CRACKING ONLINE

Today we became YouTube sensations. 

Kind of.

Well not really.

Ok so we were online for all of ten seconds. 

But still, every little helps, as Chris Wheal taught us in this morning's online lesson.

With a smart phone by your side, there's nothing you can't achieve online, as Chris kindly demonstrated, filming us all gazing at him in wonder, if a little confusion. A portable charger is soon to become my closest companion.

Already addicted to Instagram, I eagerly nodded as Chris asked us which social media platforms we were on, ranking them in popularity. But as the list went on, and on, and on, I realised that there is a whole cyber world out there just waiting for me to be a part of.

So, Chris' greatest tip?

• Make yourself Google-able. That is, more Google-able than other people.

That's how people will find you. And that's how people will inevitably start to get to know you. Online that is. Over a virtual cup of tea every morning, or a gin and tonic in the evening, whenever you choose to release your regular posts.

The internet moves fast. So fast in fact that there is no real point in even trying to keep up.

But, as Chris talked on about internet spiders and HTML codes, and I slowly drifted off, one point did really resonate with me.

Online, anyone can write whatever they want. They can write absolute rubbish, angry rants, ridiculously commentary or works of genius.

You have to be different.

You have to stand out.

If you can figure out how to do that, well, then you'll be laughing all the way to the physio, as you clasp your RSI-ridden hand to your chest.

I didn't say there wouldn't be sacrifices.

Illustration: IzzyAshton @ You'reSoVain