Putting The Social In Social Media

Hey, application developers – I’d like you to build me a site that lets me type in my Twitter username and then scans my entire network, ranking users by:

A. How often I’d sent them a message, against
B. How often they’d sent one to me

This app would also let me choose my ‘antisocial number’, which would be a ratio of these numbers that established a breaking point. If A > B by more than, say, fifty per cent, then we really need to think about seeing other people.

And if A-B = A, then you’re dumped.

Here’s the thing: there are really busy people out there who are really good at this social media thing. Chris Brogan, Robert Scoble, Louis Gray, Jack Schofield – in all honesty, it surprises me how many make a genuine effort.

At the same time, there are many who are not, such as you, you and you. In all honesty, it saddens me that you still see this as little more than an opportunity to share a message.

And I’m not talking about genuine, bonafide celebrities. Those folk actually are busy. Twitter is a soapbox to them. Yeah, they’re doing it all wrong, but there’s nothing you or I can say that will make a lick of difference, as they’re not even listening.

And it’s not about time, either. I’m busy, you’re busy – everybody is busy. If you want to make the effort, you’ll make the time.

It’s about courtesy. Nobody can respond to every message – nor should they have to – but if somebody sends you a decent, intelligent and legitimate question or enquiry, then please: do the right thing and answer it. Particularly if it’s within a field in which you repeatedly tout yourself as a guru. Take the next step forward, and put the social in social media.

Otherwise it’s just media, and believe me: nobody wants that anymore.

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