Maybe I grew up or morphed into someone else.  I can say my fellow high school classmates saw a new me at our twentieth class reunion.  I was more outgoing, hugged everyone, and was much more “out there” than I ever was back in school.  I think a major part of this is due to my profession and my persona on the Internet.

I developed this persona back in my ERP software days and have continued it now that I run my own Internet marketing company.  A few years ago someone who knew me through my blog approached me at a conference.  While this didn’t alarm me then, it does now.  Again, didn’t want to be the queen of high school, so why do I have this urge to be the bell of the Internet?  Technology.  I love it and cannot get enough of it.

I love technology so much that the idea of a popularity contest intrigues me and does not haunt me.  I even voted for @puremichigan and @shitmydadsays as the best social media campaign and funniest tweets.  So I have changed and I think for the better.  The Internet has blessed me in many ways and I think this very personal change is just an example of why I’m attached to my Mac and my wi-fi.

At first, the process was bug ridden and would not connect my profiles.  I am fairly savvy on the computer, so I knew this was not user error.  It was just a few bumps in a pretty elaborate launch.  I waited a day and returned with hopes of more status updates, tweets, and social musings than I could stand.  I was elated to find the bugs of launch resolved and my Linkedin and Twitter accounts are now tied together in one big social media love-fest.

My only problem is, well, me.  I start chatting on Twitter and sending my comments back and forth with other Twitter peeps, only to realize this is all hitting my Linkedin profile.  I received a Linkedin email from my buddy Norm that was commenting on one of my Twitter tweets.  Okay, maybe I need to tone down my tweets little, but the ability to share this content is fabulous.  I’m in social media heaven and the feature was just launched.

So take my warning fellow social media junkies, you need to think twice before you connect Twitter and Linkedin.  If you are job searching on Linkedin, but socializing on Twitter, think twice before you connect your virtual lives.

Now that this marriage has occurred, what could be next?  That would be Linkedin for your mobile device.  Ah, the world of social media just continues to get better all the time.

What does Social Search mean to you?

If you use Twitter for business, it means you’ve just had your world expand exponentially.  If you have few Twitter followers and struggle finding new Twitters to follow you, don’t despair.  Your tweets will soon be broadcasted to the world.

If you use Twitter for personal communication and you tweet about anything and everything, tweets beware.  Be a bit more careful about what you tweet, because like it or not, your tweets will reach more people than you may want.

As with anything in this Web 2.0 age, think before you type.

While some may dismiss this as just pure silliness, it is not. It is not only a very sad display of social media usage; it is a reminder that your personal activity on the Internet has repercussions. Sometimes, social media has very long-term repercussions.

Now add in the athletes’ recent problems with their tweets on Twitter and the many cases of authorities arresting MySpace and YouTube posters for their content and you will quickly see a trend emerging. Social media adoption is rising, although the knowledge and practice of social responsibility are not.

Hopefully, the multitude of recent mishaps on social media sites will resonate with the user community and the masses will take note. You may be logging into Facebook in the privacy of your own home, but your content and your postings are very much in the public domain and governed by the laws of United States.

I tried to access CNN’s website, but our Internet lines were jammed with activity and my screen stood in an abyss of grayness. I was completely cut off from the world or at least this is how I felt. I remember walking quickly to our corporate cafeteria in hopes CNN was on the tiny TV that seemed to always display nothing of value. Upon my arrival I was relived to see the TV on and I stood watching, trying to get a grasp of what was transpiring. I stood in disbelief and in awe of the brutality, the loss, and the despair. I had no idea the magnitude of the events would have on our country. No one did.

While I personally was without loss, I knew of someone who did lose a loved one that day. While I did not lose a friend, loved one, or my own life – I was touched and I was forever changed. The world I knew was different. It felt no longer safe. The existence I knew, no longer was a reality. It took me a long time to recover and to return to normal and I live far away from ground zero. I can’t imagine what the day brought for those within New York and the other sites of chaos.

Today I remember this day clearly and I remember the feeling of helplessness. I remember the feeling of being cut off and without the knowledge I so deeply craved. It made me wonder what that day would have been like had 9/11 occurred in today’s high tech world. Today when Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube are information giants that spread data feeds at the speed of light. Would we be better or worse off with this technology? Would our Blackberries and text messages help or hinder us?

I wonder if real news would stream from these sites quickly or would panic erupt inside an electronic cloud of misinformation and self-induced chaos. I don’t have a good answer for it. I suspect we would see positives and negatives from our new obsession with social media. And while I welcome the positive aspects of life confirmations, snippets of hope, and stories of survival, I also dread the idea of those Internet lurkers and cave dwellers who might have used social media to exploit others with their own twisted versions of reality.

For the first time I am fearful of social media and what it brings to society. And why I am momentarily concerned for the future of this medium, I am also thankful for the country in which I live, the people that united in post 9/11 efforts, and the nation that became stronger and safer than it was in years past.

For all of those who lost their lives in 9/11 and for all of those who lost someone, you are remembered.

