Food For Thought

I am a social media nut.

I honestly could Twitter ALL day and never eat or do anything else. I am THAT bad.

Luckily, my "real" life commitments are such that I can not even, in any way, shape or form, consider realizing my inner desire here, but it would sure be nice!

Because I Twitter so much, I found it quite interesting to learn something about myself and about social media.

It is more than just branding.

Many of the "peeps" I follow are "brands". These various companies that I enjoy on the outside of cyber space are crucial to my lifestyle so I do so to get special deals, coupons, or simply to garner inside information and learn about the people who are really behind the products and businesses. I also really enjoy hearing what is going on from the insiders perspective.

I have been disappointed, overwhelmed, and slightly taken advantage of - but nothing that has not happened to me in the physical realm.

Interestingly enough, being able to actually meet some of the Chicago based Twitter family has actually encouraged me to be even more active on this method of interacting using only 140 characters or less!

It is amazing.

Then I discovered, that while I do follow the folks behind my favorite brands to get the good stuff, I enjoy them as people even more.

One of my favorite Twitter cohorts has actually gone on to another position. While this position is still in social media, this means there will be someone new "tweeting" about a product I LOVE.

I did not consider that at once. I was sincerely SO overjoyed and happy that a fellow communicator has summoned up a new dream and acted on it, I was really feeling über congratulatory!

It then settled in this morning that I may be needing to familiarize myself with the new "tweeter" for this company but rest assured that where my friend is going now has a new fan!

It is remarkable that we can build loyalty and develop sincere bonds with people we have never met and have only communicated with online.

I for one, am happily amazed and incredibly grateful for my cyber family. What about you? Is the cyber world just a pastime? Do you really engage or is this a forum for you to be anonymous or a voyeur?

If you use it for business, do you have an online persona, or do you "DO YOU" all the time?

I suppose time will only tell just how far we will take this internet lifestyle but it is very interesting food for thought!