Myth #1: Social media is a total waste of time.

Not true! Social media is a partial waste of time. Of course you can lose track of your time while using social media, but there are many other ways you can use these networks to connect with people with your same interests and/or potential customers.

The benefit in building relationships and strengthening your connections with friends, colleagues, customers, potential customers and the people in your community is worth the investment. Also it’s a free medium to show off your expertise. You establish a following. Besides that, what’s wrong with a little diversion in your day anyway? Just budget your time, try to spend no more than 30 minutes a day. Most people check their networks in the morning, again around lunchtime, and then at night while they are watching “Wipe Out.” Speaking of a waste of time!

Myth #2: The relationships on social media are too shallow.

Maybe the interaction on social media isn’t the deepest stuff, people don’t always show their real selves and, then again, you don’t want to know some of the information a few people post. Like who needs constant updates about what ice cream place you’ve checked into. But, marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson says 68% of customers are ignored after the sale in business. How does that translate into people visiting your website, your blog or your business? Social media provides an easy-to-use channel for keeping in touch with the people you want to reach most, like those potential customers or those who are willing to give a valuable referral. It’s the new word-of-mouth!

It’s the fastest, most efficient way to share information. You find an article, blog post, or website that would interest your friends or followers and you’re a couple of clicks away from sharing something that may benefit them greatly.

Another benefit is the support you’ll get as you build relationships. Ask a question and you’ll get an answer – probably more than one. Ask for an opinion and boy, you’ll get tons. Ask for help and you’ll get that, too.

Myth #3: People who use social media are vain because they think that people really care about the minutest details of their lives.

They say people don’t care to hear about what you are eating. But people do care about what other people do and even what they eat. There are entire TV networks dedicated to food. For example, in France people can sit around for hours talking about food, books, and what’s the best way to insult tourists. Critics make it sound like you should only post about really important things and never talk about the trivial. But on social media, you are not expected to only post the important things you are doing. Talking about your day is just how you participate in these networks. It makes you sound human. You are human aren’t you?

Myth #4: I don’t have time for social media, I have more important things to do.

Really? What are you doing that is more important than staying connected with the other human beings in your life? What are you doing that’s taking all of your time and making you so antisocial? Please tell me it doesn’t involve hiding ammo underground! Don’t you have 10-20 minutes a day you could use to share with other people? Do you really have zippo spare time?

Myth #5: Social Media is too overwhelming and hard to learn.

Or could it be you don’t want to dedicate the time it takes to learn to use social media? I imagine when the phone was invented and first placed in offices, some people didn’t think they had time for it either. Someone probably said, “I don’t have time to pick up this contraption and talk into it every time it rings…I am too busy…I write with a feather pen for crying out loud!” You have time to add another vital form of communication to your work if it means more effective communications, don’t you? You have time if it means increasing sales, right?

Giselle Aguiar is a social media specialist and an Award-Winning Christian writer who’s been doing Internet Marketing since 1995.

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Adapted from 4 Myths People Want to Believe about Social Media from Pastor.com