OMG a workshop that was useful!

I am contemplating my future; it's a long contemplation. I like being a worker with children and teaching them things, but I don't actually want to teach; not full time, not in one school, not forever.

I'm enjoying the techie play work I do for Mr Angel Jem; the messing with websites, tweaking blogs and bits n bobs that I do for him and me. I'd like to find a job that lets me do these as well as being a tutor and learning mentor. And I needed a boost in my attitude. (That blog post has been taken down for a while; I'm a happy bunny again)

Today I went to a seminar on using social media to boost your business. And I really enjoyed it. Really. The variety of social and networking media available today is bewildering. Just look at this YouTube video to get a taste of how the total connectedness of life has changed;


Which one of those facts blew your mind? The fact that the number of users of Facebook would be the third largest population of the world if it were a country? Or that 93% of shopping decisions are influenced by social media? That includes YOU, bloggers of the world. We must influence each other; just look at Wool Warehouse's savvy deal with Attic 24. Would they offer Lucy a cut if there wasn't guaranteed profit from us crocheters buying the kits? Or have you ever knowingly or unknowingly bought an item because you saw it on another blog? I know I got two red dishes from Tesco years ago because I had seen them on a blog, and I know that I often wonder where bits n bobs in the background come from. We like to belong to our groups; identity matters.
That's where social media comes in very useful. We belong to groups, we see other's interests and likes on Facebook or Twitter, we find a 'gang' to belong to on Linkedin  or Google+ and we share information, pictures, hopes and ideas on Pinterest or Instagram or Youtube. I was pleasantly surprised how media savvy I actually am, and it occurred to me that that was, in a large part, because of blogs. I learned about Pinterest... from blogs. Instagram? A blogger mentioned it and I went to see. I understood when the lady talked about blogs as a free shop window due to the crafters I follow who must monetise their blogs.
And I learned about transferable skills from blogs. Because I had set up a blog (thanks, Blogger) setting up a website seemed like just another blog to do. Because I had to use a different blog feed (thanks, Google, for the loss of Reader; much mourned) I know about live feeds and networked blogs.
And I know that the tech I like will be something for me to pursue in the future. I want to teach others to be tech savvy. I want to teach the world to search, especially the people who protest that they are not able to ......... (insert need; go on Facebook, build a website, open an etsy account) and I'm thinking. Thinking hard, as well.

Comments

  1. It's great that you learnt so much almost by accident, just by doing something you enjoy. I wish I was more tech savvy, it's my weakest area my a mile! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the tech vs creative issue; I think because brains function in different ways so often a creative doesn't access the technical side because it's "like a foreign language" while a techie sees no point in making stuff you can create on Minecraft (looking at my son, there)
      But if you can read a crochet pattern, you can do techie stuff. Really.

      Delete
  2. It sounds like the seminar has given you lots to think about. There's no doubt that businesses have to be involved in social media these days, I'm glad that no one's relying on me to build a website though, I don't have a clue where technology's involved. I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, I'm sure I'd be spending far more time online that I already do if I was. It's unbelievable that more people own a mobile device than a toothbrush.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a month off social media in September just because I'd been spending too much time on it. It's easy to pass hours on the puter! But at least if I'm doing it for a reason (ie promotion of business) and I limit the time available (1 hour a day) it gives me a chance to do everything else I want as well.

      Delete
  3. Hello :) Found you via your Bloglovin follow (thank you).

    I totally get what you're saying, I love all the fiddly online stuff. You might like to take a look at fizzle.co . I was a member from the Beta stage, although I have left now, but I found it really useful. And there's Laura Roeder too, do you follow her, her content (blog/email list) is really useful sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the recommendations! I will go and look. I totally love (and never expected to count as one!!) being a geek!

      Delete
  4. How great that you realised that you know a lot more than you thought and that you realised how much you knew. xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. How wonderful to have found something you were interested in even more interesting!
    I like learning new stuff and if it's stuff you are interested in anyway then that's a bonus.
    You are quite right I have often bought things I've seen on blogs and we all like to share info about things we've bought which we think others would like.
    I'm thrilled for Lucy and her success, but have you seen the stick she's been having recently. And at such a tough time in her personal life, some people beggar belief.
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete
  6. The dotty reindeer was from Store 21, it was £1.99. Worth every penny I reckon!
    Lisa x

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by! I love reading your comments.

Popular posts from this blog

My Latest Trick...

Filofax; Spring Cleaning my set up

A Heads Up for next Thursday....