As with most tasks during the day there has to be a balance. I only devote 15-20 mins in the morning to online social media as I would waste too much precious design time otherwise.
Online promotion has just rocketed - it’s a necessary evil. I think there will be new job opportunities within companies in the future such as ‘social media executive’ or ‘online marketing manager’ as it is becoming a task that one person could devote themselves too on a daily basis.

Social media can be a resource for learning but at the same time it can cap new people from being creative. I see people everyday shooting down new ideas because it does not follow some rule. Many of the people spouting off these design rules just read it on another forum and feel they need to talk out the side of their neck. Sure there are some rules out there to follow, but there are way too many “experts” out there because of social media.

Social networking - Having wider social network expands your database of target customers and introduce your business to much larger audience. If you deal with any specialize area of business, in such instances also social networking would prove to be efficient.

Social media can definitely be a time waster, but like anything else with an addictive quality, define the time time you will devote to it and stick with that. I have checked my traffic stats to see which of the media is driving most of my readers. . . and it turns out that it’s not the one I spent the most time on! That helped me focus more on what produces results and avoid the “black hole” that my time was going into.

Great job at getting the community thinking, Charlie.

I really resonate with the commenter from Media 509.

“I see people everyday shooting down new ideas because it does not follow some rule.”

On the flipside, it can be productive, and constructive, if you find the right community, and stay in the right circles.

Dali

It seems hard to come across communities now that actually have interesting or relevant content. These social communities look like a revolving door of self promotion. I guess if you are promoting something that is worth looking at, then everyone gains. Still figuring out where I stand on all of this.

I am a graphic designer currently Mastering in Internet Marketing. I believe that Social Medial Marketing is the future for graphic designers who assist their clients with their marketing efforts. As the article stated above, with the current recessive state of the country, Internet Marketing is the cheapest and most effective way of advertising your company. It can also benefit your clients with their marketing efforts.

As with anything designers can’t get caught up in the personal end of Social Media. It is easy to become unfocused but the benefit of transparency your potential clients are able to see in you as a business owner as well as business is priceless. Most of my clients have come to be because they have seen a design I have done and because they feel comfortable with me either through word of mouth or what they have seen in my interactions on the net.

Social Media provides the opportunity for Graphic Designers to be recognized outside of their own local communities. I work in Indianapolis, In and due to my social media efforts I have clients as far away as Bermuda. If your clients are using social media platforms to interact with each other it can only benefit you, as a designer, to have a presence on those social media platforms as well.

Constructive. Social media can only help get your name out there.

@ Crystal, I totally agree with you. Social media helps us a lot.
It helps us to expand our areas. Also I think through this we can connect with each other.
In a short, i love to use social media.

Most of the good designers are too busy to update their own portfolio because they are working on others. Freelancers must make it a priority. Nothing like having to say - I’ve done a lot more, but I haven’t posted on the net.

Regarding branding - you have to do it. Umm, actually, I have to do it. Everything that I have is different - business cards, blog, website, signature in email - but I preach it to my clients all the time. Must do what I say, not what I do… Again, great blog post.

Social media will need to become more specialised or segmented (in a commercial sense) to really become of value. It’s over-used a marketing channel, which in itself will reduce it’s value as a useful communication tool. Too many people, too many tweets, too much time spent on it without real tangible results….

As a light-hearted ‘brand awareness’ vehicle, then yes, it might have some value, but as a dedicated marketing channel to drive creative work, less so. I think as it becomes even more popular than it is, it will become even harder to make yourself heard and gain any kind of differentiation.

I also agree with a comment made here regarding too much emphasis on ‘style’ in design these days and not enough on innovative content. We live in the technological age for sure, but it’s also the age of over-use and mediocrity in design in general.

Sorry, went off on a soapbox moment there!! Lol