The jury may still be out about
which social networking method is the best, but it is not out about whether
social networking is here to stay. It is. Luckily, social networking has
evolved. What used to be for musicians then for self-absorbed teenagers has
become available for all.
People, companies, and causes use
social networking via social media channels to keep in touch, influence buying
decisions, and gain support.
As a lifelong social butterfly, I
love social networking as a way to interact with even more people than I ever
imagined. My favorites are Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter, but there are many
other methods utilized by very successful people in a variety of fields.
There are so many social media
sites to choose from, it can be confusing. The photographic description of
popular social media channels shows each one as it relates to donuts.
Social networking has evolved
further than the donut analogy shows.
It is becoming passé to use
social networking to talk about oneself all the time. I love Facebook because I
like to know what my friends and long-lost chums are up to, not because I need
them to know all about me. On Linked In, I like being connected with experts
from a variety of fields because it makes me resourceful. As for Twitter, I
like knowing what others are eager to share.
My view of social media is more like the chart on the
right, which is less about me and more about others. After all, they are much
more interesting!
Social should mean two-way
communication; however, advertising traditionalists used to one-way
self-promotion are still learning how to capitalize on the interactive
opportunities in today’s social networking.
A terrific example of the current
use of social networking was exhibited by CNBC, the cable business news
television channel. On Tuesday evenings, CNBC shows reruns of another channel’s
popular business show, Shark Tank. After two episodes of Shark Tank, CNBC airs
one of its own shows, The Profit. I am a big fan of both shows and, as some of
you know, I tweet about them on Tuesday nights.
Two weeks ago, CNBC sent me a direct message via Twitter
saying they wanted to thank me with a gift for watching The Profit. Since they had just aired an episode about a
candy store and had a bakery episode coming up, I sent my work address right
away.
A week later, a pie arrived! The
package contained a key lime pie, show t-shirt, and thank you note.
It was yummy! Several of our
colleagues enjoyed a slice of pie sent to thank me just for doing what I liked
doing anyway. I call that winning, don’t you?
If you want to use social
networking well, consider the following tips:
- Be selective. Each has different pros/cons, so use only the media you like best.
- Be genuine. This is the most important piece of advice I have for all participants. Phoniness is a turnoff.
- Interact. This is the second most important advice. Follow others and comment on their posts. One-way communication is out-of-date.
- Be useful. People are more interested in a recipe for success than in what you had for lunch.
- Be humble. Posting only accomplishments will be as annoying as those braggadocios holiday letters.
You might have been turned off by
social networking, but it’s not your teenager’s network any more. Maybe you got
sick of people posting pics of every meal on Facebook, or of every move their
kids make, but it’s not used like that by most people any more. Now, you can
great groups to include or exclude people who still post that way. Maybe you
are introverted and prefer to interact only with a small group of close friends,
family, and colleagues.
Whatever your preference, stay
updated. Stay informed.
People who think their customers
aren’t on social networks or who think social media is a waste of time are
dinosaurs. Real relationships begin and build via social channels every day.
Social networking is evolving, and people, companies, and causes need to stay
updated or they will miss out. It is as simple as that.