Social media has taken the world by storm. There are literally hundreds of different social media platforms now available, and there are simply not enough hours in the day to use all of them properly. So to help you pick the most suitable ones for you, we’ve compiled this rather handy guide…

NOTE: This is an updated version of my social media guide for 2012

Most social media sites can be categorised into 5 broad areas:

(1) Networking

(2) Discovery

(3) Showcase

(4) Q & A

(5) Social News

Networking

Social networking sites can be considered as quintessential social media, as they rely almost entirely on interaction, and in some ways are ‘more social’ than a lot of the other sites out there. The powerful networking effects offered these sites offer allow you to connect with people from all over the world. If you are trying to develop your personal brand, you will need to take these networking sites very seriously.

Twitter

The ultimate microblogging site, Twitter allows its users to follow almost anyone and connect in a unique and non-restrictive fashion. With over 200 million accounts and counting, Twitter is, and will continue to be, an essential networking tool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses Twitter
Use Twitter to follow and connect with just about anybody. From colleagues and friends to influential players in your chosen field or even celebrities: on Twitter, the world is your oyster.

What to use Twitter for
There is a common misconception that Twitter is simply an endless stream of inconsequential status updates. In fact, Twitter is a forum for connecting, listening and discovering. Follow relevant people within your area of interest, see what content they are sharing and with whom they are connecting. Ask relevant questions, respond to comments, retweet others and share interesting content you find yourself. Twitter could be seen as the biggest eavesdropping tool around, where else can you freely listen in on conversations and then join in?

Why use Twitter
Twitter’s informal nature allows you to connect with relevant contacts in a more relaxed setting than on networks such as LinkedIn, potentially affording a connection that may be longer lasting and more fruitful than a purely professional relationship. You can build upon your expertise by listening and connecting with people that would otherwise be out of your reach. Twitter is also an excellent place to job hunt; showcase your personality, interests and skills and keep track of the many jobs and internships advertised on the platform daily.

How to use Twitter
Setting up your Twitter account is a simple process, and developing some networking tactics before you begin to Tweet will ensure you hit the floor running. Check out this comprehensive guide to help learn the ins and outs of the site. Twitter has become more visual in nature with the new profile layout, integrating a header image, a gallery of recently uploaded photos on the left and the ability to view media content in tweets right on the feed in

LinkedIn

 

The primary professional network, LinkedIn has over 135 million users worldwide and can act as your online CV. It is a platform to showcase your achievements and develop business relationships.

Who uses LinkedIn
Use LinkedIn to connect with your colleagues, classmates, lecturers, friends and people you’ve done business with. You can even make ‘prospective connections’, to recruitment agents or potential employers.

What to use LinkedIn for
Fundamentally, LinkedIn should act as your online CV, so keep it up to date with education, qualifications and experience. Use the ‘Groups’ feature to participate in topical discussions and make connections with like-minded individuals.

Why use LinkedIn
LinkedIn can be one of the best forms of social proof, particularly if you can get genuine recommendations from others (which are the LinkedIn equivalent of job references). Similarly, if you have lots of relevant people in your network you will quite literally be ‘well connected’. The site can also be used for job hunting – both active and passive – and simply by having an up-to-date profile you can attract potential employers or recruitment agencies.

A new feature of LinkedIn rolled out in 2012 is ‘endorsements’. This goes along with recommendations but mean you will receive endorsements for specific skills, such as ‘email marketing’, ‘writing’ but can even go as far as to be ‘excellent coffee maker’. You can select which endorsements are visible on your profile and encourage your connections to endorse you in this manner. Here is everything you need to know about LinkedIn endorsements.

How to use LinkedIn
Setting up your profile is relatively straightforward, but it is also worth optimising your profile for job search.

Google +

Google+ is the newest of the current social networking platforms. Rolled out fully in 2011, it is still debatable what position it will fill in the social media world. Despite how new the network is,100 million accounts have already been created and the powerhouse search engine is putting

a lot of time and energy into the platform. You can be certain that this network will not be going anywhere any time soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses Google+
Use Google+ to connect with just about anyone. Like Twitter, it is not essential that your connection is two way. You can add anyone to your ‘circles’, splitting your contacts into professional, family, friends etc and then connect accordingly.

