Using Social Media to Get Connected

Using Social Media to Get Connected

I was introduced to the world of social media at the beginning of my undergraduate career at Vanderbilt University.  One random night in the not so distant past, FRIEND walked me through the process of creating my Facebook profile.  Not long after that, I had a myspace profile.  I used both but was never really engrossed in either as some of my friends were.  The term “Facebook addict” was coined during my years in undergrad :)  I begun to blog after it was introduced to me in a Women and Gender Studies class.

Up until recently though, I had viewed social media as something personal, solely for entertainment.  Although many are using it as a form of marketing now, I still have to put effort in using Facebook as a mode of advertisement or advocacy.

This week I read the “Social Media Advocacy: Five Influential Steps” article and learned there was one form of e-advocacy that I have been using, newsletters.  I am subscribed to so many newsletters because I find it is a great way to stay informed on numerous issues.  I had not thought to blog about my advocacy objective until I began my journey at Walden University.

I believe Facebook, blogging and Twitter are now a very effective ways to raise awareness and advocate.  I am a tangible person and need to touch things so e-advocacy as effective as it might be at reaching many still comes with great effort.  Walden has gotten me into the mode of blogging once a week about certain issues and I believe it is a habit I plan to continue. 

I found the article very helpful as far as ways to use the net to advocate.  Can anyone share ways they have used social media to advocate?  Looking to get out of my comfort zone and join the e-advocacy team :)

Reference

E-Advocate. (2011). Social media advocacy: Five influential steps. Retrieved from http://eadvocate.wordpress.com/social-media-advocacy-six-influential-steps/