Social Media Divide

This is a first for me. A blog. I've written blogs for others (that's what PR people do), but have yet to dabble in it myself. Well, there are firsts for everything.

Last week, I started an on-line class toward a graduate certificate in digital marketing communications. It's been only a week and my head is already spinning. Facebook, Twitter, Kindle and more. It's hard to get a pulse on these new social media vehicles, let alone my arms.

Facebook - I think I have an arm around it. It is something I use occasionally for personal use, and more recently, it has become a popular communications tool for my job in alumni relations. We use it regularly to post information, alert our constituents about upcoming events, and as a means to engage. Of course, who knew there was such a difference between a Facebook group vs. a Facebook fan page? Okay, so maybe you knew. We are still learning and growing.

Things are changing rapidly...Facebook is embracing Twitter. Social mediums embracing other social mediums? In August, Facebook added an application to allow users to simultaneously update their Facebook page and Twitter posts (http://mashable.com/2009/08/20/facebook-twitter-app/). Good news for the people who maintain these sites for their businesses/organizations.

The new age of the digital frontier is moving at an unprecedented pace. How will businesses and organizations keep up with that pace and what new doors will open for consumers as a result of the rapid change?

During the next few months we will be examining digital media and how businesses, organizations and others are using the various digital vehicles it to market products and services to their consumers. And, in the end, I hope it will help to bridge my digital divide.