Six Signs I Might Be A Social Media Addict (and all other things online)

Social media is the sweet ‘n salty of technology, and I’m absolutely okay with that. It’s the caloric and sugar cane intake that I have to watch. No, I don’t count calories. Portion control? Yes, that’s more like it.

Extremes are fatal either way. If you want to live off the grid and go all George Orwell 1984 on us, then more power to you, but I think I’m just going to cut back and be realistic.

But here’s six signs you, er I, may need to consider pulling the power plug and intentionally allowing the battery to die once in awhile.

1.    You’re on Your Mobile Device During a Live-Event

You’re at a concert but are catching it behind your 3.5-inch screen. Or maybe you and your friends are out for supper, and your heads are bowed in reverence…to wait, what...Yelp? Instagram? Fandango? Minecraft?

Confession: My life is pretty mundane, but the few times I hashed out my #livetweet I missed out the good, gritty content and guess what. I misquoted. Everyone else, millions, where tweeting that same message. What’s one more? Moreover there are the times I missed out on the real-time conversations around me because I had to check the virtual comments.

2.    You’re All About Numbers and Not the Names

You collect virtual people and care more about how many Facebook friends you have and only know Twitter followers by their handles. Did you know that LinkedIn has more security than Facebook?

Confession: I took a break from Facebook for awhile because it fed my ego more than Ensure fed my intestines could. Also, my posts were not that interesting, despite how hilarious I thought, um think, I am.

3.    You Use Your Phone as Your Swiss Army, E-reader Alarm Clock

Remember the days when the Swiss Army Knife was the all-in-one tool? Now you struggle to turn your phone off at night for fear you will miss out on an important message, will be unable to read from a print edition book or hear a traditional alarm.

Confession: I used to work at a Verizon retail store when Android first launched their smartphones. I had what I thought was a great idea to sell more phones: I took an acrylic display box and went on an eBay-shopping spree, buying an internally broken digital camera, keyboard, Kindle, mp3 player and flashlight. I threw in a couple of games: a deck of cards, scrabble, etc. and a few other gadgets. Ah, and then the crowning glory. Atop the lid I placed a sleek, new demo phone showcasing how everything in that box was in that phone.

Unfortunately, I’ve taken that a bit too literal. I have the world in my hands, on the go in my pocket that I can always be in the know. Thank you dear WebMD and Wikipedia.

4.    Thunder ONLY Threatens You for Fear of Losing Internet Connection

You dim the light on your phone and hoard it like it’s December 31st 1999. You perspire at the thought of not being able to Pin.

Confession: My life’s in my Mac. I like to say I’m married to it, to Him. One time when there was a terrible storm I woke up abruptly and within 2 seconds jumped up from bed like a mummy, unplugging my laptop from a non-surge protectant plug.

The next day I informed my family that one day I would make a great mom; should ever there be an event where I would have to save my kids first, I would do so. (They didn’t agree.)

5.    You’re a “Workaholic”

(When you just love having an excuse to check your emails and have them synced.) There is a certain thrill when a notification sound comes through your purse or pocket.

Confession: On a day off I felt I missed too many emails –both personal and professional - in 24 hours so I set my notification to push messages, vibrate, blink and ping with an almost obnoxious notification ringtone. I successfully managed to respond to every message.

6.    Everything Online Seems Pinteresting

Your browser bar has a widget, your phone has an app and you know how to upload a picture from your computer: you are a Pinterest ninja, and no one knows your likes, pins, boards and re-pins better than you.

Confession: I pin a lot. I say it’s therapeutic. Ipso facto, the sixth sign I might be a social media addict.

Be Authentic Online

Be Authentic Online

It feels natural to be authentically you… right? Step outside of yourself for a moment and think about the many hats you wear. Who is the real you? What struggles do you face? What motivates you to keep chugging along? Social media can serve as an outlet to express thoughts, feelings, goals, and challenges. While some people take it to the extreme, using it effectively can create a strong connection between you and your followers.

Have you ever visited a page for someone you admire and look up to? When reading some of their statuses you are reminded that they are only human too. Sharing personal stories, struggles, and how you overcame them can give your admirers the same relatable experience. It can start a conversation that engages Facebook or Instagram followers. A visual way to do this is through sharing photos that show them what happens behind the scenes. This creates a very exclusive perspective that people can relate to, that also makes them feel included.

