There Can Be A Downside To Social Networking

Writing by Brick Marketing on Monday, 7 of July , 2008 at 11:42 pm

Social networking can be a real winner if you know how to use it properly. There are however always going to be negatives if you are not careful and do not have some form of self control. some of these negative include:

Productivity: Social networking can be counter productive at times. If you spread yourself too thinly by trying to communicate across more than network, you may find you are spending more time ‘keeping up’ and responding to others in your networks.

Solution: Limits; limits; limits. (1) Place limits on when and for how long you participate in social networking. (2) Limit the number of social networks you can reasonably deal with in your time frame. (3) Limit the number of people in your network.

Personal or Business: It is very easy to get distracted into discussing non business matters, like sport, the weather or perhaps politics. In small doses this can help to personalize your social networking experience, it can however become a huge distraction.

Solution: Stick to business matters whenever possible and try to keep control of both yourself and the conversation. If there is something that interests you but is not related to your social networking activities, bookmark it and come back when time allows - or during your own time.

Following: Are you a follower or a leader. If you start conversations, do others follow or are you ignored. There is nothing wrong with being a follower, however it quite easy to follow and find yourself completely off tangent to your goals.

Solution: Learn to be a leader or learn to ‘read’ where a conversation is going and conclude it when it is going off track.

Social networking can be handled in a completely relaxed cup of coffee in hand aimless style, or in an in control focused goal setting way. If you can achieve your goals and still maintain productivity then social networking is for you. If you cannot focus and remain in control then you need to reassess your social networking strategies.

                      Category: Social Networking