social media

Oct

2022

4 Benefits of Using Social Media

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We are all aware that social media can be addictive. Sadly, some people are not even aware that they are suffering from social media addiction. A lot of people have also experienced how social media can ruin relationships. Despite its widespread, negative effects; social media actually has its benefits if used correctly.

1. Staying Connected

The most basic feature of social media channels is to keep people in touch with each other even when they are physically far away. Of course, this has now been used to grow an influencer’s audience and for celebrities to interact with their fans. For families, it is still a useful tool to stay connected with loved ones and friends. A lot of romantic relationships also thrive with it even when they live on opposites sides of the globe. Many organizations also use it to stay in touch with their members and supporters and inform them of activities and projects to serve a good cause.

2. Sharing Your Knowledge

As they say, “sharing is caring” but this is only true if you are sharing something of value. You can use social media to share your expertise on a specific field or your skills. Yes, you are essentially promoting yourself in the process. But you are also informing people who might need your expertise or skills to help them with their own projects. Or you might be sharing some information that is the answer to somebody’s question. You don’t know who can benefit from your own unique knowledge and experience. The important thing is to be honest about your intentions so you can manage your audience’s expectations of what you are offering.

3. Learning From Others

Just as you can share your own expertise on social media and teach others, you can learn from others too. One of the benefits of being on social media is that you can learn from experts anytime you want. You don’t have to feel embarrassed or nervous or be awkward around them like when meeting them personally. You can learn from them to turn your hobby into your dream job or online business. If you are brave enough, you can even ask them questions in the comments or in a private message. Who knows, they might actually have the time to reply with an answer.

4. Growing Your Network

Have you heard the saying that “your network is your net worth“? You might think that this does not apply to social media relationships since you can have such a large number of friends and followers. However, there are still people on your online channels who you constantly interact with aside from your family members. They are the ones who make up your network. Of course, there will also be friends you will meet in life in your online social circles. But, just like in real life, you also have to be selective of who you actually keep in your online social circle.

As long as used correctly and for good intent; social media has a lot of benefits. Just make sure to be disciplined enough to have a set time for checking your feed so you still stay productive. Memes abound in social media as well as a lot of fake news. So if you are going to share; make sure you are sharing something worthwhile. Think before you click and try to keep a positive vibe on your interactions with other people whenever you’re online.

Feature Image: Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

Oct

2022

Warning Signs You Are Addicted To Social Media

Reading Time: 4 minutes

How much time do you spend on social media a day? If you think you are spending a considerable amount of your valuable time liking, posting and commenting on social media; then it is time to step back and limit your social media usage. If not addressed, excessive use of social media can have negative effects on your mental health. Before you know it, it might completely take over your life. Here are warning signs you are addicted to social media:

1. It is the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning.

Did you know that what you do in the morning will set the rest of your day and ultimately your life? A strong morning routine can lead to a better life. In fact, highly successful people have morning habits and these habits led them to what they achieved in life.

How about you? What is the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning? Starting your day with social media is an unhealthy habit. It is a clear warning sign that you are addicted to social media. Don’t start your day looking at how other people live their lives.

2. You monitor your posts to see how many likes or comments you got.

There is nothing wrong with the desire to receive many likes but if you obsess about it by checking your post every now and then, then that is a sure indication of social media addiction. You should not associate your sense of self-worth with the number of likes that you receive. Self-worth should come from within you.

3. You think your world will crumble if there is signal interruption, no wifi, or when the social media sites are down.

In this day and age, it is normal to feel stress when there is no wifi especially if your business or source of income is online based. However, feeling down just because you cannot access your social media sites is a totally different story. There are more serious issues in life to deal with than checking the latest feed on social media.

4. You have more online friends than in real life.

Did you know that studies have shown that spending quality time with family and friends helps boost your happiness level? It also affects both physical and mental health. Spending time with friends means real face-to-face interaction, not online interaction. Online friends cannot replace real life friends; friends that you go out, talk and share your experiences with. If you feel that you have more online friends than those whom you regularly interact with face-to-face then that is a sign that you are slowly losing in touch with reality and letting the virtual world take over your life.