What to use Google+ for
Google+ endeavours to be the ultimate in social networks, amalgamating the best of Twitter and Facebook. There are some features that could make this a brilliant networking tool; the ease with which you can separate and connect with contacts, the different ways you can chat with your contacts (when you are in each others circles; by video, voice or typing) and Google+ Hangouts. Hangouts have been almost universally hailed as one of the top features of the site, allowing you to network with groups of people by taking part in or hosting a group video chat with your contacts. Hangouts can host private parties, or can be public for anyone to join: check out some of the current hang outs on Google+.

Why use Google+
Google+ is on its way to becoming one of the powerhouses of social media. It combines aspects of Skype, Facebook and Twitter, offering a very interesting array of features. Currently the network is underdeveloped and underused, but it is going places, and could really prove to be an essential networking tool. Google has also launched a new initiative called Search, plus Your World where things shared by you on Google+ will appear in the search results of your connections. Game changing.

How to use Google+
To join Google+, you need to create a Google account if you do not already have one. Then creating a Google+ account is a simple process. Getting noticed on Google+ in these earliest stages could be a big help as this network grows over the coming year; establish some tactics now to increase the amount of circles you are in.

And Now For Something Completely Different Pretty Much The Same

Facebook - The omission of the social networking goliath from this guide is glaringly obvious. This is a deliberate omission, since the primary function of Facebook for most people is to maintain that personal connection with friends and family, and it does not lend itself to professional networking. See my post on ensuring your Facebook privacy settings are in top shape to protect this personal network from prying eyes.

If you do feel Facebook could be a useful networking tool for you, here is a good post discussing the values of this platform.

Discovery

The internet is full of content just waiting to be found and there is an abundance of sites that are available to facilitate their discovery. Discovering interesting new sites and voices helps broaden your horizons within your chosen field. It will also provide you with interesting content to share on your social media networking sites, helping to encourage comment and debate.

StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon is perhaps the ultimate discovery site. When you ‘stumble’, you are taken to a random website, blog, image or video that is aligned with your chosen interests. Every site is user submitted and as a tool for discovery StumbleUpon is unrivalled (as well as being highly addictive and enjoyable!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon is often used as a tool to drive traffic to a blog or site, but when you begin making use of this platform it is simply a marvellous method of discovery. It can be used by anyone, from procrastinating students to content marketers or even chefs looking for inspiration.

What to use StumbleUpon for
StumbleUpon is a brilliant discovery tool; you can limit your ‘stumbles’ to different sub-categories and find a wide variety of different sites and blogs dedicated to that subject.

Why Use Stumble Upon
Using StumbleUpon to find new and interesting content will not only enrich your own knowledge of the areas you stumble, but it will give you interesting information to share across your social networks and incite conversations with desirable connections.

How to use StumbleUpon
Extremely easy to set up and use, when a member of the site, all you have to do is hit the ‘Stumble’ button and you will be transported to the first in an array of weird and wonderful sites. Every time you want to move on from the page you are on, hit ‘Stumble’ again and you will be taken to the next page. The easiest way to stumble is to download a StumbleUpon add on, either in the form of the tool bar or bookmarklet; you won’t even have to visit the site to get your stumbling fix.

Delicious

Delicious is a social bookmarking site, yet the bookmarks set up by users are arranged in such a way to facilitate discovery and conversation. The main feature of Delicious is ‘stacks’, which enable you to organise your bookmarked links into topic groups. Recent updates to the site now allow comments and suggested additions from other users onto these stacks; in short, Delicious allows you to discover, organise and interact all in one place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses Delicious
Categorising Delicious by user-base is not clear cut; it can be used by anyone looking to organise their on-line world and discover and enjoy links bookmarked by fellow users with similar interests.

What to use Delicious for
As well as keeping track of your online world, use Delicious to interact with other users with similar interests by searching for relevant stacks and commenting and suggesting links. A great tip is to stack all of your social media profiles whenever you create them so you have a comprehensive list of where you are in your social world and easy access to them; it will be quick and easy to discover on Delicious and then share your findings on other networks.

