Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Catching on to this Social Media thing

One of my first posts on this blog was discussing how I didn't quite get Social Media, but I was in for a quick lesson...

Well, fast forward about 6 weeks later, and while I am by no means a social media queen, I have a much better understanding and respect for it. It has changed my life in ways that I would have never thought.

One of the first things is that I started, and have stuck with, this blog. It gives me a place to put my thoughts down in writing. And even more surprising- there are some people who read it! (And note to blogger- I would like it if I could track my page views...). It's really kinda fun- at least it is once I have decided on what my next post is going to be. I use social media to help me with my blog by following other blogs and absorbing the good from them.

I have met people who have amazing Disney websites that I love (like http://www.disneyeveryday.com/). I look at how they network and use social media and I learn from them. I also learn things about Disney from people who are in the know (such as #wdwmoms). Social media has also brought in contact with people in other countries who share some of my same passions. For example, I regularly correspond with a friend on Twitter who is an up-and-coming NASCAR reporter- in the Phillipines! One thing that both of these people do, that I am trying to watch and learn, is effectively network using Twitter and Facebook. They develop contacts and put their name out there using social media. It's all really very cool.

One thing about social media that surprises me is how it is really starting to invade our society. On Twitter, you have many big, popular NASCAR drivers (@kylebusch, @dennyhamlin, @mw55) who will hold Q&A sessions with their fans. This brings the fans closer to the sport, and increases exposure. There are many large companies- such as Harrah's, Kellogg, and HP- who are hiring corporate social media directors. They are learning that social media is here to stay and they want to know how to use it.

Before I went to the Disney Social Media Moms conference, I had a little (emphasis on little) idea of what social media was and how it worked. Now, I have more of an idea of how to effectively use social media- not that I have it all down yet, or that I am doing it... But, I think it's safe to say I have a little more of a clue than I did when I started this journey!

3 comments:

  1. :)

    If you want to keep track of your pages views, check out Site Meter - it's a free service that will track visits to your blog and you can even see where people are from, what sent them to your blog, etc.

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  2. I think we must have started down this social media path at about the same time...but you are just bounding way ahead of me. I'm enjoying the ride and learning so much. It's super nice to have met you and great to be getting to know so many great Disney minds this way!!

    ~Cindy

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