Earlier in the year, I mentioned that I had some time to explore various online social media groups and such during my vacation. It’s really amazing how much is out there on the web! I had a “Links” page added where I listed my favorite group sites where I like to connect with other moms and/or other bloggers.
The thing about all of these online groups though is that they can suck up all of your time if you’re not careful. For me, it was good to see what was out there, but now I’ve narrowed the list down to my top three favorites that I visit on a consistent basis:
1. Mom Bloggers Club – “Where Mom Bloggers Converge!” – I like their forums the best.
2. twitter moms – “the influential moms network” – I like their groups the best.
And
3. Bookie Boo – “Fitness Hangout for Moms” – I like to visit to get inspired to continue with my workouts.
I like each of them for different reasons, but one thing that all three groups have in common is that they are in the “ning” social network format. For some reason, I just like that format better than any of the others. It’s easier on my eyes. If I were ever to expand Mom in the City into a social network, I would definitely use that format.
I also had a chance to “play around” on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and such. Although I have an account on it, I’m not a big fan of Facebook. It has too many different types of requests for my liking – it gets annoying to me. I like LinkedIn (I’m “Kimberly Coleman“) for professional use.
Lastly…Twitter. Let me just say that I resisted getting on Twitter for the longest time. I had promised Maria Bailey from BSM Media that I’d start using it in 2009, so I have. Let me just say – it’s fun! At first, it was a little awkward. I asked people what I was supposed to tweet (write) about. Now, it comes very naturally. I try to limit my tweets to around three or so a day. I also still try to be aware of what I write, because twitter is a business tool as well as a social one. It has also been a great way to meet other people online. If you’re on twitter, I’m @mominthecity. I follow everyone who follows me (unless they do a gazillion daily updates – please don’t!).
The various forms of social media are great. There really is something for everyone. My biggest concern is that I hope that people (especially moms who have a hard time getting out of the house sometimes) don’t replace real life social interaction with online relationships. I think that online relationships (whether from blogging, groups, etc.) are wonderful additions to people’s social lives though. Personally, I know that I’m starting to cross the line when I’m experiencing something really great and automatically think “I should blog about or tweet this” rather than being in the moment/enjoying the experience. In the end though, I think that both types of interaction (online and in person) serve to enrich my life overall.
