The Anti-Social Side of Social Media/Networking

I realize that most of my readers are unfamiliar with Social Media and/or Social Networking--even though they're unknowingly participating in it. According to Wikipedia, Social Networking is online communities of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. By reading my blog, you are a member of my social network, learning about what I'm up to, or what's on my mind. Many of you participate in MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and the like. You are social networking.

Social networking has lowered the barrier for people to be able to communicate and broadcast themselves. It's now easier than ever to say what you're thinking, show what you're doing or showcase your efforts to a virtually limitless audience. This is a huge pull to the untold millions who like to be seen or heard. But, people aren't the only ones that like to be heard and seen. More and more corporations are getting in on social networking to try to increase their visibility. The intent or effort of effectively communicating via the social networks is known as Social Media. News companies push headlines, bloggers push their blogs, corporations push agendas, associations push factoids and information. Direct communication via social networks is just too great an opportunity to mess up. And these opportunities grow exponentially each day with the implementation of new social networks.

On my own, I participate in Blogger (obviously), MySpace, MyRagan, MyManagersNetwork, Facebook, Plurk, Pownce, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Identi.ca, Jaiku, Xanga, FriendFeed, Last.fm and Utterz--as well as experimenting with many more. As you work your way around the social networks, you run into a lot of the same cast of characters who are all participating heavily in social networking. Managing your existence in any or all of these social networks could be a life-draining undertaking. So, it's only natural that tools begin to emerge to help you manage your social networking. Tools like Ping.fm have emerged which give you the ability to post to some (if not all) of your social networks via a single interface. WOW, are these types of tools useful in helping you spread your message to a number of networks with just a few keystrokes. But, I think this type of mass communication takes the social out of social networking.

Social is an operative word in these social networks. People like to feel like they are communicating with people. People don't want to be spammed. The appeal of social networking is an exchange of information. If you're only asking for funding or tossing out the corporate line, people will walk. Social networking and media is about getting to know the people, not just a canned public responce. But, as people join an increasing number of social networks and begin using tools like Ping, they're no longer communicating, they're only broadcasting. (And, I'm not picking on Ping. I love it and use it regularly). And, when people feel like you're only broadcasting to them and not listening to them, they'll eventually walk.

You have to remember, the people that are on these networks are there to be heard as well, and they want to know if you're listening--not to mention who you are that is listening.

This is a tough prospect for companies that are looking to use social "media." In fact, even with all my experience in social networking, my first dabble with corporate social media was met with a face slap by a blogger (http://tinyurl.com/5b6cyf).

I work for a steel industry trade association. By nature, associations are small and unsophistocated technically. The fact that we're using web 2.0 technologies and social media is a big step for an organization with a staff fewer than 10.

Our first go of social media was a tool that I am very familiar with, Twitter. I developed a profile for our association called, EnviroMetal. The entire purpose of this profile was to just provide fun facts about steel to people with an interest in the environment, journalists and bloggers. It wasn't meant to sell anything or otherwise spam. But, traditional communications instincts took over and I ended up being pointed out as a bad use of social media.

While the blogger was way off on a number of marks, he did make a few valid points about the feedback loop. And, if I was networking as a company, rather than my self, it was coming off like spam. Skimming the social networks, it's easy to spot a lot of intentional spam. This effort was not spam. But, I was fortunite, because of the topic area, there are a lot of people who are passionate about the environment and recycling. I was able to tap into their preferences and "fit in" to their social networks.

But, the fact that the blogger decided to run off and blog nastily about an introductory social media effort, rather than provide feedback, he was guilty of what he was accusing me of doing. The social networks are about opening up direct lines of communications, learning and teaching. There is no direct science to social media. There will always be different ways to be good at something. But, your social media efforts have a lot more credibility if you take time to learn as much about a topic as you can before you go off acting as the king of social media and spouting your expertise.

That is part of the allure of social networking, you can be as loud as the biggest company just by putting things out there. Slapping at people trying to make an enterance into social networking or simply shouting and not listening takes the social out of social media. And, while tools may make your efforts more efficient, and you may be able to cast your net a lot further, unless you are a personal, active participant in your media efforts, you will find a lot of resistance to your social media efforts.

I am learning and experimenting. I believe that there is a strong future for the world of social media to grow through social networks. But the one constant will have to be social.