Blogger, LinkedIn and Myspace all launched in 2003. We’re almost a decade into using social media and yet one of the most striking realities when I give in-person social media trainings is the wide variety of experience of the nonprofits in the room. Some nonprofits are just getting started and perceive social media as cutting edge online communications and fundraising – while others have been using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr for years and increasingly verbalize that they are getting a little bored and waiting for the Next Big Thing to come along. The spectrum of expertise and passion for social media swings wide.

Personally, most days I love social media and its ability to foster social good and create online buzz – and the tool sets of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. change often enough to keep it interesting and there’s no shortage of new tools to study and experiment with. However, there are some days when I want nothing more than to escape from my computer and long for the days when I could relax offline and actually read a book. I struggle with burn out and the only sure fix is going on vacation without a computer, tablet, or smartphone. I am also a bit anxious for the Next Big Thing. I am waiting for the mobile breakthrough that will finally activate the nonprofit sector to convert their Web 1.0 (website, e-newsletter, Donate Now campaigns) and Web 2.0 (blogs and social networking sites) campaigns into mobile format. To witness the nonprofit sector pioneer the Social Web and then completely fall behind on the Mobile Web is frustrating.

So, where are you at in the spectrum of social media experience? Are you bored and ready for the Next Big Thing or just getting started? Are you wanting to do more, but finding it difficult to add social media to an already packed job description? Are you getting paid for this work yet!?! Are you laying a foundation for mobile success? Are you burnt out on social networking or still freshly in love, or somewhere in between? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 🙂