2011 seemed like the year that Social Media became all the rage. Sure it was popular before, but it was more among the younger users and the techies.

In 2011 not only did Grandma get a Facebook page, but she got a Twitter handle as well. Your Great Aunt Josephina signed up for Klout and her 50 year high school reunion had a Facebook Fan page. (She’s pretty old)

Beyond that, Social took over media. Every commercial, billboard, magazine ad, online journal, and mobile application included social marketing and social sharing. It went from a rapidly emerging trend to just being “The Trend.” Only this one isn’t going away.

Face it, people like Social Media (Duh) . It is fast, it is fun, and it allows us to connect to a world of people that wouldn’t normally be accessible to us.

While all of this is great, Social Media can also be a major time suck. If you aren’t careful you can spend an immense amount of time trying to stay up to date on the plethora of platforms.

If Social Media is your job then that is great, but if Social is an extension of your business and/or personal brand then this time commitment can be a major problem. Especially since measuring your return on investment (ROI), return on time investment (ROTI), and return on relationship (ROR), can be nearly impossible. (I’m sure some will want to debate this)

So moving forward let’s assume sitting on Twitter isn’t your job, and creating a Google+ page isn’t paying the bills either; rather these are simply ways in which you promote your service/brand/ideas/product.

2012 needs to be the year where we all increase our Social IQ by incorporating Social Balance.

If Social Media is one platform that we use, then we must find ways to be as efficient and effective as possible with our time online.

While this is different for everyone, here is what it means for me.

In 2012 I will…

Treat Social Media the same way as I treat email, voice, and video communication.

This means…

I will prioritize where time is spent based on importance. I will respond first to things that most directly impact my business and later to things that are less immediate. Just like email I will set aside time during the day to read and respond, however I will be more focused on letting my schedule dictate my actions rather than letting the influx of communications overwhelm my priorities.

While all of this seems simple, it is very easy to be distracted by your Facebook mentions, Twitter Replies, and LinkedIn Updates. In 2012, this will be part of the plan, but it will not control my time.

For me, 2012 will be the year that Social Media finds balance for me…

How will you increase your Social IQ in 2012?