Tag Archives: social media

social networks, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Teen Social Media Lifestyles and Outcomes

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social mediaSocial media is the malt shop of the 50’s, the drive-in movies of the 60’s and 70’s, the mall of the 80’s and 90’s. Today it’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, SnapChat and Vine. Kids aren’t tethered to physical hangouts any longer. They can gather, communicate and share their life experiences on social media. This makes it easier to make friends and expand your circle, but it is a double-edged sword. It’s not just your friends that see what you say and do, it’s anyone with a computer or smartphone and an internet connection.

A new study from Kaplan has found that 31% of college admission officers check social media to see if an applicant would make a good fit at their educational institution. That number is up by 5% from last year.

Here are four teenage archetypes, their social media lifestyles, and how social media might affect their college admissions chances:

The Garbage in-Garbage Out Teen

She posts every single thought that comes into her head. The picture she paints in social media with her posts, tweets, videos and photos isn’t a true picture is not very appealing. She posts tacky photos, uses foul language, and blasts anyone and everyone who dares to challenge her. It’s not a pretty picture and certainly not one that would be appealing to colleges.

Why? Take the high school student, for example, that posted on her Twitter account that the info session at a particular college was lame and used the college’s hashtag when doing it. She was probably just trying to be cute and post a comment that would get a response from her followers. But guess what? It came back to bite her—ADMISSION DENIED!

The Teen Braggart

This guy loves to bloviate. He brags about his conquests, his love life, his hook ups and just about every other thing he does in high school. He’s full of himself and everyone knows it. Nobody believes anything he says and everyone ignores most of what he posts. This can translate into a “hot air” admissions applicant.

Why? Colleges are looking for students with substance and credibility. They check social media to verify what’s submitted in an application. If this guy follows his pattern, his application will be as much bull as his posts and colleges will catch him in lie after lie. The results—ADMISSION DENIED!

The Teen Seeking Popularity

This teen wants more than anything to be popular. She posts pictures all kinds of questionable behavior. She comments on other posts and pictures just to boost her popularity. She counts the number of likes her photos receive on Instagram and tweets get retweeted on Twitter. She’ll find the most outrageous thinks to upload to Instagram and her YouTube videos are an effort to gain popularity among her peer group. This might pose a problem when applying to college?

Why? Colleges want to know the “real” you, not someone you think people want you to be. This type of behavior tends to conflict with a student who is pursuing academic excellence. Wrong picture = ADMISSION DENIED!

The College-Bound Teen

This guy has it together. He knows that what he posts in social media is a direct reflection on his character and his goals and aspirations. He knows that if he wants to paint an accurate picture, his posts should line up with his resume. If he talks about volunteering in the summer, he knows that he should post pictures on Instagram of that activity. If he discusses his strong commitment to academics, he knows that he shouldn’t tweet about hating school. He respects authority and communicates that in social media. Colleges look favorably on this type of student.

Why? A student who demonstrates strong character and has consistent image in social media shows colleges that he is the real deal. The result—ADMITTED!

As social media continues to be a platform students use for communication, colleges will turn to it more and more for additional information about the applicants.

Ready Wendy’s post: Making Social Media Work for You

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Tonight’s #CampusChat at 9PM ET addresses social media and how it affects the college application process. Join me (@suzanneshaffer) and Wendy (@pocsmomhttp) as we host our monthly #WednesdaysParent with guest Alan Katzman of Social Assurity (@socialassurity), a company founded to help parents and teens evaluate and correct their social media presence before applying to college.

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

parenting, social networks

Using Twitter Chats for College Prep

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twitter chatsTwitter chats offer a goldmine of information for parents. Any question you need answered or advice you need to hear related to college prep and higher education can be answered in a Twitter chat. College admissions officers, financial aid officers, college counselors, parents, parent advocates and college experts congregate in Twitter chats.

For those of you who are novices to Twitter chats and hashtracking, I’m going to answer your basic questions and offer some guidance. If you have additional questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.

What’s a Twitter Chat?

A Twitter chat is a group of like-minded people gathering on a specific time to chat on Twitter. It’s just like a chat room, without the room. Tweets to one another are recognized by using a hashtag (#beforethename) that indicates you are participating in the chat. Others will be able to easily see your tweets by using the specific hashtag.

