10 Reasons Why Social Media Isn't All Bad

You don't have to take my word for it. There are PLENTY of opinions out there on social media, mostly negative.

It's all about oversharing, not being able to control your personal info, and how it's turning us all into zombies who can't go five minutes without refreshing their screens.

But whoa! I'm here to say that you're entirely overlooking some of the amazing benefits of social media which are just waiting for you to discover them.

Here are 10 reasons why social media isn’t all bad:

1. Finding a job

A lot of people just aren't getting hired these days. Talk about a stressful time.

But we live in a world where companies are increasingly working with social networking sites, like LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as through Twitter mentions and blog posts (like this one) to find the right candidate for their jobs.

These are all great ways to meet new employers and get your name out there.

If you're looking for job recommendations though, stick with the trusted old-timers like personal recommendations or letters of recommendation from former employers.

2. Great for friendships

I know that a lot of people are worried about what happens to the real world when you have an Internet that's full of cyber-friends.

But you can still make and maintain honest and lasting friendships with the right network of people on the Internet.

With sites like Twitter, Facebook, and even BranchOut, it's much more likely to find someone who shares your interests.

The other nice thing is that there are no geographic boundaries here.

You're not stuck with only your neighbors or co-workers when meeting someone online.

3. Online dating

All of the same points from above apply to online dating.

If you're shy and don't want to go out, there are a number of sites that allow you to meet someone who shares your interests.

You can even get recommendations for places like restaurants or clubs from other web users giving you more opportunities to meet people of your choosing.

You can also find out when that cute guy or girl will be at a certain store or movie so you have time to plan an intricate surprise visit.

4. Access to all kinds of information

If you didn't have a computer or internet access, the world would be a much more boring place.

We'd have no social media sites, no video sharing sites like YouTube, and no online news sources.

You can get to all of this from your computer, handheld device or smartphone and it's available to people who don't have the money for all that technology.

You can even learn about other cultures, countries, and languages through social media channels.

5. Marketing yourself with videos

Videos are an excellent way to market yourself in a way that people want to see.

If you're applying for a job, create a video explaining what you're good at and why you think the company would be a perfect fit.

If you want to market your business, making a video can help spread the word about your business across the web faster and more virally.

6. Saving money

This is not just for online shopping sites.

You can also save on shipping costs by ordering items directly through social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.

While it's not completely free, it's still much cheaper than buying something with an actual TV commercial or news show advertising it.

Then there are all of the apps that let you track purchases and savings in real-time so you always know where you stand with money.

7. Education

No matter how old you are, you can always find information on social media sites that can help guide you to the information you need.

You probably already know this, but there's a wealth of great videos and articles out there to help you learn about anything from cooking to decorating your house.

You don't even have to wade through countless hours of network TV just to learn a little bit about something like repair work on your car.

8. Supporting a cause

Social media has also made it much easier for people to spread their message about support for a certain cause or charity.

Whether you want to raise money for a friend's cancer treatment or rally local businesses in your area to help a family whose home was destroyed, you can easily get the word out with many kinds of social media channels.

Social media makes it easier than ever to connect with people who love the same things you do.

9. It's easy to use

If you're still nervous about posting your location, or getting stalked by creepy people on the Internet, don't fret.

There are plenty of ways that you can keep yourself safe and discreet online.

With any kind of social media channel, there are options for looking at posts that only include certain friends or groups of people.

There are even options that give you the control of telling your posts have gone "private" on the site so only mentioned people can see them.

You can even choose to mute everyone on Facebook so no one can see anything you post.

10. It's fun to share your life

I know some people who are still afraid of uploading a profile picture because they're worried about privacy.

Yes, it is possible for someone to track you down by your photos and contact information, but that's about as likely as getting hit by lightning or winning the lottery.

The more we're out there sharing our lives, the more opportunities for great things to happen that you'll surely want to share with everyone you know.

Finally

If you want to connect with people, share your experience and views about things, market yourself or a product, or find out about something that interests you or your family members (or anything else) then social media is the perfect place.

The more we use it and let our friends know about it, the better these channels will get. So go out there and start sharing.