5. You scroll and check your accounts right before you go to bed.

What is the last thing that you do before you go to bed? Pray? Read? Plan for the next day? Have a meaningful conversation with your parents or spouse or check your social media account? Checking your social media right before going to bed is a bad habit. Computers, cellphones and other gadgets emit blue light. This blue light puts the brain into working mode. Thus, it would be difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

6. You share everything on social media.

It is normal to share your thoughts, opinions and photos of your travels, events or good things that happened in your life. However, there are some things that are better left unshared like your rants about certain people or about your job. These kinds of negative posts and comments could backfire on you. Keep your personal thoughts private. It is also not advisable to share too many photos, especially of yourself, on social media. Your real friends might end up disliking you if you overexposed yourself. If you feel the urge to always share every moment of your life on social media; then that is a sure warning sign that you are addicted to social media.

7. You use internet slang in your everyday language.

Internet language is very different from ordinary casual language. They are short, abbreviated and sometimes misspelled. If you find yourself using internet slang such as:

lol (laughing out loud)
btw (by the way)
g2g (got to go) or
phrases that start with hashtag (#).

Using internet slang in your day-to-day conversation is a sure sign that social media has already greatly influenced your life.

8. You check in everywhere you go.

Are you obsessed with checking in to venues on your social media account? Doing it once in a while or on special occasions is understandable because we are all social beings. We just want to share that we are having fun or maybe your purpose is to post an open invitation to friends who are in the same location. However, if you do this all the time or your main reason for doing so is to show-off your status or wealth; then it is time to reconsider your behavior.

9. It distracts you from actually living your life.

Have you ever seen a group of friends or family together in a restaurant with all of them engrossed in their phones? How about tourists who are busy taking selfies or making videos of themselves? These people are so engrossed in their social media that they are forgetting to actually live and enjoy the present moment. The practice of mindfulness leads to happier and healthier lives.

10. You already had an argument with your parents/friend/significant other about your social media usage.

Another sign that you are addicted to social media is when your parents, spouse or significant other already complained about you not paying attention to them because you are busy scrolling your phone for news feed updates. Your personal relationships are already starting to suffer because of your social media usage.

If you have more than “yes” answers compared to “no” from the items above; unfortunately, you are now addicted or becoming addicted to social media. You should seriously consider a digital detox before it becomes a full blown addiction.

Feature Image by Thomas Ulrich from Pixabay.

Updated version. First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 10.16.2019.

Aug

2021

How to Identify Fake News

Reading Time: 4 minutes

How do you identify fake news? The convenience of social media sites have made it easier to create and spread fake news. Social media addiction is quite common nowadays. As users of these platforms, we should all be responsible enough to verify skeptical or viral news items before sharing them. Some of them are fiction, or satire, or just efforts to fool people into clicking a link, or into thinking that they’re real stories.

The creation and spread of fake news can be dangerous to the parties involved. It can also negatively affect one’s mental health in the long run. So how do you spot fake news? The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLAI) have provided the following tips:

Consider the Source

The first thing to check out is the source of the news. Is it a reputable news organization, academic institution, information department, research body, or government agency?
These organizations usually publish relevant news that have undergone a lot of research, verification, and factual data to back them up. When a news article cites facts or quotes from an anonymous source or doesn’t even claim to have a source, then don’t click that “Share” or “Retweet” button.

Read Beyond

Headlines are designed to catch the reader’s attention so they are written to sound outrageous, sensational or urgent. Before deciding to share the article or post, make sure to read it yourself. This way, you know if it is really an important piece of information that will help people when shared, or if it is just another viral post to increase a page or website’s followers. If you identify it as fake news, then there’s no need to spread it to more people. If you’re just constantly sharing and retweeting stuff; then you need to break your social media addiction.

Check the Author

Is the author credible? Is the author even a real person? Nowadays, many social media influencers (e.g., bloggers, vloggers, authors, celebrities, etc.) have become quite popular. Sometimes, they also publish content that become viral and may look like they’re news-worthy. Make sure you’re not spreading fake news from a bogus personality. You need to check their background and their previous posts to judge for yourself if their content can be considered reliable or not. Ask yourself: Is this content even worth sharing?

Supporting Sources

There are many reputable organizations whose mission is to publish important breakthroughs and helpful information in their field or industry. Legitimate news agencies usually cite these organizations as sources for their news articles. The organizations themselves usually publish information about all their supporting data and references as well. If you encounter an article that is just a rehash of the original article; then it might be better to just share the original article instead.

Check the Date

Some sites will repost or republish an old article with a catchy headline or story just to generate more views or followers. So be sure to check the article’s date. Otherwise, you might find yourself sharing an article of a scientific breakthrough which is actually old news. It would be embarrassing if your friend tells you it happened a long time ago; or if you have to apologize to them for sharing old and fake news.

