As I enter the world of social media, there are many things to keep in mind. I have to keep up with my feedreader. I have to reply to that comment on my blog. I have to accept that friend on PROpenMic. Yet there are a few things that David Finch recently pointed out that I neglected to realize. \”Creating Social Media Rituals\”
In his post, “Creating Social Media Rituals,” he first reminded me that “social media is not about crossing off a list of tasks, but really tools and opportunities to build relationships with individuals.” I am a task-oriented person who loves a good to-do list.
Yet social media is not about lists. One can’t approach it as a series of to-do’s. I must remember that the purpose of utilizing social media is not to get posts done or to update my twitter, but to learn, explore, and most importantly, converse.
It is a relationship builder. Just like one would approach building a face-to-face relationship with a client or colleague, I need to learn about the people and the ideas of the industry and utilize that knowledge in my social media world.
The internet is not a place for me to post information and then sit and wait for replies. I must be proactive and curious, and I look forward to the many social media conversations and relationships that I will soon build.
PR Student Speaks 
Jamie Kim said
Exactly! I completely agree, Marissa. Social media is so much more than creating accounts on various Web 2.0 sites and being a bystander. It’s about being involved in an on-going conversation and being active in this crazy playground with so many new and exciting toys.
Jamie