Comments on: Strange Social Media or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace the Anarchy http://bluecollardesign.com/2009/02/strange-social-media-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-anarchy/ design that works Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:28:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dick Carlson http://bluecollardesign.com/2009/02/strange-social-media-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-anarchy/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Dick Carlson Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:09:07 +0000 http://bluecollardesign.com/?p=40#comment-15 I hereby bestow the title of "Junior Social Media Theorist" upon you, with all the responsibilities and privileges that it carries. (Once you've had at least ten people call you an idiot online, you can remove the "junior".) It is fun to yank the chain of a big-time Twitter name a little and see what happens -- Chris is obviously very focused on numbers, and likes the idea that he is "connected" with thousands of people. Right now he shows 45,873 "followers" on Twitter -- a very impressive number, for sure. By that measurement, I am very small potatoes indeed. On LinkedIn, the people that I am connected to are all folks who would actually recognize my name as having worked with me in one way or another -- and (mostly) would be more than willing to do a favor to someone I sent their way. That has included things like introductions to others in their org, informational interviews, troubleshooting of problems, etc. And I return the favor for them when they ask. I wouldn't do this for 43,000 people who read my blog or follow me on a social media site. Because that would soon cause my network of contacts to dry up, and nobody would ever do me a favor, ever again. In a nutshell, that's the difference. But, as Chris says, each to his own. And I LOVE yanking chains... I hereby bestow the title of “Junior Social Media Theorist” upon you, with all the responsibilities and privileges that it carries. (Once you’ve had at least ten people call you an idiot online, you can remove the “junior”.)

It is fun to yank the chain of a big-time Twitter name a little and see what happens — Chris is obviously very focused on numbers, and likes the idea that he is “connected” with thousands of people. Right now he shows 45,873 “followers” on Twitter — a very impressive number, for sure. By that measurement, I am very small potatoes indeed.

On LinkedIn, the people that I am connected to are all folks who would actually recognize my name as having worked with me in one way or another — and (mostly) would be more than willing to do a favor to someone I sent their way. That has included things like introductions to others in their org, informational interviews, troubleshooting of problems, etc. And I return the favor for them when they ask.

I wouldn’t do this for 43,000 people who read my blog or follow me on a social media site. Because that would soon cause my network of contacts to dry up, and nobody would ever do me a favor, ever again.

In a nutshell, that’s the difference. But, as Chris says, each to his own. And I LOVE yanking chains…

]]> By: Andy Erickson http://bluecollardesign.com/2009/02/strange-social-media-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-anarchy/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Andy Erickson Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:40:18 +0000 http://bluecollardesign.com/?p=40#comment-14 I've been on LinkedIn for about 4 years, and I still am not entirely sure about my profile [http://www.linkedin.com/in/andyerickson]. I don't use keywords that recruiters can find. You really gotta know you're lookin' for me to find me. And I still tweet a couple times a day and then wince. I love social networking, but still don't know if I'm *good* at it after about 1 year of immersion. Yet, I can't define good. Your first final point reminds me of a saying that I try to follow in my own life, "If you have to say you are, you aren't." Good perspective. Andy I’ve been on LinkedIn for about 4 years, and I still am not entirely sure about my profile [http://www.linkedin.com/in/andyerickson]. I don’t use keywords that recruiters can find. You really gotta know you’re lookin’ for me to find me. And I still tweet a couple times a day and then wince.

I love social networking, but still don’t know if I’m *good* at it after about 1 year of immersion. Yet, I can’t define good.

Your first final point reminds me of a saying that I try to follow in my own life, “If you have to say you are, you aren’t.”

Good perspective.
Andy

]]> By: Chris Brogan... http://bluecollardesign.com/2009/02/strange-social-media-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-anarchy/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Chris Brogan... Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:53:43 +0000 http://bluecollardesign.com/?p=40#comment-12 Connecting isn't the relationship: it's the technology to permit a relationship. My take is that LinkedIn gives you tools to wire up an opt-in network. My network are NOT prospects. They are mostly business partners. Maybe that's the difference. I'm not always trying to sell the people I meet. I might just be meeting them to connect. Gladwell, baby. Connectors. : ) Connecting isn’t the relationship: it’s the technology to permit a relationship. My take is that LinkedIn gives you tools to wire up an opt-in network.

My network are NOT prospects. They are mostly business partners.

Maybe that’s the difference. I’m not always trying to sell the people I meet. I might just be meeting them to connect.

Gladwell, baby. Connectors. : )

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