Gus Svendsen

How to Leverage the Spectrum of Personal Relationships in Social Media

Posted by gussvendsen - 01/25/10 at 10:01:28 am

Clients always ask me about which social media tools they should use. They do not know how deeply they should engage or where they should invest their time. At the end of the day, an organization’s focus should be dictated by the level of personal relationships it wishes to cultivate.

Different social mediums foster different stages of personal relationship. Therefore, each type communicates a different relationship goal. Identify the type(s) of social media you use below and evaluate the message you are sending, in respect to personal relationships:

Website – I don’t know you, but I want you to know me.

Blog – I probably don’t know you, but since we share common interests, I would like to exchange ideas and possibly meet you.

Twitter – I know of you and like something about you. You may or may not know of me. Let’s see if there’s mutual interest.

LinkedIn – Due to shared work experiences, skills, or interests, we have come to know each other, but it’s strictly business.

Facebook - I know you and you know me personally, and we would like to stay in touch.

So which forms of Social Media are right for you?
If you prefer to keep your communication one-way, then a website is about as far as you should go.

If you want your audience to relate to the people and purpose of your organization without giving them direct access to employee contact information, then blogging is a great way to start the dialog. It’s a good way to meet new people as they participate in the public discussion. However, connecting with them on a personal level outside of your blog takes effort.

If you would like to become more approachable without losing control of how often people can communicate with you directly, Twitter is a great option. For example, celebrities have embraced Twitter to connect with their fans without obligating themselves to respond or divulge personal information.

If you would like to keep your relationship on a professional level, LinkedIn is the best tool. You may communicate directly with the people you know, but you could also reach out to others through groups and your existing contacts.

If you want to make it easy for friends and acquaintances to stay in touch with you, then connect with them on Facebook. Although you can still throttle your inward and outward messaging, it’s where you have the least concern about giving people access to your personal contact information and methods.

Social Media’s Relationship Trifecta
1. We follow each other on Twitter, plus…
2. We’re connected on LinkedIn, plus…
3. You’re my friend in Facebook
Note: With these three relationships in place, a person usually knows of or can access your blog and website.

I hope this helps you understand the personal dynamics of these popular social media outlets.

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