one likes a show-off, social media networks have the goal of sharing useful information and entertaining content. For example, provide insights on LinkedIn Questions and Answers, or add your feedback on ratings and review sites like Audrey’s (my friend) travel site MyTravelBunny.com

Pay it forward:

 I first heard of the term ‘Pay it forward’ from the same Audrey Lo my friend from L.A, California. She gave me a very inspiring book titled, ‘Delivering Happiness’ authored by Tony Hsieh the CEO of Zappos.com. She autographed the book with the same words. Then she asked ‘Oli, do you know what that means?’ I said nope. She said, remember to pass it on or share it with others without expecting anything in return. I said Yap! [Long live Audrey Lo]

Get over yourself! Social media’s about the community, not you. To this end, help others with targeted information, If you are using the twitter platform, retweet other people’s more interesting tweets, Comment on other people’s facebook posts and on other people’s blogs, that’s right, including this blog post. Also, think about recommending former and current colleagues, staff and bosses on LinkedIn.

Be the star of your social media story:

‘Focus on how to be social, not on how to do social.’ ~Jay Baer, Convince & Convert

Use photographs and videos to build an online version of yourself that’s more engaging and outgoing. Invite others to engage with you and your business.

Make a date to get together:

 Unlike all of the above-mentioned actions that you can do from the comfort of your desk, this means actually getting out from behind your computer and meeting people in real life. Use MeetUp to find other like-minded people and activities that are fun and helpful to your business. Meeting your social media buddies face to face is a great way to strengthen relationships. #ItsFun

Realize that social media isn’t a passing fad:

 It’s how we communicate today. Even if platforms like Facebook and Twitter go away, social media is here to stay. Get out there and socialize to expand your personal and business networks (or just to better stay in touch with what’s happening in your field of interest).

THE BOTTOM LINE

Since these technologies are here to stay, I recommend you join the social media BandWagon. There is no doubt that the emerging social media will be a positive influence on society -- to Inform, Entertain and to Educate. I have embraced these new media and can say without reservation that I am having fun with it. You too can. Have at it. Flow!!

What else can social media introverts do to get in the game? Add Your Voice

ActionTime: - I’d love to hear from you. Feel free, Leave your comment. That’s right.

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