Guest blogger Mariana Fang Lin is an avid blogger and writes throughout the blogosphere. She’s most interested in social media, web hosting services, mobile marketing, and Internet marketing strategy.
Some things about Social Media Networking that offered real insight in this crazy little thing we call life:
1) LIFE IS WHAT IT IS. But Blogs have the power to change that. “Blogs can essentially be considered as ‘the literature of revolution’, outperforming the major media” – Frank Catalino.
Gone are the days when we are made passively to sit by the sidelines as news is controlled singlehandedly by radio and TV. With blogging comes the ability to influence change and challenge popular opinions. “Blogging democratizes expression and has proven crucial in the struggle by many citizens in repressive regimes to be heard.”- Jason Whittaker. Blogs were one of the powerful forces that exposed the falsification of documents that proved that George W. Bush’s service in the National Air Guard.
2) IT ALL ENDS AND BEGINS WITH LOVE. No matter what social media platform you choose, the basis of a healthy and growing community has got to be love. Love? You may spit out. But all I talk about in my blogs are horror movies and scary things. I aim to shock my readers not for them to love me. Oh yeah? Why do you think they keep coming back to your site then? Because they love what you have posted for them everyday. They appreciate your efforts. And most importantly, you must love your site enough to keep providing it with awesome content that can only come from much love for your subject matter.
3) JOY CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE. Ever notice how your great grand vacations always seem to fall a little short of your expectations? Whereas a moment of unplanned laughter with your sister or friend seems so much better in comparison? That is because in our hurry to chase after joy and happiness we fail to remember that it is everywhere and can be found even in the littlest of things. Same goes with the blog posts or videos that have the most tendencies to go viral. Oftentimes it is not the super complicated high tech talk depicting graphs and promises of world peace. It is usually the short clip of a baby playing the piano or a dog wearing a funny hat that is appreciated by many.
4) THE WORLD IS AN AMAZING PLACE. Sometimes we need to be reminded about what a vast and spectacular universe it is we live in. The power of social media lies in its ability to bring us to all corners of the world without having to leave our seat. Need a dose of creative inspiration? Let sites offer you some of the world’s best talents in music, art and word right at your fingertip. Used to be this wealth of information was only available to the well traveled or well read. Now everyone has access to the beauty of the universe and the strength of the human spirit. Check out sites like StumbleUpon.com or Digg see what is happening around us from the mundane to the extraordinary.
5) BE CAREFUL WHICH THOUGHTS you invite in your head. Thoughts are much like clouds they aren’t fully yours until you pull them in and claim them as yours. So in the event that some dark or discouraging thoughts start floating nearby, you have every right and choice to shoo them away. Or if you think they offer something beneficial to you along the lines of teaching you a new experience or reality, you may invite them in for a closer look. Then you can ask what wisdom you can get from that particular thought. Same goes with managing your social media platforms. Be careful which thoughts you tweet about post for you influence and mold a large audience. As much as possible offer thoughts that provide wisdom and room for learning. Use your influence to help and inspire rather than crush and discourage.
6) YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE GOOD, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. Don’t be so quick to judge other people on the basis of appearance alone. Sometimes you will be faced with a difficult situation, a companion you can’t bear, a truly deceiving being and you will learn from each one of them the same. Don’t be too quick to shut certain aspects from your life because they don’t fit with your current mold. Embrace situations and people as they happen, they were put there for a reason. Same goes with stuff that floats on the webosphere. There might be some blogs or sites that leave a sour taste in your mouth but that shouldn’t mean discounting them completely. They can teach you valuable lessons in social marketing or in life if you only had enough patience to discover what they are.
7) THERE IS MORE TO LIFE than social networking. And this might prove to be the most valuable lesson of all. No matter what happens, do not forget that you still have your real life, your real friends and your real world. They will never fail to provide you with the comfort and warmth that social media networking, no matter how awesome your blog community, can’t. A real hug will always be more precious and more valuable than a real hug. A real conversation over real coffee will always be better than a virtual chat in a digital café. More than that, all the valuable lessons can only be found in reality in living and in loving.