Social Networking vs. Social Acquainting

I love the Internet and social media.  No, really, I do.

*cue 3rd grade insult*

“If you love them so much, why don’t you marry them?”  Maybe I will little kid, leave me alone!  Okay, I’m getting carried away.  To the point of this post…

Whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or the new Google+, social networks continue motivating us to connect with each other.  So much emphasis is placed on how many fans and followers you have, how many connections you have, and so on.

The social platforms we use encourage keeping scores and competing with each other on numbers, and we absolutely love that.  I’m as guilty of getting caught up in the numbers as anyone.  But if you’re not seeing great results with social media marketing, try this: Take a step back and realize the harsh reality that maybe, just maybe, no one cares.

Why doesn’t anyone care?  Well, it could be that you dress funny, but there’s probably a better reason…

Think about how much time you spend on social networks without doing any social networking.  Think about how many fan pages you’ve liked.  Think about how many people you’ve followed or sent a LinkedIn connection invite, and then done essentially nothing to further those relationships.

I don’t mean leaving a vague comment on someone’s Facebook page, replying nothing of value to a new follower, or sending an annoying self-promotion introduction in a LinkedIn message.  People have convinced themselves this kind of behavior is social networking, but it’s really just social “acquainting.”

• There’s no effort put into building a relationship.

• There’s little effort put into building a following of people yearning to be led.

It’s like going to a networking event, handing your card to random people, ending the conversation before it starts, then expecting them to say, “How high?” when you tell them to jump.  You cannot succeed with this behavior or mentality.  Not in social media, not in business, not in life.

In the paraphrased words of Seth Godin: 

If you want to make significant changes in this world, in your business, or in your industry, you must have a tribe.  If you want change to occur, you must reach out and form real relationships, not acquaintances.

 

Apply this to social media marketing and I guarantee you will see huge improvements in every key performance indicator you monitor.

I recommend you check out the TED speech below where Godin explains tribes and why they’re crucial to success.  I know it’s almost 20 minutes long, but Godin is “the man” and the takeaway from this video will open your mind in more ways than one.

As a marketer, if you can build a sizable tribe, you’re on your way to the top.  After all, it’s no accident that so much emphasis is placed on brand loyalty and customer retention.