The first time I ever felt completely overwhelmed and lost by the concept of social media was last October when I attended the 2009 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National Conference. Before the conference I really hadn’t heard or been told much about social media, or what it even was. I was an avid Facebooker, but that was about it. No one ever discussed it in my classes at school and I had just started hearing things about social media here and there around the public relations agency I was interning with at the time. So, when I attended the PRSSA National Conference it seemed like all everyone focused on was social media. As a college senior about to graduate in a few months I felt lost and doomed and that I was a failure for not knowing about this new Internet media movement. Don’t get me wrong, the conference was one of the best learning experiences of my life and an amazing networking opportunity. I guess it was just a big shocker and I realized I had to start gaining more knowledge and kick my butt into high social media gear. But then I asked myself, “Where do I start?”
I found it difficult to get started on my social media quest without knowing where to begin. I also discovered that I was not the only college student who didn’t have a clue how to get involved with the social media world. Over the past few months I have relied on three main tactics to buff up on my social media knowledge and skills. If you are a college student, like me, who wants to know more about social media and become a part of the phenomena taking over the world, here are a few tips:
1. Ask someone
This may be one of the easiest strategies I discovered, as well as one of the most effective. After a few weeks of stressing myself out over social media, I was sitting at my desk at my internship one day and a light bulb went off in my head. I thought to myself, “I should ask the social media expert here at work. Maybe she can help get me started and point me in the right direction.” I immediately e-mailed her and within a few days she was sitting down with me explaining the ins-and-outs of social media and answering any questions I had. It was nice to know that someone was so willing to help and lead me in the right direction. Now, whenever I have a question about anything social media related I never hesitate to ask someone I feel might be knowledgeable of the subject, such as a fellow student, intern, co-worker, supervisor or professor. I found that most people jump at the chance to talk about social media and want to spread the word of its benefits.
2. Google “Social Media”
When in doubt, Google. Over 136,000,000 results show up when you Google “social media.” Between Web sites, videos, blogs and more, the amount of research you can gather through a Google search is endless. Some Web sites I find extremely valuable include TechCrunch, WOMMA, Mashable and Brazen Careerist. Be sure to subscribe to Google Alerts for the phrase “social media” so you stay updated on a daily basis. You should also subscribe to any RSS feeds for social media blogs you find beneficial.
3. Start joining and teach yourself
After asking someone and doing all the research, the best two things to do would be to join social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, and start teaching yourself. You are your own best teacher when it comes to social media. Being able to discover everything on your own and learning through personal experience is able to teach you more than in the classroom. I posted a question on Twitter yesterday asking, “@heatherdamico: How did you learn the ins-and-outs of social media? Did you teach yourself, learn through college courses, seminars/conferences, etc.?” With an overwhelming response, here are a few replies I received:
- @ErinNorton: taught myself. you cannot learn SM in school, it’s definitely something you need real experience dealing with
- @jaephlec: only way to keep up with it is to be constantly reading and paying attention to the success of others and learning from it
- @joshualogan: I don't believe you can be *taught* social media. Social media is what you make of it, not what other people tell you it is.
- @andynewman: A little bit of discovery, a little bit of watching the big dogs (@kevinrose).
I am still learning something new every day about the growing world of social media. For those college students who feel out-of-the-loop with social media and that it’s too late to catch up, you are wrong. It’s never too late to start, but start as soon as you can. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and intimidated, I still do. Don’t forget to ask for guidance, research through Google or other search engines, start joining and teach yourself. A few other strategies you might find helpful in enhancing your social media knowledge include attending local social media seminars/webinars or conferences or even join your college’s PRSSA Chapter. By joining PRSSA, you may be exposed to more social media event opportunities, as well as guest speakers at the meetings specializing in social media.
