Just a few months ago I was introduced to the crazy and influential blogosphere, and now, here I am, making my blogging debut. Although I once considered myself a social media expert (coming of age in the time of facebook, myspace and aim) I have since been humbled by the plethora of social media tools. Pre-BG, I thought blogs were nothing more than someone’s online diary, and I had never even heard of twitter, del.icio.us, digg or StumbleUpon. Now I spend my evenings compunicating with my roommate via aim, facebook, twitter, and digsby while we surf the web for a great new blog post or an interesting tweet. It is the most fun I’ve ever had “researching.”

I wanted to address two good questions my fellow BG’s had posed at our social media meeting and offer possible solutions I have come across:

First, many of you have wondered how one would have time to manage all this social media. Meet Digsby. This great site manages all your email accounts, your aim, g-chat, facebook, myspace and twitter all at the same time and alerts you with updates by a small pop-up at the bottom of your screen. It is nothing short of amazing.

Second, while most people got how twitter might be beneficial for their clients, some wondered how their own personal twittering could really benefit them. A truly proud moment for me was when one of the San Diego bloggers I secured coverage with for Seaport started following me on twitter. I am now getting the opportunity to build a personal relationship with her, while also learning about her interests. Could you ask for anything more?

I still have tons to learn about the complex world of social media and welcome any and all insights. I am hoping that by taking this next step and becoming an official blogger, I will expand my knowledge. The insight I gain can only make me more effective in the blogs I pitch and the relationships I build.