This story originally appeared on UPIU.com

Here is a quick list I put together of a variety of social media sites, resources and tools that every aspiring journalist should use.

[Social Networking]

Facebook
Do a little spring cleaning on your profile and make sure you update your privacy settings if you haven’t already. Here is a great article about all the privacy updates:
http://arstechnica.com/web/guides/2009/12/an-updated-guide-to-facebook-privacy-december-2009-edition.ars

Twitter
All aspiring journos should be using Twitter but if you are still skeptical about joining, check out this Mashable list of the 10 Most Extraordinary Twitter Updates. Once you've found the right people to follow, group them into lists to help keep things organized. Learn the Twitter etiquette before you start posting, but don't wait for another "#iranelection" to join the conversation. http://www.chrisbrogan.com/a-brief-and-informal-twitter-etiquette-guide/

LinkedIn
Whether you are a job seeker, entrepreneur or looking to build your personal brand, LinkedIn is an invaluable resource for connecting with professionals and collecting recommendations.
www.linkedin.com

Publish2
Amazing way for journos and news organizations to curate the web, collaborate on stories and publish or share via social media.
www.publish2.com

foursquare
Location-based social networking. Great for hyper-local reporting. Find new interesting places based on tagging, leave and read reviews. Foursquare may not have the same massiver following as Facebook or Twitter, but with nearly 1 million check-ins every day, it is certianly worth checking out. Looking for some more ideas on how you can use foursquare as a journalist? Check out this great post on Mashable, 7 ways journalists can use foursquare!

[Twitter Tools]

Tweetdeck (my personal favorite)
A stylish desktop application that allows you to manage multiple accounts and search keywords used in tweets. (some of my searches include @upi_top, upi, united press international, #oilspill, etc.)
www.tweetdeck.com

Hootsuite
Robust online twitter client that allows you to schedule tweets, track statistics, interface with social media sites, and keep up with your twitter lists.
www.hootsuite.com

Tweetreach
Detailed analytics for search terms. TweetReach generates a report with key metrics like reach and exposure.
www.tweetreach.com

Twunfollow
Get notification when someone unfollows you. Use with caution, especially if you have thin skin!
www.twunfollow.com

Twiangulate
A new tool that helps you make connections by analyzing three twitter accounts and monitor followers/friends/lists/etc.
www.twiangulate.com

[Resources, Sites and Blogs]

Mashable
The ultimate social media guide. A great blog to keep up with breaking news in the social media world as well as updates and analysis.
www.mashable.com

Muckrack
A compilation of every journalist on twitter. A handy feature on the right sidebar shows a list of trending topics within the journo community.
www.muckrack.com

Bit.ly
The best URL shortener around. Create an account and make sure you are logged in when you shrink a URL. This way you can keep track of your links and their performance. Tip: add a + sign to end of your bit.ly URL to see analytics.
http://bit.ly

BuzzFeed
Up-and-coming social bookmarking site has a great infographic with some advice on how to go viral when submitting your feature: www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/how-to-go-viral
www.buzzfeed.com

Thanks to @sreenet, the Dean of Students at Columbia's Journalism School, for compiling the original ultimate social media guide @ http://bit.ly/sreesoc

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