Face it – we get a bit caught up in “how many” people we’re connected with online. For some, it’s totally an ego thing, while others just like knowing they are “liked” by others. And, some probably don’t care at all.
Out of curiosity, I decided to see how many people I’m connected with on my social media sites. As of the date this blog post was written, the total is approaching 10,000. However, that number really doesn’t matter. What we all should be concerned about is not just who we’re connected to, but who our connections are connected to.
If you only use social media to connect with family and friends, then you probably don’t care in the slightest about this. However, if you use social media as part of your marketing efforts, then this is very important.
LinkedIn definitely understands this concept with their second and third degree connections, creating an “extended network” of connections. If you include second and third degree in my connections, my LinkedIn network becomes 14,984,141! Yup – nearly 15 million.
So, what does this mean?
It means that if you’re using social media for business, you do care about your number of connections and who they are connected to.
Here’s an example: what if I wanted to give one of my presentations to the employees at Disneyworld?
Since I’m trying to reach out to someone professionally, let’s use LinkedIn for this example. I searched for anyone who had worked at Disney or currently works there – just in Orlando. I didn’t have any first degree connections, but when second and third degree connections are included, the number is a whopping 23,116! The first name that came up is currently the Programming Manager at the Disney Institute – and a friend of mine is a mutual connection. I could ask her to make an introduction…rather than just cold calling him, thus increasing the possibility of actually connecting with him.
Now do you see why numbers matter?
It’s always wise to remember that just as there are positive aspects to this, there are also negatives. More than once, I’ve had someone tell me that they are thinking of hiring or working with someone I’m connected with online and they asked my opinion of them. Unfortunately, based on things these people have said online, I’ve been hesitant to recommend them. That’s why it’s wise to always consider what you’re posting – even when you’re just posting on your “personal” space.
That said, I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives but I’d love to get your thoughts on this. Feel free to comment below!
