Much like the late comedian George Carlin, Gene Petrov wanted “a place for my stuff.” For Petrov, that locale was online.

“I found my place on social media and you can too,” he said.

Petrov taught himself social media and marketing. Now he runs his namesake Gene Petrov Leadership and Marketing Consulting. With his corporate, military and retail background, Petrov aspires to show others how to follow his path.

Everyone can have a place — or presence — on the expansive internet. How you live there determines how you are known around the block.

“My place is the overlap where I find comfort, purpose, connectivity, identity, community, conversations, fun, topics to gather around and a place to build relationships,” Petrov said. “It’s an alignment of all these values. It’s an online presence incorporating social media sites.”

Everyone can have his or her own place on social media.

“Personally or professionally, there’s room,” Petrov said. “This may seem a bit simple, but I think this gets lost in business pursuits.

“Not every interaction has to push people further down a funnel,” he said. “Form relationships for the joy of that relationship. No strings attached.”

Act now

There is no time like the present to stake out a place on social media. The more time you waste thinking about it, the farther behind you’ll fall.

“If you haven’t already, please start now,” Petrov said. “Don’t confuse a place with simply having a profile.

“Are you actively engaged in conversations, discussions, learning and teaching?” he asked. “Do you feel genuine connections happening? Are you supporting and giving into a community?”

Twitter chats are great places to establish yourself on social media. You have instant bunches of contacts and interactions. There are also Facebook groups.

“I may be preaching to the choir, but Twitter chats are an amazing way to establish a place,” Petrov said. “My social media efforts just weren’t working until I started finding chats like Madalyn Sklar’s #TwitterSmarter a year ago.

“The same thing happens on other sites,” he said. “I’ve found groups on Facebook to be a terrific place for learning and connecting. The caveat is that everybody has to be a giver and not just a taker. If you go into the group with your sales pitch, you’ve got the wrong mindset.”

Petrov also appreciates connecting with people from all walks of life.

“Even if they are considered to be a big star, you can still have a chance to talk to them,” he said.

Relax and engage

Having a social media place isn’t mandatory. It’s a good locale to kick back and have a good time. You can come for visits, but if you want to sit a spell, online is a nice place to place yourself.

“Start building that presence and establishing that credibility — whatever your field,” Petrov said. “It can be a safety net for unexpected misfortune.

“Even better, it can be an incredible advantage when striking out on your own,” he said. “Having great relationships is a huge difference maker.”

Like any home search, take your time and look around. You might not find a social media place that suits you right away. You also might be inclined to be a nomad, and that’s fine, too.

“Start with comfort,” Petrov said. “Personally, I am a fan of the written word. I’m more inclined to reading and writing over anything else. That is why Twitter became a mainstay for me. I felt comfortable with the format. I’m not much of a photographer, so Instagram doesn’t make sense.

“Community is a topic I cover a lot, and it’s worth it,” he said. “You can’t find your place if you don’t find a spot where people are gathered for mutual support and encouragement. Find people who are welcoming, polite, generous and willing to share their knowledge.”

There is also entertainment value.

“The last element — fun — began to click for me when I found Twitter chats and started attending and engaging in them,” Petrov said. “Other ways to have fun: Humor can be a great way to connect with people and find that place. Showing your personality and your values is another.”

Watch for potholes

There are classic mistakes to avoid when trying to find your place on social media. If you came to drum up business and close sales, it was nice knowing you.

“First, I knew nothing about social media,” Petrov said. “I only had a personal Facebook profile that I honestly didn’t use that much. So, I struggled to find my place. There was a lot of aimless wandering and trying every social platform. I wasted time and money on ads.

“I made every mistake in the book because I didn’t know this fundamental principle: I needed to take the time to build relationships,” he said. “I had no social currency to establish my place. No one cares about my message or my brand if I don’t have a connection.”

Petrov also proved the old adage, haste makes waste.

“I simply did not do the research,” he said. “I was in a rush to start a business.

“I knew I could help people, and I sincerely wanted to serve,” he said. “However, I didn’t take the time to put together a well-formulated strategy. I didn’t have the focus to execute without a plan.”

Part of the search for finding the place for your stuff is avoiding bad fits. On social media, if you’re not sure what’s not your place, others will tell you. Rather, they’ll let the crickets speak for them.

Value proposition

“Answering these questions is helpful,” Petrov said. “What do you stand for? What are your values? What are your traits and characteristics? What are your interests? What do you want to be known for? What is your end goal?

“I can tell you exactly what I am not about: Politics. Negativity. Anger. Drama. Smut,” he said. “I have nothing to do with these. I am here for a purpose — building a business — and these things definitely do not align. My place is full of positivity and people helping people.”

Twitter — and specifically Twitter chats — are good places to get used to talking with people. You’ll get similar satisfaction if you’re likewise chatty on Facebook and other sites.

“Twitter provides a great base to reach out from,” Petrov said. “Your place isn’t limited to one social media site. I found that as I became more involved — more engaged — I deepened relationships. We started to connect organically on other sites.

“The first place that started happening for me was LinkedIn,” he said. “This was a natural fit for me as I had a presence there — albeit not huge — and my personality and purpose of building a business and brand aligned perfectly.”

Global expansion

From LinkedIn, Petrov branched out.

“Next came Facebook and Instagram,” he said. “I have a small footprint on these platforms, but people were actively reaching out to me because I had spent so much time establishing my presence on Twitter.

“I am in no rush to expand too quickly,” Petrov said. “As a solopreneur and full-time dad, there is only so much I can do. Patience is key. Also, I have to learn and respect the nuances of each platform. That takes time, but I am learning. Research is important.”

On top of everything, you are the centerpiece of your place. If you simply be yourself, you’ll hardly ever have to redecorate. Petrov likes the ambiance of service.

“Whatever your place is, please realize that you are there to serve the people who congregate around you,” he said. “Be hospitable. Take the time to forge the relationships. You are building an audience of fans, and now you have a responsibility to them.”

He also puts a premium on authenticity.

“Don’t sell people a false version of yourself to make a quick buck,” Petrov said. “You can certainly have a rich presence online and on social by showing personality, character, family life, side hobbies and interests, but bring people back to the core.”

Positive experience

A negative place is not good for your stuff.

“People are naturally attracted to positive people,” Petrov said. “Strive to be warm. You might be reaching out to somebody for help, or someone is reaching out you. We all need a hand up sometimes. Don’t forget. Don’t get too big.”

A final word of advice when Petrov was asked about trying a new social media platform:

“I’m not an early adopter, but I’ve been hearing a lot about Vero,” he said. “I am solidly in the camp of — I have about as many social platforms as I can handle right now.”