I was just reading a post by Problogger, Darren Rowse. His post is titled Social Bookmarking and Networking – How Involved Are You? The main topic of his post is answering a question by a reader regarding what social networks he actively uses and if they are helpful to his blogging.
His answers to the reader are very insightful, in my opinion. He gives a list of the social bookmarking and network sites to which he belongs. He does point out, however, that his involvement in each varies. He spends more time in some than in others, which is understandable. Darren does cite reasons why he is active, to some extent, in some of these social sites. These include:
- profile
- relationships
- brand reinforcement
In the end, Darren closes with a statement that it is about being involved to some level.
My Spin on His Message
I think that he is right in many ways about being involved and fostering friendships, as much as that can be done online, with your readers and people of similar interests. This concept got the hamster running up in my brain. Getting something out of Social Media is basically the same as getting something out of real life.
Close to home, you can’t expect to get much out of your family if you are willing to put in some good family time. Spend time with the wife. Spend time with the kids. They are your first social network. If they can speak praises about you, then other people will want to meet you. If your own family badmouths you, you need to work on that community.
Friends are the same way. If you don’t show an interest in people, they’ll bail out on you. You can’t count them as part of your social network if you only show up when you want something. Offer your friends some value for being your friends.
Employees are also a social network of sorts. If you expect to just push play and have them start working, you’re missing out on what they have to offer. We are social creatures and need some validation that our efforts matter. You may be able to get them to work because “that’s the way it works; you tell them what they do and they do it”. But you won’t get loyalty or recommendations from them that way.
Church and other community groups are the same way. You get out of them what you put in. If you simply show up and expect to be loved and adored for being there, you are not being realistic. You will be noticed and included in the community group if you are a part of the community. Otherwise, you are a visitor.
Darren is right. In social media, it is about being involved at some level. All I would like to add is that it’s about being involved in your immediate life networks to some level as well.
