Don’t Be a Social Media Harlot!

Why one quality online relationship is worth a whole bunch of ‘flings’?

Tomorrow People’s Online PR Manager, Ahmed Ahmed, thinks that when it comes to social media, a proper relationship beats a fling any day…

Do you get around? Be honest. Are you the sort of social media user that likes to post, tweet, reply, retweet, repin and share left, right and centre?

Do you get butterflies in your stomach when you see that your ‘number’ (of contacts) has leapt up over the weekend?

Do you frequently find yourself in brief little conversations with connections you’ve never spoken to before, only for it to go nowhere in the long run?

What’s your number?

Don’t get me wrong; social media is all about interaction, and yes, you can and should talk to strangers. But it’s not just about following; it should be about following through.

Social media users who are all about racking up the numbers should take heed. Adding notches to your virtual bedpost is all very well, but you have to consider quality as well as quantity.

We’ve all come across those random ‘people’ who have about a million followers on Twitter, or a trillion Facebook friends. Don’t tell anyone, but… a lot of accounts are simply paying for these attentions. Seedy, or what?

Here are some better ways to up your following

Careful you don’t get a reputation…

No-strings-attached fun is the way to go once in a while, but for real results and mutually beneficial relationships, you have to invest time and effort.

Don’t be afraid to have personal conversations with members of your community. After you share a piece of content – perhaps an article, a picture or a link – you will hopefully get some responses. Don’t sit there counting how many people retweet or share your post; instead reply to someone who has written a response. Ask their opinion. Start a dialogue.

Find something real

It might seem time-consuming and inefficient to concentrate on a few, when you could be out sowing your wild oats. But a wide net is not always the right approach. Social media helps you identify the people who are really engaged with your brand – don’t ignore them, start a relationship with them.

These are your brand advocates and influencers.

Take the time to nurture your relationships and you’ll reap the results. Next time you launch a viral video, these are the people who will share it. When you need to publicise a new product, these are the people who will help spread the word. And if, as you should always be, you’re looking for customer feedback, these are the ones who will give it to you.