Lately, Ive been wondering quite a bit about the prevalence of social media in today’s world—and not just as an avenue for “socializing,” as the name suggests, but as a business tool, an advertising venue, and as a way to develop and grow your own individual branding. Since Ive been actively engaged in many forms of social media for quite a while—through Facebook, LinkedIn, blogging, and to a lesser extent, Twitter—Ive started to question its impact, its use, and its viability.

So, to that end, Ive decided to embark on a non-scientific study of sorts on social media. Beginning now and spanning the course of the next year, I’ll be embarking on a journey of social media exploration. Instead of just going about the business of posting, tweeting, and blogging as Ive been doing, I’m going to spend about an hour a day, (probably more on weekends and less during the week, since I do have a full-time job) engaging in social media and gauging the impact, if any, on my personal and business life.

While I consider myself ahead of the game in many respects when it comes to social media, there’s still so much I don’t know about how to best utilize it. There’s still so much I don’t understand about its effects over the short- and long-term. That’s what I’m going to attempt to uncover. That’s what I’m going to explore and periodically report on over the next 12 months. I’d appreciate any comments, insights, or thoughts you have on the subject. Come join me for a yearlong social media expedition.  Let’s see what we discover!

–Sheri Staak