Most Twitter chats have moderators and guests that answer basic questions. You are encouraged to participate by asking your own questions and offering any advice you might have on the topic.

How do I participate?

Simply use the hashtag (#twitterchat) and read those who use the same tag. You can tweet to them, retweet their tweets and participate in the conversation.

What tools do I need to participate?

You can use any Twitter program to follow the tweets. Some suggestions are Hootsuite, TweetChat, and TweetDeck. All you need to do is do a search for the specific hashtag and follow the thread.

Can you recommend some chats that would be helpful?

Following is a list of chats that will help college-bound parents navigate the college prep process:

  • #CampusChat 9PM ET weekly on Wednesdays
  • #CollegeChat 9PM ET weekly on Tuesdays
  • #CollegeCash 8PM ET weekly on Thursdays
  • #EdChat 7PM ET on Tuesdays

If you have any others you would recommend, please add them in a comment.

 

social networks, Sponsored posts

How social media can impact youth in the future

 

social mediaSocial media is a virtual community or network where people communicate, create and share ideas and information, and interact in many other ways. As the popularity and use of social media grows, the world has witnessed its impact not only on social life, but also in business. Increasingly, internet users are spending more time on social media sites than on other websites.

The development of many types of mobile devices with browsing capabilities has further contributed to the overall time spent on social media. Social media has massive advantages, such as:

  1. It allows interaction between people who would never have interacted or encountered each other.
  2. It gives people the opportunity to give opinions and receive opinions from a wide array of sources.
  3. Social media has made event organization easier; since all one needs to do is post the details of the event and all friends will see.
  4. Businesses are employing social media marketing to boost sales and maximize profits.
  5. People use social media to network and find jobs.
  6. Social media is useful in shaping people’s opinion.
  7. Social media is fun.

Although social media has many benefits, there are certain disadvantages associated with it. Research has shown that in addition to providing privacy issues and affecting personal relationships, it can have a negative impact on higher education enrollment success as well as future job prospectus.

Impact of Social Media on Job Prospectus

It is very important for high school and college students to be aware that the information they share on social media may negatively affect their future. A survey of American young adults revealed that 29% of them believe that a comment, certain personal information and photo they have posted may compromise their current and future career prospectus.

Today, a very large percentage of employers are using social media as an integral part of screening all prospective employees. According to research findings, about 13% of employers turned down candidates who lied about their experience and qualifications, 11% rejected candidates based on inappropriate comments, photos or negative comments about a previous employer, while about 10% rejected candidates who posted content or photos of them using drugs.

According to the Huffington Post, an MP turned down an application from a student, based on a foul mouthed tweet the student had posted. The digital footprint one leaves behind can tell a lot about a person, so everyone, and in particular students, should take care of what they put out there.

Impact of Social Media on University and College Enrollment

High school students should realize that it is an offense to engage in any behavior or activity, including social media activity, which brings the university into shame or disgrace. College and university admissions professionals may use an applicant’s social media content in order to gauge the applicant’s social authority, personality and ability to influence others negatively.

Social media has reached near saturation levels, and students are sharing nearly all aspects of their lives. High school students are using social media to interact, seek information about colleges, and communicate with the outside world. This reliance on social media has a direct impact on admission, with websites such as Facebook, Campus Buddy, and College Prowler being increasingly used.

It is therefore important for high school and college students to learn about the basic social media privacy settings and to protect themselves from negative perceptions. Before posting any photograph, making a negative comment or posting any other negative content, students should realize that anything on the public domain could have an impact on their future. Students should take precaution by deleting any past negative posts, photos or comments. Another solution would be to close their existing accounts and to open new ones.

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Author Bio

Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes the importance of online awareness and aims to encourage further study with a masters in organizational development.

 

social networks, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent–Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

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social media

Social media—it’s become a part of our lives. Watch any television show and you will see Twitter hashtags attached to them. Students are using Twitter as an online hangout and Instagram to post their photos. Parents have joined the fray be embracing Facebook and Pinterest.  It looks like social media is here to stay. As a parent, you should know about the good, the bad, and the ugly of social media.

