Please Quit Social Media

Posted on 02/19/10 Comments

I very rarely rant, well, at least in my written posts. This is one of those things that I just really don’t get and it’s about time some people opened their mouths about it. You’re on Twitter, you’re on Facebook, so you know about these things. Things that clearly make no sense yet 99% just accept the fact and move on with what they’re doing. I’ve kept quiet somewhat about this but never wrote an entire post about it.

Here’s the thing:

If you don’t engage, don’t interact, and only post crap to your Twitter, Facebook, etc., you are NOT and I repeat, NOT a social media expert or “guru“.

I don’t care how supposedly busy you are or how you have to keep up with all these other businesses, if you are only talking at your friends and followers and not talking with, please quit social media now and do us all a favor.

Oh, so you have a product that you created or a subpar book you wrote. Or you are a consultant in the realm of social media. That’s great but I’d really like to know exactly what in the heck are you teaching? Just posting links to stuff that everyone else and their mother posts makes you just like everyone else.

What’s so different and unique about the links you post and other people’s content you share? Frankly, all I can see is that maybe you use is.gd instead of bit.ly.

Listen. It’s alright that you get content out there, whether it’s your own (which hopefully you do that consistently) and someone elses. There’s really not a problem with that. However, when that’s ALL you do, it’s really not contributing to anything. Twitter and Facebook is not just some news and content aggregator. It’s a relationship building tool yet many are using it just to vomit links and self promote their own crap.

I don’t care how many certifications, results, or even testimonials you’ve got…if you aren’t engaging and interacting in social media, you’re not doing it right. Plain and simple. And in my book, that doesn’t earn you the right to be called an expert or guru in social media, you’re just another person building a business.

By the way, I have nothing against social media consultants and people of that nature, I am one myself. I just don’t get how you can teach all this and that when all you’re doing is just posting links to other people’s content and your own. It’s like releasing an online course on how to build a business and you’ve never had one and work a 9-5! Just doesn’t make any sense.

So, it still stands: Please quit social media. I’m gonna go send a few @replies and messages now Mr. and Mrs. social media guru rockstar expert wizard…

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“How do you feel about this whole mess and what ways do you go about engaging with others?

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Tim Zager moderator
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Hey Mike, to answer your questions... "How do you feel about this whole mess?" Bottom line for me, yeah it's a mess with a lot of clutter and noise. Everyone has their own idea of how SM should be used. Unfortunately some of those ideas will piss off a lot of people. But, is it necessarily wrong? I don't know. The best I can do is just continue doing what works for me and ignore the rest. "What ways do you go about engaging with others?" I catch a lot of flack from my peers about how I build business relationships. I'm active on both Twitter and Facebook, more so on Facebook. I rarely talk about business. Instead I "play". Meeting new people, post funny quotes and pictures. I just put myself out there and tend to act goofy. That is contrary to what my peers think is good for building a business. BUT, I get a lot of private emails/messages asking me what I do. That's exactly what I'm going for. I want new friends first. The business automatically takes care of itself from there... for me! Will that model work for other people? Who knows.Tim (never claiming to be a social media guru rockstar expert wizard) Zager

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lee shizzle moderator
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Interesting rant. Seems I feel better sometimes when I do it. Jus sayin. As for twitter. I think I read somewhere recently, maybe some unknown not certain, but the jist of what they were saying was being prepared for a change in the unexpected as someday twitter will fall by the way side like myspace and yahoo mess. and some others. So don't put all your eggs in that basket I assume he was saying. But of course we all know this it's just are we doing it or knowing it. again interesting post. I found your site via the info dude by the way.lee

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Gary of GanderCo moderator
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Wow Mike, I could really say a lot about this but I'll sum it up like this...Yes Mike, I actually agree with "Most" of what you said in this post!Although I consider myself more of an "SEO" freak and not a "Social Media" Guru, Teacher or Consultant in any way, I AM guilty of some of the "Social Media Crap" you spoke of here.In fact, no promises, but I feel like writing my own blog post in response to this one.I knew there was a good reason for me to follow you on Twitter! ;-)Gary Anderson IIaka- @GanderCo

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