Social Networking Becomes More Personal
There is a new trend that is picking up speed.
Facebook has "25 things about me".
You create your list of 25 random items on the notes tab, tag 25 others, then ask them to do the same.
Smaller Indiana members are requesting "7 things you didn't know about me".
In your post, you include 7 other members and link to their "7 things" or their blog.
Is social networking become more private? Absolutely not, considering these are being posted for all to see.
But social networking is becoming more personal.
I see a nice transition happening.
In the early years, many people followed people just because.
No reason, no similarities, nothing in common to create the desire to know that person.
And I believe it didn't matter.
Social media was so new, so FUN, that the experience of being on the site was the only requirement.
And the excitement and uniqueness of this new phenomena was enough.
As we are all figuring out how powerful this new media can be.
So now ground rules are being laid and some sites have hard-and-fast rules posted on the home page.
Expectations are present, and that's all for the better.
You know immediately with LinkedIn that this is a site where people are here to do business.
Facebook is a nice mix of business and social.
Smaller Indiana is one of my favorite social sites.
They do it right, letting you know the purpose of the site and what you can expect from the others if you choose to join.
Right there, on the home page, for everyone to see before they even sign up, are a few ground rules: 1) they want to know the real you, so you cannot open an account without providing your first and last name, 2) no blatant self-promotion because they want to know YOU, 3) you are asked to use your own photo, not a company logo, 4) put events on the calendar, don't blog about them, 5) no corporate websites or videos and 6) your personal page is where your self-promotion, business identity and corporate image.
That pretty much tells you exactly what is expected if you want to be a Smoosier, as the members are called.
Do you think this site is too restrictive because you want to promote your business more? You don't see the value in the whole social networking/building relationships experience? There are plenty of other choices where you can spend your time as you see appropriate.
I have recently seen many posts stating My Space is too invasive, there are "...
too many stalkers" or "it's becoming creepy.
" These comments support that we are placing a higher expectation on those we meet on line (and possibly because these comments were from business owners, not from teenagers).
Many Twitterers will not follow someone without an avatar and a bio.
That makes sense, because how do you know you want to follow someone if you can't tell anything about them? This isn't a rule, but it is a standard many people on Twitter adhere to.
Unlike Smaller Indiana, there are not rules posted.
People learn as they go.
And that's OK, too.
The key point is that people want to know more about you than your screen name.
They want a photo that they can associate with a name.
If you're on these sites to make connections and also to help promote your business, you won't have success without sharing who you are.
People buy from people, not from companies.
Share your 7 or your 25 when people ask.
They ask because they want to know you better.
Be you.
Share.
Connect.
Facebook has "25 things about me".
You create your list of 25 random items on the notes tab, tag 25 others, then ask them to do the same.
Smaller Indiana members are requesting "7 things you didn't know about me".
In your post, you include 7 other members and link to their "7 things" or their blog.
Is social networking become more private? Absolutely not, considering these are being posted for all to see.
But social networking is becoming more personal.
I see a nice transition happening.
In the early years, many people followed people just because.
No reason, no similarities, nothing in common to create the desire to know that person.
And I believe it didn't matter.
Social media was so new, so FUN, that the experience of being on the site was the only requirement.
And the excitement and uniqueness of this new phenomena was enough.
As we are all figuring out how powerful this new media can be.
So now ground rules are being laid and some sites have hard-and-fast rules posted on the home page.
Expectations are present, and that's all for the better.
You know immediately with LinkedIn that this is a site where people are here to do business.
Facebook is a nice mix of business and social.
Smaller Indiana is one of my favorite social sites.
They do it right, letting you know the purpose of the site and what you can expect from the others if you choose to join.
Right there, on the home page, for everyone to see before they even sign up, are a few ground rules: 1) they want to know the real you, so you cannot open an account without providing your first and last name, 2) no blatant self-promotion because they want to know YOU, 3) you are asked to use your own photo, not a company logo, 4) put events on the calendar, don't blog about them, 5) no corporate websites or videos and 6) your personal page is where your self-promotion, business identity and corporate image.
That pretty much tells you exactly what is expected if you want to be a Smoosier, as the members are called.
Do you think this site is too restrictive because you want to promote your business more? You don't see the value in the whole social networking/building relationships experience? There are plenty of other choices where you can spend your time as you see appropriate.
I have recently seen many posts stating My Space is too invasive, there are "...
too many stalkers" or "it's becoming creepy.
" These comments support that we are placing a higher expectation on those we meet on line (and possibly because these comments were from business owners, not from teenagers).
Many Twitterers will not follow someone without an avatar and a bio.
That makes sense, because how do you know you want to follow someone if you can't tell anything about them? This isn't a rule, but it is a standard many people on Twitter adhere to.
Unlike Smaller Indiana, there are not rules posted.
People learn as they go.
And that's OK, too.
The key point is that people want to know more about you than your screen name.
They want a photo that they can associate with a name.
If you're on these sites to make connections and also to help promote your business, you won't have success without sharing who you are.
People buy from people, not from companies.
Share your 7 or your 25 when people ask.
They ask because they want to know you better.
Be you.
Share.
Connect.