The Good

Who hasn’t found a long lost friend on Facebook? Or connected with other parents on Twitter? Or used LinkedIn to network with potential employers? Social media has its benefits. It’s a simple way to communicate with one another using technology and social media platforms. It’s no wonder that its popularity has increased over the last decade.

The Bad

There are those who wish to abuse the availability of information. They cyber stalk you; post negative comments and rants on your social media accounts; and harass you on Twitter. When this happens, the negative aspect of readily available information rears its head. You’ve been punked. Not to mention the fact that everything you post is there for the world to see, because Google never forgets. Pictures, comments and tweets go out into cyberspace to be read and evaluated long after you ever posted them. That means that colleges, potential employers, and anyone doing research on you will have access.

The Ugly

All kinds of predators hang out on social media. From crooks, to sexual deviates, to bullies and even jilted spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends. They use social media to gather information about you, steal from you, and even perpetrate fraud against you. They can defame your name and turn others against you, all with a few keystrokes.

How do you protect yourself and your child? Know about privacy settings and online security. Research each site’s privacy settings and use them to your advantage. Protect your financial information, your personal information, and your reputation by doing a Google search and setting up an alert for your name. Your child now lives in a world where information is readily available using technology at their fingertips. Protect them in cyberspace just as you do in real life.

Read Wendy’s (POCSMom) post: Social Media Makeover

 

mom approved tips, parenting, social networks

Mom-Approved Tips: Is your teen on Twitter?

 

teens on twitterIs your teen on Twitter? Are you on Twitter? You should be. Twitter is not only a great resource for college prep, but it’s also the go-to social hangout for your teenager. They also air their thoughts and frustrations there. It’s amazing how teens find it to be a place to vent, especially about the pressure they feel from their parents about the college prep process. Are you surprised? I know I was.

Twitter has overtaken Facebook as the social media network that is most important to teens, according to Piper Jaffray’s semi-annual teen market research report. Twitter is the new king of teens, with 26 percent naming it as their “most important” social site. Only 23 percent said Facebook was most important, down from a high of 42 percent.

The Social Media Explorer points out:

Teens are increasingly turning to Twitter to follow artists and pop culture icons, take part in (or create) memes and trends, and express their innermost thoughts. More and more, teens are also using Twitter as a way to escape their parents’ prying eyes, as parents are far more likely to have a Facebook account than Twitter; it seems many parents don’t realize that their kids are even tweeting, and kids are keeping their accounts private, away from their parents and sometimes also from those who might bully them online. Twitter also allows for anonymity, so teens can take on new (or multiple) personalities, and further isolate themselves from parents or unwanted peers.

According to Pew, teen use of digital media is growing overall; 80% of teens use online social networks. An interesting Pew statistic which may have led to the #GetAustin2Philly trending topic is that more than 2x the number of girls use Twitter: 22% of girls vs. 10% of boys. For teenagers, Twitter is an outlet for fandom, gossip, and chatter; get @mentioned by a celebrity or teen idol and your popularity is sure to rise. Twitter is now a digital autograph book.

Today’s Mom addresses the issue:

Escape from parental monitoring isn’t the only thing driving teens to Twitter. When celebrities adopted the micro-blogging platform kids followed. One can only hope all of Justin Bieber’s 17 million+ followers are all teenagers. Eminem has 8 million (including my privacy-seeking son), Katy Perry 14 million, and Taylor Swift nearly 11 million. The same Pew survey found that most teens are happy using Twitter for benign purposes like following their favorite artists, exploring adolescent angst, and passing along immature humor. If only all kids could be as good as yours and mine.

Kids can be mean, in real life and online

Electronic communication offers a distance that can embolden mean kids. “No one is safe from this new approach to bullying,” says Dawn Spragg, a Licensed Counselor  working with teens and their families in Bentonville, Arkansas, where three high school students were issued citations in Juvenile Court recently for publishing nasty tweets about classmates in a virtual “slam book” on Twitter. Spragg says that the anonymity of online aliases allows kids to bully without having to “back it up” like the bullies of decades past.

Electric PR Media reports:

In an effort to find privacy, teenagers are turning to Twitter as an alternate to Facebook. And although everyone wants to be where their friends are, privacy and a place away from parents is part of the genetic code of any teenager.

Enter Twitter.

