Best ways to learn social media

It’s pretty easy to set up profiles in most social media sites. This is both a blessing and a curse. People not comfortable with technology usually like step-by-step instructions on what to do. This is not the best way to approach social media.

A recent blog post by a colleague, Josh Waldman, Social Media Cannot be Taught, got me thinking about this.

Before you go anywhere near a computer, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1. WHAT am I trying to accomplish?
Is it to get more connections? To showcase expertise? To stay in touch with old friends?

2. WHO am I trying to reach?
Is it senior executives? Hiring managers? Long-lost high school friends?

3. WHERE are these people I’m trying to reach?
This is where you should be. Senior executives and hiring managers are on LinkedIn. Your long-lost high school friends are on Facebook.

4. WHAT do I want to say?
It’s all about valuable content. Is it better to do quick bytes ala Twitter? Show more depth via a blog?

It’s all too easy to get lost in the details, especially with Facebook privacy controls. Earlier in 2010, you may have successfully navigated the labyrinth of Facebook privacy controls, but it’s all changed now and will continue to evolve.

As a blogger, my passion is educating people about technology. I like to start with the big picture and the end goal. There’s plenty of time to get into the tactics once you’ve set your goal.

Bottom line – always keep your goal in mind. Everything you do should be taking you towards your goal.