Is Social Media making us more disconnected…?
One of the big problems for people new to social media platforms such as Google+ and Twitter is that one can feel like a lonely voice speaking in a crowded city. It feels like that because of a lack of engagement from the people you’re supposed to be connected with. It seems that the majority of people prefer to engage with established figures, people who have a large number of followers, are supposed “celebrities” or people who post something that a lot of people find interesting.
None of these things are bad, but it’s hard for those starting out. This is exacerbated by the number of organisations that use their social media account as a one-way announcement tool, usually by synching their blog feed with their Twitter or Facebook feed. If any of you have commented or replied to one of these automatic feeds only to be replied with utter silence, you will know what I mean.
Ever replied to someone you admire, someone with a lot of followers or a celeb? Do you expect a reply? Many of us do it seams, and the silence of expectation that follows can by deafening.
There are two responses to that last point. Firstly, I do think it is sad that some people think they are too important to reply to but “mere mortals” who only have a couple of hundred followers! Some people who enjoy current popularity forget that it wasn’t always so. Many such popular social media celebs are quite obviously busy, and can’t respond to everyone who sends them a reply or a message. Still it’s nice when they try. Even the odd apologetic message to say they can’t reply to everyone can go a long way.
Secondly, it’s interesting that many of us actively seek a response from those who are seen as popular. It’s the same in “real life” but perhaps more obvious in the realm of social media. A lot of people try and seek affirmation and meaning in their lives from being popular. Having over 2000 “friends” (I prefer the word connections) gives them an artificial boost in self esteem. Why do we all have to encourage each other in this meaningless pursuit? Having said all this, Twitter and Facebook (and of course LinkedIn) are also business networking tools and I find it particularly useful to meet and connect with people who share my interests and meet people who might find a use of my skill sets.
Social media is just that- it’s media that is social. We’re human beings (some of us, anyway!) and we love to connect! So let’s stop ignoring each other, particularly those who may seem unimportant or have few followers. Start small- just try and respond to one new follower each day instead of your usual social media super star! Don’t just be a consumer, be a social giver!
#fb #tw
