Social Media is a wonderful thing. The Internet is making the world a much smaller place and allowing us to connect with like minded people from literally all over the world. Last week I Skyped with someone in Paris, chatted with a friend in Argentina, and planned a Wii party with a buddy in Chicago – people would have scoffed at the idea a few years ago.

But as wide a net as can be cast through the use of Social Media and blogging, we still often find that our communities are not as big as they seem. We look to meet a wide range of people but somehow, we still end up developing small cliques and social groups  – and while there’s nothing wrong with this, when you settle in and become overly content with one specific group, you’re closing you’re mind to a whole word of learning possibilities and potential.

Here are a few ways you can extend your reach and broaden your Social Media horizons.

Follow people back on Twitter

There is a debate on this – and many people will tell you that it’s stupid to follow everyone back on Twitter. I agree that EVERYONE is excessive, and that you should use some judgement, but I’ve never understood those people who close themselves off – they may follow 50 people and have 10,000 followers. You may look cool, but those 10,000 people, or at least some of them, might be extremely valuable friends and connections. Throw your pride out the window and start following some people back. Conversation needs two to tango.

Read blogs outside of your realm of expertise

I write a lot about personal/professional growth and philosophy, and while it’s always important to follow blogs that fit into your niche, it’s equally important to open yourself up to other topics. Read sports blogs, articles about cooking, traveling, and PR. Expand your horizons and open yourself to new ideas. A blog or book about something entirely out of your realm of knowledge can serve as a huge inspiration to writing within your niche.

Make friends with your friends friends

If you’ve established a solid relationship with someone online, take some time to browse around their network of friends and connections. Odds are, if you really like one person, you’ll appreciate the crowd they associate with. Using your friends as referral sources to forge new friendships is one of the most fool-proof ways to extend your reach. If you’re not comfortable with reaching out on your own, ask your friend to provide an e-introduction to the person you want to connect with.

This is only the tip of the iceberg – but if you only take one thing away, it’s that you should never become overly content with ONE group of friends – real growth starts happening when you start new letting people (and their ideas) in.

Matt Cheuvront is the mastermind behind Life Without Pants. Take the next step by saying hello on Twitter and subscribing to his blog today!

Tags: community, Matt Cheuvront, relationships, Social Media, the right way