ASC articles

4 Social Media tools that improve an expatriation 8. January 2015Relocating abroad entails a mass of new experiences, ranging from the trivial to the exotic. In fact, so many that most are soon forgotten. Social media tools help you create and forge more and better relationships, give rise to opportunities, improve contact with network at home and cement memories.  

Do not let other people’s misuse, or any pre-conceived notions prejudice against these tools which are all about creating content that will give you, and your closest pleasure, both now and in the future.

While there are a myriad of services available, not to speak of ways to use them, here is a reminder about four of the best and most valuable tools available.

Flickr

Even if “a picture says more than a thousand words” is a cliché, there is little doubt about the power of a good image which instantly conjures up memories of a special day or experience. However, with digital and mobile cameras, it is all too easy to take a thousand pictures, and see the memories disappear into the mound.

By selecting a couple of the best shots from an event and uploading to a photo site like Flickr, you will create a manageable album where each photo brings back memories. The albums can be open for all to see, or completely private, for your eyes only. The associated mobile app allows you to take a spontaneous photo, tag and upload it to the site within seconds. Quick, easy and elegant. 

Flickr can also create a high quality photo book of your album. Imagine having: “Our foreign adventure in pictures” on your bookshelf for years to come!

Blog / journal 

The blog platform allows you record the big and small experiences, easily including video, photos and links. You can post from your computer, phone or tablet, and make it as accessible to others as you want. (For family blogs we tend to recommend high levels of privacy). While it is not necessary to write on a daily basis, doing so biweekly ensures that the small but exotic events are not forgotten.

A blog can easily be transformed into a book, annually or when the expatriation is at its end; thereby creating a book which will bring back memories for years to come. These books also make excellent Christmas gifts for grandparents.

ASC’s recommendations for blogging:

Blogger.com: For novices and those who want the simple solution
Wordpress.com: For advanced users who want complete control over every detail (even on your own domain)
Both have their own mobile app; and can be converted into books at: Blog2Print

Facebook

With its extensive use, Facebook is the easiest place to look up new contacts, send a private message or connect  through a “friend request”. With the stream of updates from the latter, it offers insight into who  your new contact is, and thus whether there is potential in the relationship. When posting (or not posting) it is important to remember that this is a two way street: it also gives your new friend a perspective on who you are. To build a best possible network in real life, it is useful to add new contacts on Facebook liberally, and not be afraid to delete them after a short time if they turn out to be a poor fit, or be of little value.

As “everyone” is on Facebook, it is easy to send private messages or arrange meetings or trips in closed groups. Are you not on Facebook, you become reliant on others to keep you in the loop through other channels, like e-mail or phone. This extra step may be all it takes for you to be forgotten when  an event is planned. All to say: make it easy to be remembered and included!

Generations of expatriates have experienced the old adage of “Out of sight, Out of mind”, and been forgotten both at work and with friends at home. Facebook updates and comments on friends' posts will keep you more “in sight” and thus, also more in friends' minds. Good updates also give your friends potential conversation starters for the next time you are home; far better than forcing them to ask the general: “so, how is it over there?”; a question to which it can be hard to find a good brief answer.

For sensible use of Facebook, carefully consider:

• How often you want to post an update
• Why you want to post it
• Whether all posts should go out to your full network (it is possible to create groups of contacts and filter who sees which updates)

LinkedIn

This is primarily a tool to help new contacts get to know you and your capabilities, without having to ask invasive questions.  A good LinkedIn profile is especially important when establishing yourself in a new location where you neither have a network nor reputation from before; and where status symbols and communications styles are different. Your LinkedIn profile can open doors and give credibility which would otherwise take a long time to establish through in-person meetings.

Please see our article on "How to make a great LinkedIn profile" for more on this topic.

It does not take more time..

Using social media tools effectively will help solve a lot of common challenges in an effective and durable fashion. However, it does require that one does not abuse the tools, by wasting the day on Facebook, posting about every little thing you do, [is that YouTube clip REALLY worth sharing?], uploading every photo you take, or by posting private and intimate details of your life for all and sundry to see.

With that said, the most important step is to get started! Choose a service today, register and try it out. You will not regret it!

LinkedIn
Facebook
Flickr
Blogger
Wordpress