Summer is in full swing, and everyone's full of energy and enthusiasm. We're outside in the sun, starting new projects and spending lots of social time with friends. 

On the economic front, however, we're continuing to hear bad news.  If you're a business owner or are looking to change careers, you may be feeling apprehensive, and understandably so.  But getting involved in social media may be a good choice for you in either scenario.  If you're a business owner, social media marketing is a terrific, low-budget way to increase your connection to your customers and get your name out.  If you're looking to change careers, you will probably want to establish credibility in the new area before making the leap.  Using social media – by writing your own blog or connecting with people using Facebook and Twitter – is a great way to do that.

So, how should you get started in social media (or further your presence there, if you're already participating)? 

Here are some tips: 

1. If you haven't started yet, start small.  Pick one tool (blogging, Facebook, Twitter, podcasting, video sharing) and do that.  Choose the one that looks interesting to you, and get started.  Don't try to everything at once – that's the quickest way to  get overwhelmed AND have a confused, incoherent social media presence.

2. If you've already started, think about how you might be able to delve in a little deeper with the tool(s) you're already using.  If you've got a blog, can you expand your content?  Perhaps post a little bit more often?  Or can you participate in the public conversation on your topic by commenting on other blogger's posts?  If you're on Twitter already, can you connect with more people?  HINT:  Writing content-rich, interesting tweets AND replying to other people's tweets are the best way to do that.

By building (or expanding)  your social media presence slowly and thoughtfully, you can avoid feeling burnt-out or overburdened. Enjoy the connections that you make along the way, too – make sure you're focusing on the "social" part of social media.  You can connect with people, listen to them, and have fun with it. 

For more advice on getting started with Twitter, check out Mashable's excellent Beginner's Guide to Twitter.