Engaged Learning

Facebook / LinedIn – Day 2 – Strategy

Dec 8, 2009 Social Media & Network Challenge

“You’re kidding, right?  You mean you need a strategy for signing up for these social networking sites like Facebook or LinkedIn?”

The answer is “No, you don’t.  But if you don’t, you will.”

Many people jump into social networking without thinking about what they are doing.  They go for the cool factor and forget the common sense factor.  Many people sign up, fill out their profile and start connecting (or ‘Friending’) to as many people as they can, just because they can.  They also accept friend requests from anyone.  Then, this happens…

The intent here is NOT to scare you.  It would be like saying “Beware of knives!  You may not want to use them!” But forgetting all of the great uses for knives in cooking, cutting rope or trying to open child (and adult)proof Christmas boxes.  If used wisely they are great.

According to the assignment from yesterday, you were to put in profile information.  As you did, you might have realized (hopefully!) that the information could be made private or public.  There are two basic levels:

1. Information anyone can see before they connect to you (for Friend you).
2. Information only those who are connected to you can see that unconnected people cannot.

So, which information do you whom to see?  Think about it carefully and be appropriate.

But this is the second question you should ask (I am working backwards, I guess!)  The first is, “Who should connect to me where?”  For example, Facebook is my personal network.  There, I am more willing to give out my personal information to this group because I only “friend” people I know, or used to know & trust (key factor).  These are the people that I want to keep in contact with back in Oregon, whom I have become friends with in past companies or other organizations.  Here, I can be a little more loose in what I say and how I act.  I am not crazy and wild (although my kids may say differently) but I am among friends.  But not everyone gets in here.

LinkedIn is my professional network.  Less personal information is put in here, but more professional information is open.  I connect to past peers, colleagues in my field, and even some of the people I have in Facebook.  Here is where I act more professionally.  I would not put updates on the Oregon vs. Oregon State Civil War game on LinkedIn, but I did on Facebook (which, BTW, Oregon won!).

But that is just my strategy.  Some people combine the professional and personal both on Facebook. Some don’t use one or the other.  Still others use other networks for either of these purposes.

In the end, if you go in without one, you will certainly create one over time.  So, start with a strategy.  True, it may change down the line, but that is OK.  Evolution is a necessary part of social computing.  But whatever you do, do it on purpose.

TO DO – Profiles (Difficulty Level: EASY – Time: 10- minutes total)

1. Create a quick strategy which would make you most comfortable but at the same time allow you to connect with as many people as possible.
2. Go back through your profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn and modify your information.  On one you may find that you allow more information than you originally thought you would.  On another you may scale back.

Tomorrow: “Friending, Connecting and Groups”

Tags: Facebook, LinkedIn, privacy