Shane Rhyne

One of the features I wanted to include in the creation of this web site/blog was an opportunity to shine the spotlight on some interesting and (possibly) overlooked social networks online. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and several others are usually hogging all the headlines and news coverage, but I am always one to happily recommend looking for social networking sites that closely match your personal and professional interests. With the advent of sites like Ning where you can create your own free social networking site, there truly is the possibility of a niche community for everyone.

It means it’s also pretty easy to become overwhelmed with all the choices out there. That’s why I’m planning to spotlight a different social media/networking site each month on ye olde home page and with posts here on the blog.

This month I’m starting with a social networking site near and dear to my own professional and personal interests– the Knoxville Social Media Association.

The KSMA is an organization open to anyone working in social media professionally or personally. I was delighted to be asked to serve on the steering committee when the group was forming this year and look forward to opportunities to meet so many of the highly talented folks working in social media in the Knoxville area. It’s truly amazing to see the raw talent that can be assembled just by convening a social networking event for the KSMA.

If you live in the Knoxville area and see a significant role for social media in your future, you should give serious consideration to becoming a member of KSMA. You can find additional information about the organization on the Knoxville Social Media Association web site or the KSMA Twitter feed. Of course, feel free to send me a note (or friend me on the KSMA site) if you have any questions about the organization and its activities.