“We are living in a time when attention is the new currency, those who insert themselves into as many channels as possible look set to capture the most value”. Pete Cashmore founder of mashable.com

Social media is like a marketplace of good and bad, what you make of it is totally dependent on you. Imagine social media as a gun; a gun in the hands of a soldier is for Peace and protection but a gun in the hand of a criminal is for the destruction of lives and properties. The problem is not the gun the problem is the person (user).

What you make of social media is completely in your hand, it can either make or mar you, it all depends on you.

I know people who for some reason or the other decide to stay off social media, and most times when you try to enquire into why they made such a decision, they tell you that they did so to avoid the negative aspects of social media.

You shouldn't forfeit the bliss and blessings of social media simply because of the negative aspect. Nobody will force the negativity down your throat; it's totally in your control to do as you please.

Before you write off social media, here are some reasons you might want to reconsider your decision.

Build an audience

Social media allows you to connect and communicate with people around the globe, and building an online audience can be of enormous benefit to your personal life and career.

When you connect with people on social media, you expose yourself to a river of opportunities that can have a significant impact on your life, business, and career.

Build a brand

“The most successful marketer becomes part of the lives of their followers, they follow back, they wish happy birthday, and they handle the problems their customers have with product or service. They grow their business and brands by involving themselves in their own communities.” - Marsha Collier, speaker, and Business author.

Social media allows you to build personal and business brand and provide the opportunity to market yourself and your product to people around the world. You build an audience of people who share in your ideology and belief by providing value and then go ahead to sell and market your product. The possibilities are endless.

Learn and acquire knowledge

There are a lot of great and valuable resources that Being social media allows you access to. some of which are actually free and readily available for use and consumption. You may also get access to timely information that can radically transform your life.

Truth is; there are a whole lot of reasons why you should be on social media. With social media you stay abreast with trending issues in the industry, and you are able to articulate industry direction and how to adequately equip yourself for possible changes by rightly aligning yourself.

Alright, I believe I've been able to convince and not confuse you that you need to be on social media and pick up advantage of it. What are you waiting for?