Is It a Joke?

Ever fallen victim to an April Fool’s Day prank or article? If so, then you know how important it is to make sure that the news you are sharing is not a prank; unless that’s your goal. Another embarrassing scenario is if you criticize an article harshly. Then, it turns out to be a satirical article. It just shows that you didn’t actually read through the whole thing and failed to identify fake news. Ensure that you have read and understood the purpose of the article before commenting or sharing. Many have shared a piece of financial “good news” to friends which just turned out to be investment scams.

Check Your Biases

This usually happens to fans who idolize celebrities too much. They end up defending their idol’s opinions even if they don’t understand what really happened. Other times, you may be unaware that you are supporting a particular article’s claims only because of your own biases. These may include religious beliefs, cultural traditions, family habits, etc. So check your biases first or you may end up losing friends for sharing a piece of controversial information that may turn out to be fake news. If it doesn’t sound quite right; don’t share it.

Ask the Experts

If you really want to verify whether a piece of news is fake or not, the World Wide Web can help. There are many fact-checking sites that you can consult as well as online libraries and open source information sites. You can also consult the agencies or organizations involved directly. The best way to track down the validity of a piece of news and its claims is to click the references mentioned in the article and see for yourself if they support the story.

The important thing to remember is to think before you click “Share”. Do not share if you’re not sure about the article’s source or claims. This means that you must read the article yourself and have the due diligence to conduct your own research and investigation. If you don’t have the time for this; then better not share it, especially if it is a highly controversial piece of news. A good tip to follow is: if it doesn’t make you feel good, better not share it. In a stressful society, it is important that we stay away from bad news and fake news, and be able to maintain the proper mindset especially in times of crisis.

Feature Image: Original Image by memyselfaneye from Pixabay.

Apr

2021

How to Break Your Social Media Addiction

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Do you know how to break your social media addiction? Social media usage has become a regular part of our daily lives. Because of this, more and more people are getting addicted to it. Like any addiction, it has harmful effects to our overall health. Even so, we must accept the fact that this product of modern technology is not going away anytime soon. People are going to continue using it for a very long time.

The technology itself is not harmful, at least it is not intended to be so. However, the way people use it is what causes the negative effects. It also leads to bad habits that have negative effects on our health. To prevent and reduce the negative effects of social media addiction, we need to manage how we use it. Here are 5 ways to break your social media addiction that you can apply immediately.

1. Set a Time Limit

You don’t need not quit it altogether but you can spend less time checking your social media accounts every day. Set a time in the morning and in the afternoon to check. Give yourself at least an hour to do so and then stop and do something else. Schedule the activity like you would any task you need to do throughout the day. This way, you can manage your time efficiently and reduce the time you spend on it without feeling deprived.

Also, try not to schedule it first thing in the morning or before you go to bed. This ensures that it doesn’t disrupt the more important things in your daily routine.

2. Define Its Purpose

One way of limiting your addiction to social media is to change how you use it. Give it a purpose that should benefit you. Ask yourself why do you go on social media? Do you go to it to check for news or mainly to chat with friends and family? Is it part of your job or a major part of building your career or business?

Once you have defined your main purpose, stick to that purpose and use the platform only for that purpose. This way, you don’t waste time checking your profile if you are not fulfilling a certain purpose.

3. Go To Other Online Sources

The Internet is a big place. If you are only using social media to get your news; then you are missing out on the bigger picture. Next time, why not use a search engine to find what you’re looking for online? Then, go to the website of the original source instead. This way, you are introduced to other sources of information that may not be popularly shared on social media.

Remember that social media posts are designed to “go viral”, to catch the most attention. This is a good marketing strategy for big companies. However, it may not represent the most accurate details or information about a certain topic.

4. Step Away from Your Device

Yes, our mobile phones have become a security blanket for most of us. It is one of the most important things that we need to take with us when we leave the house. We carry it with us everywhere, almost like it’s our lifeline. To some extent it is but it need not be so.

To break away from social media addiction, it is important to schedule a down-time daily. Get away from your phone or even turn it off and indulge in mindfulness habits; spend time for some self love or spend time with a loved one and be fully present in the moment.

Also, when in places that require turning off your phone, do so. You can also put it in silent mode and turn on vibrate. It is not only polite to do so. Doing this allows you to actually enjoy being a social animal with your fellow human being; without having your face glued to a small screen. Focus on enjoying the bigger screen and appreciate the actual, bigger picture.

