Posts Tagged ‘linkedin’
The way technology allows us to communicate with each other is amazing. Even a decade ago, few people would have predicted the host of platforms that are now available for us to share information – from personal one-on-one conversations to global corporate communications and, perhaps more importantly, the blending of these approaches that allows companies to deliver their brand in ways that are increasingly personal to their consumers. I certainly could not have imagined Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn the first time I logged onto the Internet in 1995 (using AOL, naturally). And yet I now use – and rely on – such tools on a daily basis today.
As more and more of us try to embrace these new methods of communication it quickly becomes clear that just when you think you have one thing down, a new technology is thrown into the mix that you feel you must learn and do your best to master.
Here’s the thing you need to know as a business trying to inform consumers about your brand: just because a technology exists, there’s no rule that says you have to use it. Something that is a perfect fit for one business might be of little value to another. For instance, if your business relies on attracting retail customers then it might make sense to incentivize people to duke it out for the title of Foursquare “Mayor” of your location. However, if your business does not require customers to travel to your location, then this is of little value. So, instead of trying to do it all and spreading your efforts too thin, take a step back and properly consider your goals and your message and figure out which tool or tools are the ones to achieve those goals. And remember, there’s nothing to stop you experimenting with new ideas in the future or adding to your marketing mix at any time.
Written By: Adria Higginson
Remember the days when you had a best friend, and then maybe 5 or 6 other close friends? That circle was enough, wasn’t it? Spending quality time with them was usually very rewarding.
Now we move to the digital age. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, LinkedIn and others, where popularity is based on the number of friends, connections, how many people “like” you or your business, or how many places you’re the “Mayor”. And heaven forbid if you show only a few!
Obviously it’s easier to have more friends these days. And easier to stay in touch. For one thing, you can talk to all of them at the same time via most of these social media tools. And it doesn’t matter where they are. Heck, it doesn’t even matter what language they speak because Google will translate it with one simple click.
But, what’s happening to the quality of friendships? Quantity is often forced to replace quality in the digital world unless you want everyone in your growing circle to know the finite details of your life that you might otherwise only share with a few close confidants.
Time will tell how this new world of mass-connections pays off. No one can say at this point. But we do know that society is changing because of this technology. What we need to remember along the way is that it’s a choice we make, not a mandate.