Why use Delicious
To get organised! You can access any bookmarks you have saved on Delicious by logging in from any computer. Delicious essentially helps you find stuff that other people have shared, organise it in a far more coherent way than platforms like StumbleUpon, and develop relationships by interacting and commenting. You will continually be discovering fresh information whilst forming like-minded contacts.

How to use Delicious
Getting started on Delicious may seem slightly confusing, but there is a comprehensive help section on the site. There are also many guides available discussing effective uses for your Delicious account.

Pinterest

The recent darling of the social media world, Pinterest is growing at an astonishing rate and provides an interesting new take on social discovery and bookmarking. A visual medium, Pinterest proclaims to be the ultimate online pin board, allowing users to create ‘boards‘ and ‘pin‘ visual content; either uploaded by users or pinned from anywhere across the internet (it is also a useful site to showcase your own work which I will discuss later in this guide).

Who uses Pinterest
Currently, the user base of Pinterest is primarily female, a fact that is reflected somewhat on the site. However, more men are embracing the Pinterest platform and the potential for discovery is increasing more and more as the site continues to grow in popularity.

What to use Pinterest for
Pinterest is the ideal place to discover some visual delights. From recipes and workouts to clothes and hairstyles, books and crafts; anything that can be presented visually can be found on Pinterest. You can also arrange any pins you discover on the site onto your own boards to keep your discoveries organised.

Why use Pinterest
Pinterest is a beautifully presented site and can lead to some brilliant finds; excellent sites and blogs that have been enjoyed and recommended by other users. Pinterest also has an inherently social element to it; you can comment, like and ‘repin’. You can also tag other users in posts if you see a Pin they will like; these social elements mean you can connect very effectively on Pinterest and encourage discussion.

How to use Pinterest
Pinterest is still invitation only at present; you can either request one online or be invited by a current member. The best tactic to get an invitation would be to search for blogs written about Pinterest and leave a comment. Then, ask for an invite. (All three of us here at IdeasByBlog also have a account so feel free to get in contact and we will send some out).

And Now For Something Completely Different Pretty Much The Same

Fancy – This site works like Pinterest, however it has an interesting hook in that you can buy products through the site and find deals and coupons as well as ‘fancying’ interesting stuff you find across the web.

Showcase

Social media platforms that allow you to showcase your work are becoming increasingly popular and this is the area in which new sites are springing up more frequently. Start a blog to showcase your writing talent and knowledge. Upload your artwork, fashion designs or photographs to a visual sharing platform. Share your compositions and vocal abilities on a dedicated music site. If you have a talent that your want to showcase it has never been as easy to show people what you can do.

YouTube

The ultimate video sharing site, on here you can watch everything from dogs discussing “the maple kind” to renditions of any song under the sun. Yet when used cleverly, YouTube can be so much more than this. With 4 billion hits a day, this video sharing site has the potential to showcase your skills to a LOT of people.

Who uses YouTube
In terms of showcasing skills, YouTube is invaluable for people such as singers and filmmakers. The stories of singers who found success off the back of this site are numerous, take Justin Bieber; it was only after showcasing his songs on his YouTube channel that he got signed and became the international megastar he is today.

What to use YouTube for
Promotion. YouTube is an unbeatable way to demonstrate what you can do visually. Create your own channel and then post videos on a regular basis which display your talent. YouTube gets over 2 billion views DAILY, where better to show the world what you can do? You can also use YouTube to build communities, a tactic used very effectively by music teachers such as Justin Sandercoe, who has over 300 free guitar lessons hosted on YouTube.

Why use YouTube
YouTube provides the ultimate platform to present your talents to a massive user base. When you post a video on YouTube, you also have the option to embed it on your own blog or site; a simple and effective way to add a little extra spice to your blog. User embeds accounted for a high proportion of 50,000+ views on our recent video for the What?Gravity Mobile Phone Holder.

How to use YouTube
YouTube is owned by Google so if you haven’t done so already, create a Google Account. The next step is to create your YouTube channel and start uploading your videos.

