Every day I read through hundreds of postings on
Facebook, Twitter and Google+. While there are plenty of articles about which
site is better or which has the more intelligent users, I am amused by the
users of all three. Twitter has become the go to for breaking news and the
latest celebrity gossip; Google+ is suited for the more techsavvy individual
and Facebook has become the place for complainers and whiners. Yep, I said
that…complainers and whiners.
What started out as a place to re-connect with
family and old friends has now become the place where one shares every little
detail of their lives. It’s become a site where it’s commonplace for one to try
to one up the other by shouting the loudest. Yes, there are those trying to
become that big orange bottle of Tide ™ sitting right in front for all to see
and gawk at. It doesn’t matter that the one that isn’t making the most noise
may be the better one to check out.
One should look at social networks as a window to the
world. You can land or lose a job through your social network. What does your
social page look like? Are you the one that feels the need to detail every
moment of your life? Are you the one that needs to put every detail of your
child’s life on the web? Do you have pictures that you’ll later regret?
I liken myself to the generic bottle sitting in the
corner. I keep my page clean, I have probably removed more people than most
know and I like to keep my business mine. I don’t feel the need to be big and
bright like the bottle of Tide ™. There’s no hidden persona screaming “look at
me” and I don’t put posts up waiting to get the sympathies of others. I would
like to think if I were to use my social networks as a gateway to me as a brand
that my brand wouldn’t contain the latest meal I’m planning in a Crockpot, or
what I did in the bathroom. For the record, I’ve never used a Crockpot; I cook
all of my meals. I also maintain a simple decorum when posting pictures.
Yep, the generic, unassuming bottles of whatever
sitting idly by watching others “scream” for the attention. One must wonder
what is really behind all the bravado. If you got a call about your brand (you)
what would you say prior to them looking at your social network page? I bet
some of you would need a disclaimer. The creators of these social outlets would
love to have all of your personal information at the tips of their fingers, and
a lot of you give it to them. What happens to that information? Well, when you
start getting spam and hoaxes on Facebook, you’ve found your answer. Sometimes,
less is more. Ahhh yes, the generic
brand shuffles back to the hidden spot on the long shelf, no disclaimer needed.
~Just my two cents
