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- October 4, 2008
Too Much Social Networking Isn’t Good For You
At last count, I was a member of MySpace, Ryze, FaceBook, Ning, Fabulously40, Inside919, Tagged, Gathers, Black Writers with Purpose, LinkedIn, Eons, Vibrant Nation, Women Etc., and Boomer Diva Nation (Founder/Moderator). Oh, and let’s not forget about the time consuming site known as Twitter.
I want to be connected. I want people to know who I am and what I do and I want to know them. I’ve read plenty of articles that say you have to develop “relationships” BEFORE you jump into the “buy my product” business. While I agree with that, I also believe there comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to say, “The buck stops here!”
Social networking definitely has its advantages. I became a best selling author on Amazon.com because of some wonderful women on the Ryze Network. My media consulting business has also done very well. But somewhere in the course of being connected online, I have lost part of myself. I would rather be on the computer spending idle time than be out in my own community making new contacts and even visiting old friends.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, here’s what I suggest:
Practice Time Management: Allocate certain times of the day that you will spend on the computer for social networking and stick to it. It may be hard at first but once you develop a routine, you will find it’ll get easier.
Learn to Walk Away: One of my favorite songs by Kenny Rogers is “The Gambler.” He says, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em—know when to fold ‘em—know when to walk away…”
Out of all of the networks I mentioned above, I’m really only active on three. Sure I contribute from time to time of all of the networks but there is no consistency on the majority of them. I’m sure you know people who only pop onto the site when they want to promote their business or product. That’s a non-no. If your friends on MySpace haven’t seen you in months and then all of a sudden you show up to promote your book, how do you think they will respond?
Do some Research on Social Media: Not every site is necessarily for everybody. Do your homework and find out which sites will serve your best interest. If you’re a baby boomer, why would you want to be connected to women who are all twenty-something? If you’re strictly about business, find like-minded sites, instead of wasting valuable time doing social networking.
Cultivate Real Relationships: I have never understood why some people insist on boasting about having thousands of friends in their “inner circle.” Use part of your networking time to get to know people. Twitter is a one of those places where people will chat about almost anything. Follow their conversation and chime in from time to time. Show others you are more than just your business.
Too much social networking can have you spinning your wheels and failing to meet your overall objectives. But, of course, you must know what that objective is.
8 Responses to “Too Much Social Networking Isn’t Good For You”
This is so spot on! I am very addicted to “cyber connection,” and I have to monitor myself to not let it get out of hand … including setting a limit on the number of social network sites I use. When I’m working on a project, I close out my e-mails and even turn off the sound so nothing can “ping” me to consciousness about a waiting message.
Like all things–example overeating!–once I overdo to the point of discomfort, I find my balance point. It’s like everything we do–all things in moderation, sometimes even moderation! Thanks for this thoughtful post.
By Joyce Mason on Oct 4, 2008
Absolutely true, Bev. I’m sure you’ve noticed how I pared down my social networking this year. Originally it wasn’t a deliberate decision. Many things came up to which I HAD to devote my attention. But, one thing I got from it all was that I REALLY needed to prevent myself from getting SO caught up online again.
I like Twitter because I can still network, but keep it short and simple with the 140 character limit. Also, my blog posts automatically go there and I can’t do that on other networks. I can easily take Twitter with me if I wish on my BB so that in itself takes the “online leash” off. Same pretty much for Facebook, but I use Twitter more. Just have to remember cell phone etiquette when out and about with either of them.
Um, sorry for the Twitter sales pitch. My conversation just kind of led into it unintentionally, but, hey, what can I say? Twitter works for me better than other networks. :-)
By Angela on Oct 4, 2008
I have had to pare down the sites that I am active on simply because there are so many out there! I basically put up a profile on any social network in the beginning to grab my brand ID.
I use about 5 or 6 on a weekly/daily basis and a few more on a monthly basis. I love things like twitterfeed that feed content from my blogs to the sites – saves a lot of time in updating.
I’m starting now to check rankings on the social sites and devoting myself to those that relate to my niche or are in the top five or ten on Alexa.
By Pop Art Diva on Oct 4, 2008
I so agree with all the networking opportunities. You have to keep in my your goal when joining these sites. Thank you for your advice.
By Betty Lynch on Oct 5, 2008
Thanks for this extremely helpful article. I’ve been chiding myself for not being active on social networks. Now, thanks to you, I realize it doesn’t have to be (nor should it be) the overwhelming commitment I was envisioning. Great information!
By Eileen Williams on Oct 11, 2008
Social networking is much like ice cream, too much of it gives you a stomach ache. It’s important to embrace the digital world, but it’s also important to embrace the “real” world. Smell the trees, go bike riding, listen to children playing in the cul de sac. So put the laptop in standby, power down the BlackBerry and close the door to your home office. Reconnect with REAL life.
By Olalah on Oct 13, 2008
I’ve also had to look at how many networks I belong to and which ones are giving me the best value. But of course you have to participate first and spend some time on them to really ascertain which ones are right for you. I wonder though just how many is right for you, i.e. the magic number?
By Kathie M. Thomas on Oct 28, 2008
Social networking is much like shopping. You go in for one thing and come out with much more. You are distracted by a sale yet it is good therapy (so you feel) to do it. It is even more fun with others. Yet many purchased items may not get worn, end up on E-bay, or hidden in the closet or packed in the attic. But oh it was so much fun when you did it. Social networking is fun but if there is not a plan and purpose, in my opinion it is a waste of time. I think we should be honest with ourselves if it is a theraputic intervention and systematic if it is adding to our SEO(Search Engine Optimization) or relationship marketing efforts.
Anyway, thanks for this post,made me reflect even more.
By rosie on Nov 1, 2008