5. Go on A Social Media Detox

Just like taking a vacation from work, you should also take a vacation from drowning in social media; you can even do both at the same time. Yes, you can still take your phone on your travels. Use your phone to take great vacation pictures, search locations and where best to eat. However, don’t check or post to your social media pages while you’re on vacation. (Unless it’s your job to do so, but that’s a different story.) Unplug, disconnect and go offline for the time being.

Not only will this detox you from social media addiction; it will also allow you to fully enjoy your vacation experience without the pressure of having to stay updated. You can always post your vacation pics once you’re back from your escapade. This also keeps you and your buddies safe from any lurking scammers or people with ill-intent. Some people might be stalking your whereabouts so they can take advantage of you.

Social media is a convenient way to connect with people. We must remember though that too much of anything can do more harm than good. Manage how you use your social media accounts wisely. You can do other fun things aside from going online. If you’re just bored, there are also more productive ways to combat boredom. With social media, you can conveniently stay connected with the things that matter to you. At the same time, remember to actually be present to engage your social connections in the real world.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.10.18.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Hugh Han on Unsplash.

Aug

2020

Digitize Your Business

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There are 4.57 billion active internet users in the world as of July 2020. This figure is based on a published report by Statista, a German online statistics portal company. This means that roughly about 59% of the total world population are now online. Thus, there is no denying that the world is moving towards a digital future. And if there is one consequence that this pandemic brought us, it accelerated our journey towards digitalization. That is to say, the new normal has forced individuals and businesses to digital transformation. So, if you want to stay afloat, you need to start to digitize your business or work.

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation is the use of digital technology such as computers, the internet, social media, applications, systems and devices as leverage to meet the changing business environment. The pandemic compelled everyone to work from home. Despite the gradual lifting of the lockdown, many people opted to stay at home because of fear of the virus. It is very difficult for services to thrive in this kind of environment. Thus, digital transformation is a must in order to survive in this economic crisis.

How to Digitize Your Business?

There are many ways to digitize your business depending on your industry. You don’t need to actually start from the scratch or invent an application to cater to the specific needs of your business. There are already tons of business-ready applications and softwares available out there for you to use. Some are even offered for free. All you need to do is to look around you. It will help to take a look at what your competitors or those businesses who are selling the same products/services that you offer are doing in as far as digital transformation is concern.

If you are a big company, it helps to hire professionals to do it for you. If you are self-employed or owns a small company, there are still ways to do it without hurting your budget.

Things to Consider in Digitizing Your Business

Here are some things that you should consider in digitizing your business.

Visibility

The first thing to do is to create an online presence for your business. There are several webpage hosting and e-commerce platforms available out there that you can use for free. You only need to pay a minimal amount if you decide to upgrade your plan or if you want to have your own URL address. The URL is your official address in the world wide web.

If creating your own website is too complicated for you, you can still opt to just use social media sites. If you already have a personal account on any of the social medias out there, creating a business account is just as simple. But before you open an account in all the social media platforms available out there, make sure that you have already identified your niche. There is no point opening an account in a platform where most users are teenagers if your target market is for seniors. Having more accounts does not necessarily mean good. Sometimes it is better to maintain just 2 or 3 as long as it caters to your target market.

Frequency

Digitizing your business does not end with the creation of an online page. Your next goal should be how to increase your visibility. The more people who will see your page, the higher your chance of making a sale. Didn’t you notice how many times a commercial is being played while you are watching your favorite TV show? The same thing is true with online marketing. Frequency does matter.

Unless you are familiar with using basic on-page search engine optimization techniques (SEO basics), your best bet is to post valuable content frequently. But be careful, there is a thin line with being seen always and being annoying. You need to learn to strike a balance between the two so as not to annoy your audience.

Usability

Usability is very important in designing your page or shop. The customer experience plays a big role in your conversion rate of turning visitors to buyers. Thus, your page must be simple, easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye. Fonts should be readable. Use colors that not only grab the visitor’s attention but also evoke emotions. Most importantly, buying your goods and services should be secure and easy in just one click away. Make the whole experience pleasing to the customer so that they will come back for more. And lastly, make sure also that your page is mobile friendly. A great number of internet users use mobile phones in searching the web.

Launch Challenge

Identify your niche or target market.
Choose the proper social media account for your target market.
Open an account.
Plan your post for the week or month.
Start posting.

Good luck!