Social media is everywhere we turn. We have access to all of these wonderful tools that help us communicate and share ideas. So many companies and industries are adopting social media as a means to communicate and brand. But, managing these different aspects of our online lives can be extremely time-consuming, especially if we have lots of connections in many different social communities.

It could take all day to respond to everyone who leaves comments on your blogs and to leave comments for others, let alone tweeting about the cool things you find. And heaven help you if you let a day go by without checking Facebook.

But, who has all day to do this?

Effective social media management is quickly becoming a key skill and will help you to be more productive as the way we use the Internet to communicate develops.

Here are some simple steps you can take to manage your social media time more effectively:

Stick to Networks Relevant to You

This isn’t to say, don’t read anything else, but with so much information at your fingertips, it would be a good idea to prioritize material that will be most beneficial to you, and read other blogs and websites at your leisure later. Subscribe to networks and blogs via a RSS reader to keep them all together and easily within your reach.

Beware of Your Twittering

Is it really necessary to tweet every 10 minutes? Probably not. And is it necessary to always have Twitter open in your browser so you can refresh it every 30 seconds? Again, probably not, but many of us are guilty of doing it. A better way of using Twitter is to use an application like Tweetdeck or HootSuite and monitor specific keywords related to what you’re interested in. This means you don’t have to follow every single conversation AND it introduces you to new people who are talking about the same topic you’re interested in.

Literally Manage Your Social Networks

Sometimes you join a social network because it’s new or a friend asks you to join, only to never use it again. Then, when you sign up for an identity aggregator like Friend Feed, you remember and add it to the endless list of services you use. This, although satisfying to see lots of bright buttons from various networks in your feed, means you have to wade through further sign up forms and then read more information — taking up more of your precious time. Evaluate your networks and what you use daily. Focus on the few networks that make a difference to your online brand and engage with them more. Keeping up and making new contacts will be a piece of cake!

How do you manage your multiple social networks?