By being transparent and relatable, you make yourself (or business) seem more personable and approachable. Everyone has their battles, and some people are better at others at overcoming failure and using what they have learned.

What personal story could you share with the world?

Instagram Video

The addition of a video option to Instagram creates a whole new realm of possibilities. This popular app allows users to capture and share moments in their life. With a little practice and planning, businesses can utilize this new tool to promote their business and extend your brand reach on a more progressive level.

The Instagram video is limited to 15 seconds, just enough for some short and sweet visual entertainment. Deciding your subject and how to effectively get your point across in those 15 seconds is the first plan to make. Avoid things like background distractions (visual and audible) and pointing the camera directly at a light source. Think about videos or commercials you have seen that you liked or didn’t like. What aspects of those videos made you feel that way? Try to use similar strategies and methods of those you admire.

Instagram tools to the rescue!

Being able to edit as you film is a great tool, and very forgiving. Hold the video button to record a clip, if you don’t like it, deleting it is just a 2 click process. Cinema is a feature Instagram rolled out for video. It stabilizes your clips while you film, which minimizes the “shaky hand” effect. Filters have been the distinct feature of Instagram, allowing users to enhance and customize their photos to a whole different mood of their choice. Fortunately, 13 filters just for video clips are available for use.

Below are a few ideas to try as a free mini-commercial for your business.

• A tutorial of a service you offer
• A testimonial about a product you offer
• Highlight a new location or office
• Advertise your product in use - strike an emotion out of the viewer
• Highlight a new employee or employee of the month
• Show your process or behind the scenes action 

Don’t forget to hashtag your video just as you do photos. Include hashtags for your business, tagline, and content of your video.

Instagram for Business

Instagram is popular for personal use, especially among the younger generations. However, if used effectively, Instagram can be a very useful imagery tool for businesses.

Flying Pie Co., a local client, is actively using Instagram to promote their new restaurant and build anticipation.

Each post starts with a single photo, either taken straight from the Instagram app using your camera, or you can choose any photo from your gallery. When choosing your photo, consider the following aspects of every photo: angles, lighting, content, and purpose.

What angle was your photo taken at? Cropping the image out of the window gives it an intimate perspective.

R: This photo is creatively cropped to show half of the item. It’s a tangible version of the symbol in their logo made with a pizza peel and metal.

How well lit is your photo? Make sure you can identify the subject of your photo, and that it conveys the mood you are intending to convey. Does it fit your brand? If not, maybe explore using the lighting effect tool within the app. If not, try re-taking the photo so that it can help you maintain brand consistency.

L: This photo of the lighting sets a mood that is consistent with the brand. It gives a sneak peak of the atmosphere and mood that customers can expect when this restaurant opens.

What is the content of your photo? Is it relevant and relatable to your brand? Will your clients, customers, and followers appreciate the post and find it useful and/or relatable? Does it fulfill the purpose of sharing this moment? Will this make your clients, customers and followers interact with your post and/or want to come to your place of business?

R: This slice of pizza is relatable content, because it is their main product. It also serves a direct purpose, to remind people that it’s Friday and that this is a convenient, tasty choice for dinner that night.

What is that # Symbol? Once you have successfully edited your photo and are ready to post, consider using hash tags in your caption. A hash tag is the # symbol followed by a word or words, with no spaces. They are free and increase your visibility on search engines. This can be useful to help gain exposure in many categories relatable to your business and/or product. You can add multiple hash tags to increase exposure in multiple categories. Try creating a hashtag unique to your brand, such as #yourbusinessname or #yourtagline (best thing is, you don’t have to register it, just start typing!)

You can also tag other Instagram users by using the @ symbol followed by their username.The most common reason to use a tag is to reply to a comment. First, tag the user you’re replying to, then type your message. If a John_Smith says: That looks tasty!, a wise reply might be @John_Smith We’d love for you to come in and try it!

B: This photo has the hash tag for the business #flyingpieco and also has 2 other hash tags to gain more exposure through the other keywords, #pizza and #dinner. You could even elaborate more and use #cheesy or #hagerstown.

There are many ways you can use Instagram to promote your business, including: new product offerings, featuring an employee, promoting an event, or general brand awareness.

Instagram and other social media sites are a great way to extend your brand reach, connect with customers and build awareness.