I am not only a Michigan girl; I was raised in a very small northern Michigan town that financially existed off of tourism. The survival of my little town of roughly 2,000 people is based on the cottage rentals, canoe trips, and bar tabs of summer vacationers. In recent years I’ve watched many of these businesses close as tourism flattened in the harsh local economy. It has broken my heart. No matter how different I find myself now, these people and this town are my home and my roots.

This summer I watched Michigan push back. Instead of trying to spend oodles of budget funds on high-end advertising, the state diversified and used the Internet to extend their marketing dollars. Personally, I think they exceeded. I found myself reconsidering an out of state vacation for a local vacation up north. I considered the long-term strength of my vacationing dollars and the difference it would have on the local economy within Michigan. I stopped to think and I did so often. In reality, I thought each time a Pure Michigan ad campaign came across my Facebook page or my email’s inbox.

I applaud the State of Michigan and the marketing team that put together this social media campaign. While my approval means little in relationship to the national recognition they have already received, I am local and it is my tax dollars that have been used to fund this campaign. I know not every Michigander will approve, I do not care because this Michigander does approve. As an Internet marketing professional, I know the value of social media and I believe Michigan has done a great job of executing their social media campaign and using their marketing dollars wisely.

This last week brought yet another acquisition announcement in the land of social media. The MySpace folks announced their intent to couple up with iLike. No one has to wonder about who will be wearing the pants in this relationship. Am I surprised? Not really. MySpace had to do something. Facebook just announced an acquisition and MySpace has to keep up. But can MySpace really keep up with Facebook and Twitter? Or the business-focused social media giant LinkedIn? My personal belief is no. Facebook is light years ahead of MySpace and MySpace’s attempt at cutting edge social networking will still leave them at the back of the pack.

The good news for MySpace and the other social networking websites is that many of us Internet junkies are, in fact, addicted to social networking and everything fun and hooky these social media websites can deliver. While I personally do not play Mafia Wars or send out birthday requests, I start my day with Facebook and Twitter. MySpace – not so much. But others do and there are plenty of us out there to keep the four big boys churning and bringing in revenue. Which does make me happy, because if I didn’t have my morning Facebook, what would I do while I drank my coffee?

“Since I first tried FriendFeed, I’ve admired their team for creating such a simple and elegant service for people to share information,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. “As this shows, our culture continues to make Facebook a place where the best engineers come to build things quickly that lots of people will use.”

FriendFeed is based in Mountain View, Calif. and has 12 employees. FriendFeed.com will continue to operate normally for the time being as the teams determine the longer term plans for the product.  Financial terms of the acquisition were not released.

This acquisition can only help catapult Facebook further into upper ranks of the web by further solidifying its position and further extending its technology.

While this last week put strain on the social media giants, it was a blessing in disguise for us Internet marketing consultants. As the world reacted to the momentary lose of Facebook and Twitter functions, the world realized just how important these websites have become over the last year. These social media sites have become mainstream and are an integral part of our daily lives. They are no longer just something your tech-savvy teenager talks about. They are now part of your integrated marketing plan and a vital part of your ongoing communication efforts.

Take note of the uprising and know this is just the beginning. The online world is shifting and the world of social networking and social media is shifting right along with it.

Does this mean you should forget Twitter?  Absolutely not!  Twitter is growing by leaps and bounds.  It can significantly help ranking of keywords and overall Internet marketing efforts.  While not everyone is on the bandwagon, many are and this number is growing daily.  As an Internet marketing consultant I am frequently amazed and also pleased at the growth of this website.

And as I read this article today, it reminded me of a question my mother-in-law asked last night.  She really did and I’m not just making this up to help my blog entry.  In general conversation she asked “What is Twitter and why do I care?”  I provided her with an answer that was long, but targeted towards her.  I will spare you all from reviewing this entire discussion.  What I did do is teach her how Twitter can apply to her life and information she may care about on a day to day basis.

While I can’t promise my mother-in-law or anyone else will be joining Twitter today, I can tell you she is asking about social networking sites more often and is getting much more interested in this area of Internet usage.  And while this is more because she doesn’t want to miss out on anything, it shows she – the general public – is listening to the growing roar of the tweets.

Check out www.hootsuite.com for Twitter assistance and consolidation of accounts.

Twitter does have capacity issues and frequent error messages, but this Web 2.0 tool is powerful. In seconds a person or company can connect will hundreds of other people that would be virtually impossible to reach via normal communication channels. From celebrities to future customers, Twitter offers an endless opportunity to share your marketing message and watch that of your competition.

Social networking (making friends and business associates through the Internet) is not science, but it is a skill. Your tweets need to be readable and either entertaining or informative. They need to draw interest. Your profile needs to grab attention. While this can easily be done by a great profile picture, cool name, or spiffy background – you need something. When you combine it all together, you get a socially cool Twitter profile that is interesting and includes tweets worth following.

Follow me on Twitter @websavvymrkting.