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Don't Just Like Me Because...
January 8, 2013
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I receive a notification almost daily from friends and colleagues asking me to like a page or follow an account ... and I bet you do as well. While I am always happy to help many to get things rolling in order to establish the minimum amount of likes to secure a real page name or to start the foundation of growth, my concern lies in the fact that so many still miss the bigger picture of why they are launching (or existing) in the first place.
As social becomes more intelligent, continues to evolve, and our precious time and choices matter more than ever, why do most people and companies continue to simply pull a trigger and rate success on the number of something they have filling up in a bucket?
Yes, many people will like or follow something if you ask them to ... especially those who may know you. However, this will change drastically this year as more and more of us come to the realization that we simply don't have the time or energy to stay on top of everything.
I believe this will be the months of more narrow focus as people start to really evaluate what companies, peoples, platforms, apps, and so on hold real value and quality for them ... and the rest will either be flat-lined or deleted all together.
The fact is we simply have to, because the realization is sinking in that so much of what we watch, like, follow, and even share a majority of the time is not productive or beneficial for anything more than a big waste of time.
So, just because you ask me to like you, or the local bar page your agency is launching in a city far from me, will no longer be good enough to get a click.
Tell me I forget, show me I remember, involve me and I understand.
I would propose sending an e-mail first to friends and colleagues prior to asking for the like or follow. Express to them why I was chosen as someone to be one of the first (or if all) to be invited to interact with the person or the brand. Express how by liking or following I will be able to co-create and collaborate to really make a difference, and not simply be another something where a post or message could be delivered.
2013 will be a time when those who build anticipation will start to pull away from the pack. The great ones will use crowd-solving, original content, authentic expression, and transparent solutions to make it real in every moment.
Everyone else will still be focused on just filling a bucket, reminding their staff how many times you should be filling space each day, and trying to post something to get any kind of heartbeat from the audience so they can try and sell it tomorrow.
Which one will you be like?
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