Twitter, in comparison to Facebook, offers many appealing features which are just beginning to be appreciated by teenagers. Twitter allows you to have multiple accounts should you chose to do so. Your account name can be a pseudonym, one only your friends know. Your account can also be set to private, allowing you to select your followers. In turn, you chose who you want to follow without seeing their followers, eliminating the social pressure of following friends of friends which can often be the case on Facebook.

In addition to privacy and selectivity, Twitter relies on the use of acronyms and abbreviations (now we’re talking) to send your message in under 140 characters, the equivalent of a text message, but to a circle of friends. It’s a teenager’s dream: Privacy, selectivity and brevity! Does this sound like the parameters of a conversation you’ve had lately with a teenager?

What’s a parent to do?

Your teen is seeking privacy on Twitter…too bad. In 2011, one million children were harassed, threatened, or subjected to cyberbullying in social media. Of these children, only 10% of parents were aware of it. 55% of teens gave out personal information to someone they didn’t know. And only 34% of parents say they regularly check their child’s social network sites.

Unfortunately, unchecked use of social media can lead to hours of lost sleep for teens (yes, teens admit to sleeping with their smartphones and even texting in their sleep), privacy undermined, rumors being spread, school and social life being directly affected by online activity, and worse yet … becoming a victim or perpetrator of cyberbullying.

Teens absolutely need our help and guidance when it comes to online activity, especially in the Twitterverse of anonymity. But how do you help? One mother drew up an iPhone contract when she presented her son with a new phone.

Here are some of the 18 rules (you can read the rest at Huffington Post):

  1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?
  2. I will always know the password.
  3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or “Dad”. Not ever.
  4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30am. If you would not make a call to someone’s land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
  5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It’s a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
  6. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
  7. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
  8. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.

Every parent handles this differently but it goes without saying that hiding your head in the sand and staying technologically challenged can only lead to future problems with your teens and social media. Just as you had to learn parenting skills, take the time to learn about social media platforms and how they work. Your teen may scoff about having their privacy invaded, but that’s what parents do–we parent.

social networks, Sponsored posts

Social media careers

 

social media careersThe world of marketing has evolved with the rise of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Many companies today are seeking their customers’ attention with pictures, articles, videos, tweets and anything else that will drive comments and make a following. And you know what this means, don’t you? They are looking for someone who has the knowledge and ability to create online buzz and jump into the world of social media careers.

An increasing number of job seekers are turning their blogging skills or experience making Facebook fan pages into new careers in social media. Having a background in journalism, copywriting, computer technology or online marketing is usually a plus in landing Web 2.0 jobs. Pay rates are now all over the place in these emerging careers, but big payment is already to be found, with full-time jobs that range from $40,000 to six figures.

Some social media experts said that the rule of thumb is that you get paid in social media for what you have done or invested in the past. A fresh college graduate can make 25 grand as social media marketer, but if you already have a job related to marketing that pays you a minimum of 85 grand per year, your employer might move your tasks over to social media marketing and keep that amount.  A lot of ad agencies today that offer social media help to big companies are hiring. But, the majority of the jobs in social media are still freelance rather than full-time. Hourly rates for a freelancer can be high–about 200 bucks per hour or more.  The lowest pay rate anybody is charged for work related to social media marketing is about 50 bucks an hour.

Let’s take a look at some of the emerging careers in social media and the skills required.

Social Media/Digital Strategist

Strategists develop and maintain comprehensive social media strategies that define how social media marketing techniques will be applied to boost visibility and traffic across all products and brands. They also lead the development of the company’s social media management policies, standards and rule of engagement for social media. Social media strategists also define key performance indicators and implement enterprise level analytics, measurement and reporting methods to measure success. This job requires a BA/BS degree from an accredited university or college and 3-5 years of experience in public relations, marketing, communications and advertising.

Online Community Manager

Community managers manage and update company forums and blogs and forums, keeping visitors coming to the site through creating a buzz on social network, and moderating conversation to ensure nothing insulting or libelous is being said. This job calls for marketing experience as well as work in social media and project management, copywriting, and web publishing.

Blogger

Posting short articles/blogs with links to related websites has become a popular strategy for boosting a website’s ranking in search engines. Pay rates for professional or experienced bloggers working in companies range from $35 to $75 per hour. Many bloggers have experience in journalism, but others who break into the field have their own personal blogs and use them to apply for corporate blogging jobs.

