Should we do Social Media? Yes!
Last week at some point I watched an interview with Social Media Speaker, Jay Baer, who talked about where Social Media is today. He said very clearly "it is not so much should we do social media, but rather how do we do social media." I thought this couldn't be more wrong for Northern BC.
The Issue
I don't disagree with what he said, there is definitely some great things going on in these parts when it comes to Social Media, but a lot of my job is teaching people and businesses what it actually is. What Twitter is, what Facebook is and even what a Blog is. While a lot of people do get it, the majority still doesn't.
Every week, I here someone saying why would I bother. Or I see someone using it unethically, which hurts me even more, because they are potentially giving Social Media a bad wrap.
The Solution
The overall solution is time. Eventually over time most people and businesses will come around to Social Media, whether it be just Twitter, just Facebook or even just a Blog. It is a shift in the way we communicate and there is no denying that eventually it will be one of the primary ways of communication.
A good way to help this solution come a little quicker though, is community and attitude. Having a positive attitude within the online community will only help it grow. Look at Fort St John, with just the addition of a couple positive Twitter users the community has grown immensely in the last 8 months. So by doing this and encouraging others to get on board we are collectively going to grow the community.
If you are not already trying out Twitter or Facebook or even a Blog, do so. If you're not sure how and want to get it right the first time, well that is what we are here for.
UPDATE: I have found this blog post from a Prince George blogger, who expressed why she loves Social Media and the community in Price George. Have a read.