Ever wonder how to keep up with social media and the changes that seem to happen overnight? We’ve all done it. You wake up, check your Facebook and realize that everything has changed! The new landscape is confusing and you do not know where to start trying to navigate it. Then you think, “Wouldn’t it be great if I could keep up with the ever-changing social media environment and make all of these sites work for me?”
I’ve put together a simple cheat sheet on how to keep up with social media to help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends. The 5 tips below can help you avoid, or at least prepare, for this situation. Get educated, stay educated and here’s how:
Bonus Content: Grab a copy of our 2016 Social Media Field Guide
Tip 1: Read Social Media News Sites Via RSS Feed Aggregators.
Industry analysts summarize and comment on the various updates to sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. These experts are usually the first ones to hear about these changes, so frequenting their sites will keep you informed as the updates are being released.
However, it can be time-consuming to comb through the sites and cherry-pick the articles that apply to you. Using an RSS Feed Aggregator (sometimes called Reader) to frequent social media news sites on a weekly or monthly basis will keep you in the loop.
Here are some suggestions on sites to follow:
If you are not familiar with RSS Feeds, there’s a great article on what they are and how to use them. And you can check out this post for some great suggestions on RSS Aggregators too.
Tip 2: Subscribe/Download And Listen To Podcasts.
Podcasts are audio or video episodes that you can subscribe to from an RSS Feed, watch in your browser or download to your computer. Just searching “social media podcasts” is a great starting place and below are some popular suggestions:
- Social Media Today
- The Next Web (TNW) Daily Dose
- Lifehacker
- Six Pixels of Separation
This article may help if you need more information on how Podcasts work.
Tip 3: Subscribe To YouTube Channels.
Many social media companies and experts post educational videos about new updates in their field via YouTube. Use the search term “social media”, then click the Filters drop-down and select Channel. Click Subscribe next to any channel you want and stay informed!
Some channel suggestions here:
Tip 4: Follow Social Media Gurus On Twitter.
As you would guess, these experts share their thoughts on what’s new in social media via Twitter. Once you find a pundit you like, just click “Follow” and catch up on their tweets regularly.
The list below is a great starting place:
- Mashable (@mashable/social-media)
- David Pogue (@Pogue)
- Jeff Bullas (@jeffbullas)
- TechCrunch (@TechCrunch)
- Jordan Gillette (@JordanGillette)
Tip 5: Make Some Social Media-Savvy Friends.
Run through your friends in your head. Do they talk your ear off about the latest Facebook feature or what’s new with Twitter? If so, then wonderful! They can be a great tool to keep up to date. If not, then you may want to consider joining a local club, attend meetups or social media events and make some new friends!
When you join these clubs or attend these events, you will rub elbows with social media-educated people who know how to stay relevant. Get their email address, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, add them to your Google+ Circles, and connect with them on LinkedIn. That way you can ask advice, as well as stay updated on their posts about social media.
You can search for a club in your community with Social Media Club or Meetups, or consider attending one of the large media events, like SXSW Interactive.
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