Over the last month or so, I’ve been sharing some of my favorite short cuts for managing social media and online life in general. These are shortcuts that work for me.

But know that you’ll likely create your own shortcuts that work for you and make no sense to anyone else. Don’t be afraid to try stuff out and seek out new tools. The more you explore and learn the ins and out, ups and downs of social media and web 2.0, the better you’ll be about deciding what makes sense for you.

Trying stuff is the best part about social media. Sometimes I cringe when there’s a new tool on everyone’s lips, wondering how I’m going to find the time to manage one. more. thing.

But that’s my job! To try it out and figure it out and decide if it’s worth integrating into my work (and my classes) or not. Ultimately, it’s not a chore, but a new challenge.

For example, Foursquare might drive you  bonkers. Just writing it off as “stupid” or  a “waste of time” sounds an awful lot like laggard-speak. And you don’t want to be a laggard! More importantly, though, you’re not doing your job as a communications professional if you don’t check it out and make an informed decision. I happen to think Foursquare is pretty fun. And it turns out, it has been valuable for clients, too. But my initial reaction was, “ugh…”

My favorite Web 2.0 exploring site is Go2Web20.net. It’s a directory of Web 2.0 applications that, I swear, I could spend hours perusing. Some apps are weird. Others are entertaining and some are downright useful.

The bottom line, however, is to explore! Have fun! Now get out of here. I’d love to hear what you find.

image by kevindooley