Estate Planning

The Importance of Utilizing Social Media

By Hull & Hull LLP

Without understanding what the term 'social media' is, it can sound intimidating to those in our industry who are not computer literate. But what is social media? Wikipedia defines social media as 'media which are formed mainly by the public as a group, in a social way, rather than media produced by journalists, editors and media conglomerates." In an article, composed by Gary Edgar of LawPro, he defines social media as anyone looking to engage, connect and network with others online.

Gary Edgar does point out that one thing social media is not, is a fad.   Social Media is fundamentally changing the ways we interact and communicate with others and it will be interesting to see how this form of media continues to evolve. 

Social networks can be used to learn, exchange ideas and collaborate on projects. I have participated in numerous forums where I have learned how to troubleshoot many problems that I may have encountered with my automobile and computer, moreover, I have also learned neat little tips on some home renovations.  Social Media can also be used as a form of marketing. As Gary Edgar points out in his article, 15-20 years ago, the options for self promotion were limited to newspaper ads, the yellow pages, a radio or TV. Now with the concept of social media, our options have multiplied and the costs for self promotion have been drastically reduced.

However, the social media world is not the flawless paradise that we all would like it to be. There have been instances of online imposters, questions as to how much of my real life persona should I share online, how many people are seeing the things I post and who owns the information that is placed online?  These are all very important questions that will become clearer as this form of media continues to evolve.

Until next time,

Rick Bickhram

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on December 30, 2009 (boomark / email).