Why I do social media

by trey on November 8, 2009

Earlier tonight I posted a note on Facebook and Twitter encouraging everyone to read Facebook’s new guidelines for promotions. From my perspective, the new terms are yet another indication that Facebook doesn’t really WANT to be a commercial platform.

My post elicited a question from Chase McMichael regarding opportunities to make money online with ad yields being so poor. Because I tend to think “philosophy, then principles” before “practice,” Chase’s question made me consider once again why I “do” social media.

Here’s what I told him:

I’m into social media for the “social” aspects. At the proverbial end-of-the-day, I’m all about the commerce that’s done face-to-face: getting to know people, understanding their challenge, either helping them overcome that challenge, or connecting them with someone else who can.

For me, social media is not the place for transactions. Instead, it’s a place to go from being strangers to not-strangers, thus creating the possibility for something even better.

Social media is a wonderful venue (or cocktail party, if you’re a Seth Godin fan) for meeting new people who just might turn out to be friends someday. There’s incredible value in such possibilities!

  • I find the Squidoo Lenses by Seth Godin a way of interconnecting with a community of people, from there I've found SEO, Marketing, Sales, Communications, Authors, Publishers and awesome people to chat with through Twitter and Facebook. You learn something new from each individual and you can connect to a large community by being part of the discussions in their forums.
  • Hi Trey,

    I love this post and the utter simplicity of the value of social media. I believe story telling, making human connections, learning a new language coded in digital tweets and status updates is the next BIG revolution.

    I'm a life coach who works exclusively with high school students, and I'm passionate about preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that await them once they go on to college and beyond.

    I've found that most high school students don't understand the value - or even the concept - of networking. Facebook is wise to put most of its focus on the social aspect and to try to avoid becoming a commercial aspect, because if facebook does "sell out" and become more of a commercial site than social site, the high schoolers and younger generations will flee. Facebook will go the way of Myspace.

    Love the post,
    John
  • Trey, great post! I absolutely agree with you. Social media "is a place to go from being strangers to not-strangers, thus creating the possibility for something even better." So true! And I find that apsect of it really, really exciting.

    The serendipity moments I've had from Twitter have been incredible and by just engaging with people and having conversations it's truly amazing what can happen and where these social media conversations can lead.

    I met you through Twitter and Like Minds and we have connected and have gone from being Twitter Friends to Real Life Friends.

    My company has won customers beacause of conversations and friends I've made through social media. I raise money for Cancer Research UK in memory of my dad, John Armoour who died in 2000. I have had complete strangers sponsor me directly through social media and many have become good friends. That just blows my mind!

    I'm excited at the thought of what will come of the new people I connect with each day. Maybe I'll be able to help them; maybe they'll be able to help me. It really is wonderful to make new connections! :)
  • Yes, social media IS a wonderful venue--it's a great way to network and connect with people especially when you don't always have the luxury of getting out there in person to network. You can always do a more targeted tweetup/meetup with a group afterwards... In addition, I've met bloggers through referrals before I even got my new job and now, they've been able to cover our stories on their blogs. Sweet deal.
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