Myspace

The original social network, Myspace lost a little of its desirability when Facebook arrived on the scene. Yet with a multi-million pound takeover last year by Specific Media (with Justin Timberlake as an investor!) and the emphasis being placed even more on music and entertainment, this move could spell a change in fortunes for the site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses Myspace
Myspace is a platform for entertainers and fans; a place to connect and showcase. MySpace has perhaps undergone the most visual change in 2012, unveiling a whole new layout and design aimed at tablet and phone usage where the page actually scrolls sideways as opposed to vertically.

What to use Myspace For
Myspace’s focus is on creating a place for people to find and listen to music, watch videos and find cool stuff. Use it as a tool to showcase your own skills; Myspace primarily has a reputation for music, so in particular this platform is brilliant for musicians looking for a place to promote songs and develop relationships with potential fans.

Why use Myspace
The social interaction and blogging facilities available on Myspace make it a brilliant platform to exhibit both your music and your personality. In addition, the new discovery aspect is a wonderful way to find new music and artists to connect and learn from, as well as to hopefully enable more people to find your own work.

How to use Myspace
When using Myspace to display your musical talent, you need to sign up for a music account. Ensure you make the most of your profile and create the ‘go to’ place for any fans of your work. Include regular updates about gigs, new music and news; it can be a brilliant place to develop a community of your fans.

Pinterest

Yes, I know, we covered Pinterest earlier in the Discovery section, however Pinterest can also be a wonderful platform to showcase work that can be displayed visually.

Who uses Pinterest
Use Pinterest if your work can be displayed in an interesting visual format.  For example, designers and artists could flourish on this site.

What to use Pinterest for
Pinterest offers you the chance to exhibit your work in an inventive, aesthetic way. Upload pictures of anything you have created that can translate into a beautiful picture. Organise your boards to reflect different moods, designs or projects and you can develop a beautiful online gallery of your work.

Why use Pinterest
Developing an online gallery of your work is a brilliant way to showcase. You can link your boards to other social media channels or send a link to anyone interested in seeing your work. Pinterest allows you to build an online gallery without having to invest in your own website.

How to use Pinterest
See the previous discussion of Pinterest to see how to get an invitation onto the site, and here is an quick explanation of how to upload your own work to Pinterest.

And Now For Something Completely Different Pretty Much The Same

Vimeo – this site is similar to YouTube in that it is a video sharing medium. However, Vimeo’s focus is on creativity rather than the varied and interesting videos you find on YouTube.

Some more video sites to try which are very similar to YouTube are Metacafe and Daily Motion.

Gawkerverse – This site is similar to Pinterest in premise, yet the categories are somewhat more limited than the array on Pinterest; it is split into four seperate sites, Food, Dwelling, Wedding and Craft.

Piccsy – this site is similar to Pinterest in terms of image sharing, yet users submit pictures which are then voted on by the community and the categorisation of images is not so apparent; the focus is more on just the imagery.

Soundcloud – another platform on which to promote your music, the Soundcloud community is growing and it has some interesting features that set it aprt from Myspace, such as the capability to comment on certain points in sounds rather than the track as a whole; which can offer more concise feedback.

Mixcloud – this is a brilliant platform for aspiring DJs and radio presenters; you can upload your shows, develop your online presence and connect with potential fans or employers.

 

 

Q & A Sites

Q & A sites can be a fantastic source of information when you are searching for answers, but they also offer you the opportunity to provide answers and share knowledge yourself. Although not strictly social media platforms, the ones highlighted below offer an increasing array of social features. In terms of using Q & A sites to develop your personal brand, they could be one of the most powerful platforms; imagine being able to highlight your user profile to potential employers and inviting them to read some of your hundreds of (intelligent) responses to questions on ‘x’ topic.

Quora

Quora is relatively new in the social space (launched to the public 2010) but it is fairly well-considered as an up-and-comer. In addition to straightforward questions and answers, Quora allows you to follow people like Twitter and create ‘interest boards’ like Pinterest. Unlike the traditional Q & A model, Quora seeks to present each question page as the best resource for anyone with the same question (as opposed to simply presenting every answer submitted).