Search Engine Marketing Manager/Specialist

Responsible for determining search engine marketing business opportunities based on industry date/trends, competitive research and key performance metrics of current marketing campaigns. Other responsibilities may include creating search engine volume and efficiency forecasts, running tests (landing pages, ad copy, keyword bids) to boost key metrics (convert, search, click), making recommendations on keyword choices, and managing relationship with SEM partners. The right candidate will have at least seven years of marketing experience, applied analytics sensibility with strong ability to make profitable decisions based on factual information and entrepreneurial spirit.

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Author Bio

Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he describes career opportunities surrounding social media and aims to encourage further study with a KSU Public Relations Degree.

social networks, Uncategorized

Mom-Approved Tips: Keeping Social Media Clean and Safe

 

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teen social mediaSocial media—it’s a quandary. On the one hand it has become an excellent tool to communicate with family, friends and networking with businesses. On the other hand, it leaves a footprint of everything you do, share or say. Teens are especially vulnerable as they begin to think about college. And as their lives progress, the quantity and the quality of that footprint will affect future job prospects.

Are you friends with your teen on Facebook?

It may sound invasive but it’s a parenting effort that is becoming more and more popular. According to a recent survey, 46% of parents are friends with their kids on Facebook. Why would you do that? It allows you to monitor their friendships, see what they are talking about, and protect their privacy. One mother only allows her son to be friends with his “real life” friends. Whatever you decide about the boundaries, make them clear from the start. Explain to your teens why it’s necessary and remind them that just as you protect them in the world, it’s your responsibility to protect them online.

Does your teen understand “forever”?

Google never forgets. And I mean NEVER. Explain to your kids that whatever they post now will be in cyberspace forever. Even if they delete their pages or pictures, copies might still be accessible by search engines or from others who have saved copies to their computers.

Just the other day, I was looking at a job application for my husband and the company posted this in the ad. Think companies won’t care if you posted questionable content in the past? Think again:

In addition to other background checks the Company or its designees may perform, I also authorize the Company to research information publicly available on the internet, including without limitation social networking sites and blogs, for purposes of evaluating, in the Company’s discretion, my suitability for employment, promotion, retention, and/or reassignment. I recognize that the Company has legitimate business interests in reviewing this information that is available to the public, either now or in the future, and I have no expectation of privacy with respect to such information.

Is their social media “grandparent friendly”?

This is a no-brainer. Just ask them to ask themselves if their grandmother would approve of what they post. Most kids wouldn’t want to disappoint their grandparents. Parents maybe. Grandparents—never.

Who are they friends with?

Keep a close eye on who your teen has on their friend list. Are they people you know? If not, ask them who they are. Remind them to NEVER accept any friend request from someone they don’t know. You never know what an unknown friend will do with your posts or photos.

Have you set the privacy settings?

Facebook recently rolled out a graphing feature that can potentially be misused and abused, especially with children. If you haven’t heard of it, you can see what it does in this article: Facebook graph search gets personal. Your teens are at risk for all kinds of picture mining and it just underscores the fact that information is out there (especially pictures) and you need to safeguard your kids.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your kids

The Online Mom is always my go-to resource for all things tech related that affects our children. On her site, they address the concern about privacy settings:

Understand your site’s privacy policies, and check out the safety tools they make available to parents, if any. Many sites prohibit children under 13. Don’t give your children permission to use these sites: those restrictions are there for a reason. (By the way, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires sites to get your permission before they collect, use, or share any information about your child. If a site lets your child register without notifying you, they’re violating a federal law.)

If you aren’t social media familiar, you best get cracking. Your teens are. They tweet. They post. They post upload photos to Instagram. They interact with everyone using social media tools. The tools are great for connecting but they can also be abused. As parents it’s our responsibility to stay on top of their activity.

Years ago, there was a public service announcement at 10pm every night (curfew time) and it said, “Do you know where your children are?” Parents have the same problem but the parameters are different. I’m asking you the same question, “Do you know where your children are (which sites your kids are active on and who they are talking to)?”

