Social networking for a different generation

At the OSU Creativity Retreat I participated in Wednesday and Thursday, I got into a wonderful conversation about social networking. I was the only student - every other person was either a professor, department head, dean of a college, etc. Most of them are not into Facebook, Twitter, blogging or any of the like. One lady, not knowing my keen interest in social networking and how it affects different generations, mentioned she recently joined Facebook, but is sad because nobody is adding her as a friend. Another lady said she just added Facebook, but is afraid to add friends because she doesn't want her identity stolen. They had never heard of Twitter and didn't read or publish a blog. One woman did have a Linked In account. I don't ... should I?

I was very excited to explain to these people about the direction communication and marketing has taken. I explained the importance of protecting your information and being careful who you add as your friend. I explained where the privacy settings are located and how to control them. I also explained the wonders of Twitter and told them the name of my blog. They thought it was quite creative, haha.

These academically-minded people were thrilled to hear about social networking and social media as a new innovation. I shared with them how Monsanto, IBM, Boone Pickens and numerous other individuals and companies are using these new tools to help expand their business and contact a new target audience - virtually for free! Yes, these companies must hire someone to use the tools, but the tools are free.

I'm glad more people are beginning to embrace all this new, fun stuff. Maybe they can include some parts in the classes they teach. Wouldn't it be interesting to require a hotel and restaurant administration major to have a blog about what they're learning in class? Or for a child and family services major to write about problems they'd like to change once they have a job? Anything would be interesting to me!

I've shared Twitter with a lot of people recently, but none of them have created an account. I must revamp my elevator pitch of this cool toy! Perhaps I should become more Twitter-savvy myself.

Now, if only I could get my dad to learn how to turn on a computer and check his e-mail ...

Just google it.

Q: What's the capital of Oregon?
How many inches are in a mile?
Is Duke part of the ACC?
Is Buffalo Wild Wings open until 2 in the morning?

A: Just google it!

I love the English language. I love how Google, a popular search engine, can be changed from a noun to a verb. I love "googling" obscure facts and whipping out my new Blackberry to quickly put out the fires of a fierce living room debate over the population of Tulsa vs. Oklahoma City.

These are all great things to google, but have you ever googled yourself? You might want to make sure your presence on the web is clean, powerful and positive. Of course, if your name is John Smith, that might be a little hard to control. My name is a little more unique than that, so I can find articles I've written, awards I've won, my contact information and even a couple photos of myself.

I googled myself today, and it was neat to go back and read old articles I've written and compare myself to the other Emily Kilian's of the world. One Emily Kilian is in a symphony. Another graduated from kindergarten last year.

Employers often google you or try to find you on a social network like Facebook or MySpace. Sometimes Facebook/MySpace profiles even come up in a Google search. My little sister created a profile on WAYN (Where Are You Now) in 2005. It still pops up when you google her name, and she hasn't even logged into her WAYN account for three years.

Again, I can't stress the importance of creating a positive image of yourself, even on the web. Having clean fingernails and good shoes may not be enough if Google finds something unsatisfying about you. It's a whole new world, Preppie. Get used to it.

Oklahoma Weather

You wouldn't believe the weather here in Oklahoma right now! It's been raining so much! Last night when we left Eskimo Joe's, we had to wade through ankle-deep water to jump in a car. The water was rushing through the streets here in Stillwater. They are only predicting more rain to come.

Because of this, kickoff for the OSU game vs. Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 13 has been moved from 6:05 to 12:05. They are concerned Hurricane Ike will drop almost nine inches of water in this area. I hope we can get through the game without getting wet!

Seeing how OSU is getting word out on the change in kickoff has been interesting. They sent e-mails to all students, faculty and staff. It was announced on ESPN's Sportscenter. But, the announcement also spread like wildfire through Facebook. This is where social networking comes into play. I received a few group invitations about the time change, as well as a couple mass messages. Three years ago, when I was a freshman, I doubt Facebook would've been used to spread news like that. Times are changing, and we better stay up-to-date!

I heard someone say e-mail is quickly becoming an uncool thing of the past. Spreading news through Facebook and other networking sites is the future (and the present!). I encourage you to set up an account on Facebook and find friends in your network. It may even keep you from getting poured on when you try to attend a football game at the wrong time!

A New Beginning

As a communications student at Oklahoma State University, I have been told over and over about social networking and the importance of Web 2.0. Sadly, I have not learned any of this knowledge from a class or a professor. My knowledge has come from real-world experience. At an internship this summer, I learned all about Twitter, RSS Readers, Linked In, podcasting and blogging. This was all great information, but I didn't do anything with it.

Now I have another internship, and I attended a seminar yesterday about social networking. Some of the information I learned was a review from the summer, but I also learned about Second Life. It is interesting to me that businesses talk about the importance of social networking, but it is not mentioned in my classes. I will enter the workforce as a "real adult" in May. Thank goodness my internship experiences have taught me how people are recruiting for the real world!

Remember to keep your social networking tools professional and clean. They represent you and are nearly permanent. Whatever is on your site could be public knowledge. Check privacy settings to maintain who can and cannot view your information.

This semester, I hope to develop my social networking skills and help my friends and family wade through the deep waters of Web 2.0. I'll keep everyone up-to-date on my life, my internships and my new knowledge. After all, aren't we all in college to gain knowledge?