Who uses Quora
Quora is a good place to follow your favourite bloggers, and since the community is still relatively small, it offers a better opportunity for engagement (as there is less ‘noise’). Quora will also find and suggest people that you already follow on Twitter or Facebook who also use Quora, which can be a good way to get started.

What to use Quora for
You can use Quora to talk about anything you have a passion for: work, music, tennis, restaurants, cats… – literally anything. Based on the topics and people you follow, you are presented with an activity feed of questions/answers. The idea is that you pitch in on questions that interest you, by either posting an answer yourself or voting and/or commenting on other people’s answers.

Why use Quora
In addition to helping you source answers to your own questions, Quora is a great place to earn trust and authority within a community; as it allows you to give insight and opinions in a very direct and transparent manner.

How to use Quora
It is very easy to get your Quora account set up as they request minimal personal data, and Quora themselves have answered a question: ‘How do I get started using Quora?‘ Neat.

StackExchange

StackExchange is not technically a Q & A site in the purest form; it is actually a network of 80+ specialist Q & A sites, all of which can be searched at once through the StackExchange platform. You don’t have to register to use the site, but if you do you can garner ‘reputation points’ based on your involvement levels, which allow you to participate more fully in the community.

Who uses StackExchange
Although anyone can use StackExchange, to use it most effectively they would need to support a network site that suits your area of expertise. If you study Maths, for instance, you could participate in math.stackexchange.com, but if you’re a cheese enthusiast, alas, you will struggle.

What to use StackExchange for
Use StackExchange to find answers to questions you may have, either by using the search function or by browsing through the 80+ network sites. All Stack Exchange network sites are similar in structure, and these are where you will find specific topics, such as Programming and Cooking. It is on these network sites that you are allowed to post questions, just try to make sure your question fits the specific network site you are in.

Why use StackExchange
To use StackExchange to its fullest potential, you would need to set up a profile page. Your profile page features all your activity, listing all your questions and answers posted. It also displays any community-powered rewards you have accumulated, such as reputation points and badges. This profile page alone could be all you need to convince a potential employer or business contact that you do indeed know your stuff.

How to use StackExchange
The StackExchange registration page supports OpenID, which allows you to create an account using a number of other social media account logins (including Google and Facebook), or you can sign up for a separate StackExchange account. The StackExchange User Guide is the best starting point for learning how to use the website properly.

Note: Whenever you go onto a new network site, you will need to log in and allow access through your OpenID (this is only required the first time you log onto each network site).

Yahoo! Answers

No discussion on Q & A sites is complete without considering Yahoo! Answers, which has been around since 2006 and has enjoyed widespread mainstream adoption, due in part to its straightforward user interface.  However, Yahoo! Answers lacks the social dimensions and community control of sites like Quora and StackExchange, which means the quality often suffers.

Who uses Yahoo! Answers
Anyone and everyone. Most people will have stumbled onto Yahoo! Answers through a search engine query at some point or other, and this is mainly due to the size of its database and community. Because it only offers a very outdated reputation system, we would not recommend trying to use Yahoo! Answers for any concerted Personal Branding efforts.

What to use Yahoo! Answers for
Quite simply, to answer your queries. There are over 1 billion answers on the site, and although you may have to sift through some junk to find a decent answer, usually you can find someone who has faced the same problem as you. If not, then simply the post a question and hope someone responds.

Why use Yahoo! Answers
Yahoo! Answers is huge. Even if you can’t find a satisfactory answer from the pre-existing ones available on the site, it is very likely that you will get several responses to any question you do ask, due to the massive community that support Yahoo! Answers.

How to use Yahoo! Answers
Anyone can search the database without having an account. However if you wish to ask, or answer, questions, you will need to sign in with a Yahoo account. The format is pretty straightforward, but as ever it pays to understand the etiquette before participating, you should also be aware of the points system, which encourages answering questions and actually limits participation based on your account activity.

And Now For Something Completely Different Pretty Much The Same

LinkedIn Answers – As this is part of LinkedIn, you can use it to bolster your profile and leverage your existing LinkedIn network.

