It’s Not Fan or Follow: Success Is In The Search

Lately I can’t help but think about all the marketers and salespeople who have rushed into the social networking sites to further their businesses and clients. People who wanted nothing to do with Twitter or Facebook for friendship jumped on board when they thought they could further their careers. Branding experts that have been producing junk mail are now jumping on the social media bandwagon. I can’t help but look ahead to how consumers will reject all their efforts as they have with every other form of communication.

• Once upon a time, people wrote long letters and sent cards through the U.S. Mail then the junk mail started. Consumers can register to restrict solicitations. Thank goodness for recycling and my paper shredder. I don’t even have to open unsolicited mail.
• People used phones to call family and friends and then the dreaded telemarketers started calling, so consumers demanded services to stop them. You can add your number to the “no call” database, block unclaimed numbers from ringing, and screen with caller id. Phone calls for sales can be stopped.
• Television started with sponsors then ads. Once we could record and fast forward through the ads we stopped watching them. People can pay for noncommercial, premium stations and not have to deal with advertisements at all. Same thing happened with subscription radio. Who listens to ads anymore?
• As for email, the spam never stops but the programmers do a good job of providing software so you never have to see all those junk transmissions.

Now we deal with the social media. We have the three f’s: fan, friend, follow. Thank goodness you must opt in.

Out of curiosity, I follow some businesses and nonprofits to observe their techniques. After a while I either hide or unfollow them. I’d rather spend my time with family and friends than read about products, issues, or organizations even if they are important to me. When I find that I glaze over their updates, I remove them and save myself the effort. My real friends are more important. I ignore the daily chatter.

If I want to know something, I’ll research it. That’s where Bing, Facebook Connect, Addictomatic and all the other search methods will rule. I want what I want, when I want it. When coupled with a trusted friend’s recommendation, this will be all I use.

If you’re providing content for social media, make sure your information can be found in as many places as possible. But remember, success is in the search.