Using Social Media Effectively

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to learn to make better use of social media. While I love blogging and feel very much at home in the blogosphere, I haven't really mastered any of the various social media options. I have a bad habit of setting up a profile and connecting with others, then never doing anything else, leaving my profile to wither away and resemble a ghost town.

That's not because I don't want to do anything but, as an introvert, I find it difficult to feel comfortable on these sites. I end up analyzing the situation so much, worrying about whether I will have something relevant or worthwhile to post, that I wind up not posting anything. Along the same lines, I worry if I say too much I will get on people's nerves and they will think, "God, I wish she would shut up!" ;) I end up with the same result, not posting anything, and letting my profile turn to dust.

I want to break this pattern though, as it seems clear that social media can be a gold mine for writers if used effectively. I have seen writers do such amazing jobs of promoting their work, and it seems foolish to ignore these constantly evolving opportunities to not only promote our work, but also connect with other writers and build relationships, while also connecting with editors, agents, and publishers.

I guess one reason for this post is so that I can ask advice from those who are social media savvy. Which sites do you find the most effective and worthwhile to use? Which do you feel provide the best opportunities for networking with other writers? Do you have a favorite or least-favorite site?

Also, I have noticed that some bloggers have their blog posts shared on LinkedIn and Google+. Is this something that can be set up automatically, or do you just add posts into your feeds manually? I'm curious and haven't been able to figure this out. I admit I am pathetic, so take pity on me, please. :D

One last question, are you signed up on sites like Digg and StumbleUpon? If so, do you find those sites to be worthwhile? 

I do have profiles on several sites, and have connected with many great bloggers already. I am on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Goodreads.

Am I missing any? Are there any sites you recommend that I have not listed?

If anyone has any advice on how best to use these sites and, conversely, how not to use them, I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thank you in advance!

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend to all! :)

LinkedIn

Does anyone here use LinkedIn? I just set up a profile there this week, and would be interested to know others' experiences with it.

I haven't really done anything with it yet, as I filled out the profile and then got distracted for the rest of the week. I'd heard that there can be great opportunities for writers there though, so I thought it was worth a try. I admit that networking is not something I've ever been very good at, and in fact my natural inclination is to avoid it, so I'm not sure how comfortable I will be on the site. But since I had promised myself that I would take the "try anything" approach this year as far as writing goes, I decided to give it a shot.

If anyone reading this is on LinkedIn, please share. I'd love to connect there, get suggestions for using the site, or just hear about your experiences.