Realtors tell us that it’s all about “location, location, location.” For me, benefiting from social media is all about “relationships, relationships, relationships.” We participate in social networking sites in order to connect with other people. However, not everyone seems to view it this way.
Are you a one-dimensional poster? That is, do you post and post and post and virtually never comment on someone else’s posts? Worse—if someone comments on your posts, do you ignore them?
Or, are you someone who values the people who have “friended,” “followed,” or “connected” with you? Do you recognize that in essence, to have a friend, you have to be a friend?
The important thing about relationships is that they are two-way. Give and take. Post and respond!
Now, I’m not saying that you have to comment on each and every post. It’s just not possible, unless you spend 24 hours a day online and read every single post. Just show a little interest now and then!
As I’ve said in other posts, how someone uses these sites is entirely up to each individual. However, how many “one-dimensional” people wonder why they aren’t having success on the sites, especially when they ask for help?
Whether you’re online to find your best friends from high school, get a job or promote your company’s services, you’re more likely to be successful if you’ve been a friend to others. If someone asks for assistance, give it. If you can provide a resource, do so. Heck, if someone playing Farmville asks for a cow and you have one, share!
The point is that when you’ve been a friend to someone, they are more likely to help you when you ask for it.
This is especially important for businesses that are online. I’ve posted questions on Fan pages—questions that were never answered. I won’t do that again…and more importantly, I stopped following those pages. One of the primary reasons for a Fan page is to communicate with consumers. So, if they aren’t going to interact, why bother? To be blunt, that’s what a website is for: to provide information in a static manner. I’m not saying that’s wrong because that’s what websites are for. Social media is for building two-way relationships!
What are your thoughts on this? If you’re “friends” with someone who never does anything besides talk about themselves, do you unfriend (or at least hide) them? If you follow someone on Twitter who never retweets, do you see that as a negative? Are you more likely to help someone who has helped you?
Great post. I will also mention the importance of answering the comments and/or questions added by your friends in your posts. It amazes me how you will place a comment to a post asking for some more information and the author won’t make a statement. Additionally, I think it is common courtesy to also thank the nice comments received in your posts.
I try to always respond when someone posts on my blog. Even if I don’t agree with them, I’m grateful that they took the time to comment. I may have forgotten my mother’s teachings about sending thank you notes, but I do try to acknowledge people on my blog!
Hey, this is my first reply, Deb–am I doing it right?? Okay, so some good thoughts today. I’m not even close to being on board with all of the social networking stuff–just haven’t gotten there yet, but I’m trying. What you’ve said, though, makes perfect sense. I know it’s not exactly like a face-to-face relationship, but how many of us have had friendships where we carry most of the burden (e.g., always the one who reaches out to others)? Anyway, when it gets to the point that I feel another person doesn’t value my friendship enough to bother initiating or responding, in time, that friendship goes away. It’s just how it is. It may be “all about me,” but unless we make an effort to break away from our own concerns now and then, we shouldn’t wonder why we find ourselves all alone. (But please, Facebook friends, no more farm animals 🙂
B Jean – you did it right! And, your comments are spot on. THANKS and I hope to “see” more of you, both online and on my blog! ?
This really solved my problem, thank you!
Thanks! Happy I could help.