I often get asked what is the secret or shortcut to success on social media. My answer: If you have to ask, you are already going in the wrong direction. My background makes me feel as if I am fairly versed in social media but at the same time I know I have barely scratched the surface. My experiences include but (as anyone who has worked in the digital industry will tell you) are certainly not limited to:

• Being a high school journalist that developed a scholastic publication's online presence from scratch to a national contest winner
• Providing strategy and content management for as a national social media coordinator for a brand with 70+ retail locations
• Working as a media content producer serving four market-leading stations and contributing to a national team serving 30+ stations

Despite working directly in social media roles for over six years now I've yet to find the "secret" that everyone seems to be looking for. The reason? Social media is always evolving.

There are days when I find an industry article on a new platform, feature, or strategy and find myself spending the rest of the afternoon digging through websites for more information.

I've learned to be successful you need to not only master the latest trends but anticipate the upcoming ones. Every company, brand, and organization is digging into digital making the competition for rising to top increase at an exponential rate.

So I guess you could say the real secret to mastering social media isn't a shortcut at all. It's having a thirst for knowledge and knowing when to apply it in the most effective way.  http://gty.im/470487009