Social media has gotten a bad reputation in the media when it comes to things like self-esteem and confidence. When you rely on social media for networking and other work purposes, you must put time in there to accomplish your goals. One side benefit of Facebook is increasing your self-esteem. This benefit can be twofold when you are using it professional purposes.
The Study
In 2011, the media started to show a lot of Internet-related bullying cases and this led to many people forming the opinion that social media could be a bad thing. However, a study that was conducted at Cornell University says otherwise.
“Unlike a mirror, which reminds us of who we really are and may have a negative effect on self-esteem if that image does match with our ideal, Facebook can show a positive version of ourselves,” said associate professor Jeffrey Hancock. “We’re not saying that it’s a deceptive version of self, but it’s a positive one.”
Of course, like most things, social media is best in small doses. When you spend countless hours on the site, you are more likely to see the negatives over the positives.
Help for Small Business Owners
When you are a small business owner, you have to have a social media presence. Sites like Facebook are how many people learn about businesses and new products. However, how much time is necessary? For a self-esteem boost or to gain more confidence in your business, an hour a day is enough. This gives you enough time to see what people are saying about your business and to post a status update.
When you are using the social media site for networking purposes, you may need to spend a little more time on the site. You want to be able to follow the right people and get involved in conversations. This helps people get to know who you are and helps you to meet new people with similar ideals. For example, if you are an author, you want to meet other authors. There will be times where you need to get in contact with other writers to get information on new opportunities, to find people willing to read your new book and to get new ideas for future writing endeavors.
A moderate amount of social media can not only improve your self-esteem, but it can help small business owners to increase their overall business confidence too. Knowing how much of an impact Facebook can have, it’s easy to see why some people buy Facebook likes and Facebook fans to help boost their accounts in Canada. It’s also a great way to get a head start on a new account.
