I find the whole aspect of social media networking a bit overwhelming...facebook pages, twitter, linked in just to name a few. I'm going to date myself here, but when I started in design, we barely worked on the computer, there was no internet much less on a phone, cellphones were the big handheld boxes, and you had car phones installed in you car and they weren't portable (told you I'd date myself) .
So skip ahead a few years (ok, more than a few) years, and I took some time off to have kids and be a work at home mom. I kept up with technology as much as I could, and upgraded when I needed to, but had no idea of all the social media that is available. I still don't understand some of the networks and how to use it effectively. I am trying to get out of my comfort zone and respond to posts from other designers, enter competitions and join and participate in groups. I like the social networking, and I love researching what other designers are doing, or how to do something. What I don't like is how much time it takes to go through all my media outlets and wondering if it will pay off at some point. I do think that it is a good tool, I have really been able to "catch up" on design issues, new techniques, and other designers and their styles. As a startup company I need to get out there as much as I can, let others see what I can do, but my problem is finding a balance. Is there a good way to balance the networking with working? What are the best social media outlets for designers? I'd love to hear your opinion!!
