Don't Be Afraid of Social Media

One of the largest problems I hear from people is that they simply do not know how to use social sites. Social sites exist in order to provide connectivity and sharing amongst individuals, groups, and businesses. Knowing what is social media is a great start to evaluating why you are there. To find the definition of social media would involve reading through heaps of opinions. Knowing what is social media, is all about knowing what you want from it. There is no reason to miss out on the party simply because you don't know how to use a sharing website or application. Not everyone is a wiz at social media and you shouldn't be fooled into thinking that it is simply impossible to learn. Social media should not be overwhelming or stressful, but rather a relaxing way to share your favorite things in life and connect with loved ones and friends. Aside from their social aspects, there are many reasons to learn social media platforms for business or organizational purposes that could aide your company or help develop your group's social circle.

But I Just Don't Get It!

Take your hands off the keyboard and take a deep breath. Social media is not a puzzle and it's definitely not meant to cause you any stress (unless you are in charge of it for British Petroleum). Let me fill you in on a little secret I might take some flack for...my mom stresses over Facebook ALL THE TIME. There is absolutely no reason for her to, but she does. The big question is why does she stress over it? I think for some people Facebook represents something divorced from reality. There is a big mystical veil of pressure, immense need to share, and overall social pressure that simply does not need to exist. My mom's fear most likely stems not from an inability to do things, but rather from having so many new things she can do but does not want to do. If you simply wanted to drive to work and were given a F1 car with all its buttons and gadgets, you most likely would become confused and overwhelmed as well. Social media is loaded with gadgets, applications, and abilities that you probably will never use nor want to use, so don't be overwhelmed by what you don't need!

Find Purpose and Conquer Fears

There is a lot you can do on social media. For my mom, she simply wants to get on and get in contact with people she knows, sending them messages and sharing photos. It is completely understandable that she and the others who want to do the same thing are confused by all of the bells and whistles Facebook and other social media sites have to offer. Fortunately you don't need to be afraid of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any other social media sites. Learn them one by one, feature by feature, and read everything the site has to share with you in regards to usage. Twitter and Facebook especially have wonderful user support built straight into their websites. There is no reason to be ashamed or afraid of these sites, and definitely don't give up. Social sites exist primarily to help you kill time and while they also serve other purposes, the majority of users who hop on sites like Facebook do so in order to find and share things that are personal and relevant to themselves and their circle.

Don't come home from work only to freak out about what you are doing online. The best way to conquer the social media titan is to stare it in the eye, learn as much as you can without becoming confused with features, and sign out until tomorrow.