Social News

Social News sites can be an invaluable tool to help keep abreast of popular news and content across the internet. As well as generic social news sites which filter on the site by topic, you can also find sites that are specific to particular topics or fields. These are a fantastic way to keep up with relevant news that others are enjoying and sharing.

Digg

Digg amalgamates interesting news and content from across the web, allowing you to share and note what has been considered ‘Digg worthy’. Digg’s users submit stories they find across the internet which are then monitored and rated by other users. As well as discovering what stories people are sharing, Digg allows you to monitor the amount of people that like them and hence determine what has the capacity to spread virally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who uses Digg
Use Digg to connect with others who are interested in what content is popular across the web and want to promote and share their own stuff. You can follow others that share your interests, see what they are Digging and share content with them. This could help you form valuable connections.

What to use Digg for
Use Digg to keep abreast of news across the internet and submit interesting content to share with the rest of the Digg community.

Why use Digg
Social news sites such as Digg are invaluable, not only for seeing breaking news in your field, but also for discovering what others are enjoying and sharing. This is a valuable indicator of sources and news you can trust when faced with the vast amount of content available on the internet.

How to use Digg
Using Digg is simple, take a look at this blog post detailing how to optimise your Digg profile.

Reddit

Reddit follows a very similar premise to Digg; it is a collection of news which has been submitted and voted on by the Reddit community. The differences between the two are slight, although it is slightly easier to get onto the front page of the Reddit’s news feed. Reddit also allows users to begin a feed with a comment or question, whereas the beginning of a Digg feed is simply stories that have been submitted.

Who uses Reddit
Reddit is also used by people who want to keep abreast of news enjoyed and shared by others within their community. Reddit offers more personalisation than Digg, mainly through customisable ‘subreddits‘, which allow any user to create their own sub-forum on any topic area they wish. People with a more specialised interests are more likely to head to here for their social news.

What to use Reddit for
In much the same way as Digg, use Reddit to keep up to date with news being read and recommended across the internet.

Why use Reddit
Reddit provides you with a wealth of relevant stories which have also received personal recommendations from people that have read, liked them and felt compelled to share. You can monitor their success on the site and base your trust in the stories on these results.

How to use Reddit
Setting up your Reddit account is relatively simple, check out the FAQ’s for any questions you might have when you egt on the site.

Technorati

Technorati is a leading search engine for blogs. It is a database which covers a wide variety of topics. A simple keyword search will bring up lots of relevant suggested blogs.

Who uses Technorati
Technorati is one of the foremost sites for bloggers or blog readers searching for relevant and insightful people to form lasting connections with.

What to use Technorati for
Use Technorati to find blogs and posts within your relevant field and determine key players and interesting content. This site is a search facility dedicated to unearthing relevant blogs. Technorati also assigns authority to blogs, therefore if a blog has a high authority index from the site this is a good trust indicator.

Why use Technorati
Technorati’s focus on blogs presents a brilliant specialised search. You can also apply to write for Technorati yourself, allowing you to showcase your ideas to a wide and engaged community. Technorati have produced a very useful list of the top 100 blogs, and also offer analysis of the blogosphere and social media.

How to use Technorati
Technorati can be used simply as a useful blog search engine, but you can also join up and submit your own blog to their database and hopefully acquire a lot of new subscribers.

And Now For Something Completely Different Pretty Much The Same

Fark – a news aggregator and social network news site that receives submissions from their reader base and fishes out the funny, strange and note-worthy news of the time. The focus on this site is ‘it’s not news, it’s Fark’ so essentially it is a collection of the weird and wonderful news you would not come across in the mainstream media.

Alltop – this blog aggregator aims to show what is happening in a different way to search engines. Alltop pulls through the headlines of a phenomenal collection of blogs in a wide array of topics so you can find what is happening right now from some of the most popular blogs around (and also find some hidden gems).

BuzzFeed – an interesting inclusion in this list, BuzzFeed is generally the favourite of people wanting to look at photos or videos of animals, celebrities or what crazy looks like. However, as a social and viral trend monitoring tool however, it can be incredibly useful.

This post is part of the Personal Branding Series, helping you develop a successful online presence.