 

admissions, infographics, social networks

Google Never Forgets

Anyone who follows me knows that I’m a big proponent of a “clean appearance” online. Colleges and employers are already eyeing your social media presence and it’s important for your student to put as much effort into “keeping clean” as preparing their college application. Why. ? Because Google never forgets.

Here are some statistics on who is looking for your data:
  • 81% of millennials Google or Facebook their date before going out
  • 79% of recuiters and hiring managers screen applicants by information available online
  • 86% of hiring managers have rejected someone based on information available online
  • 7 in 10 internet users search online for information about others

This infographic shows how your college-bound teen’s digital footprint can affect their future.

The Google Yourself Challenge
From: BackgroundCheck.org

infographics, parenting, social networks

Using Facebook to “spy” on your kids

How about it parents? Do you use Facebook to “spy” on your kids? Or do you like to think of it as “helping them protect their personal brand”? Whatever the reason, you’re not in the minority. Check out this cool infographic and see where you fit in; and DON’T share this with your teen!

Parents on Facebook
Courtesy of: OnlineSchools.com

social networks

10 Ways my Twitter followers have made me 1000 times more blessed

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This past weekend, I surpassed the 10,000 mark in Twitter followers. For me, that’s a milestone. It wasn’t much more than a year ago that I started my Twitter journey, hoping to leverage its influence when deciding to create my Parents Countdown to College Toolkit. It was fairly new in social media circles and quite honestly, many were skeptical it could be an effective marketing tool.

10,000 followers later I would have to say that Twitter has far exceeded my expectations. Not only has it been an effective marketing tool, but it has put me in contact with other college experts; and thus allowing me to exceed my original purpose and plan for using this social media tool. Say what you want about Facebook; Twitter has opened more doors for me than I could have ever imagined.

Here are 10 ways my Twitter followers have made me 1000 times more blessed:

  1. I have been able to tap into a vast resource of parents. These parents have made me realize that we all share the same journey that is oftentimes frustration but always rewarding. I’ve been able to draw from their expertise, learn from their experiences, and use all of that to make my blog and my parent college coaching more effective and timely.
  2. I have connected with 1000’s of experts in the college arena. I have talked with admissions counselors, college students, college counselors and financial aid advisers. I have gathered all their information and expertise to create a vast network of advice for parents as they navigate the college maze with their teens.
  3. I have made friends who have enriched my life. These friends are in all different areas: college experts, test prep experts, breast cancer survivors, parents, tech experts, and even Manilow fans. They have given me all sorts of encouragement and support.
  4. I have established business connections. These connections have given me credibility and an opportunity to fine tune my expertise. They have also been valuable mentors and coaches regarding my business and its positive progress.
  5. I have had oodles of fun. Yes oodles. I’ve attended chats and laughed as we joked with one another. I’ve had back and forth conversations with other parents and enjoyed learning about their families and their lives.
  6. I have stayed up to date on the latest news and controversial topics. Twitter has been a valuable tool to catch up on the news and be the first to know when news breaks: the crash in the Hudson, the Casey Anthony trial, the capture of Bin Laden and the shootings at Ft. Hood just to name a few.
  7. I have tapped into the best training in social media. This valuable advice has helped me improve my social media presence and keep current on the latest social media tips and tricks. Following people like @chrisbrogan, @marismith, @joelcomm, @barefoot_exec and @mashable have given me a vast wealth of social media tools to expand my online presence.
  8. I have been able to exchange guest posts. Being on Twitter puts me in touch with other experts in my field and enables me to exchange guest posts, thus expanding my internet presence and providing my readers with valuable content.
  9. I have been inspired. It goes without saying that there is a wealth of valuable inspiration on Twitter from parents, life coaches, and even parenting experts. They have inspired me to be productive and encouraged me to pursue my passion.
  10. I have learned more SAT vocabulary words than I care to mention. With followers like @elizabethonline @akilbello and @sheldonwordnerd you can’t help but pick up on those great vocabulary words that everyone needs to improve their communication skills.

Thanks to all my 10,000+ followers for enriching my life and expanding my reach beyond my small little south Texas world. I will never take you for granted AND if there is EVER anything I can do to help promote you and/or your business just shoot me an email or DM me on Twitter. I’m all about paying it forward!

Special thanks to @GreekforMe for suggesting the topic of this blog!