As I perused through my RSS’s feeds I ran into a post by Gabriella over on level343.com blogging about Measuring Social Influence: The Big Picture .   I always find it exciting to find others who are experiencing, or realizing, the same things going on in the social space.  Not believing stats offered up by social networks should be how everyone promoting what they do professionally, or entering the social networking space, approached developing their social space. 

Why are they posting these stats?  Simply put..would the social networks, like Twitter or Facebook, be as popular if they told you they were not popular?   Posting what they want you to believe is how they get more people to join up.  You are not going to join Twitter if they told you more people are canceling their Twitter accounts than are signing up..would you?  You are not going to use an app that judges your Twitter influence if it reports you suck?..though many do believe that info.

What Makes a Difference

There is a thing called logic many people online just seem to not be too familiar with how it works.  The biggest benefit of using logic in determining what works online is in the fact logical thinking cannot not be disputed.   It is this level of thinking people need to use in maintaining their social presence. 

What makes a true gauge of one’s performance is based purely on logical thinking.  If you have achieved a following of real people interested in doing business with you then it is logical to think what you are doing really makes a difference.  If you are getting a lot of Linksters, or self promoters following your efforts, which are people who could care less about doing business with you or networking your business’ efforts, then logically a change needs to be made to eliminate attracting those type of (worthless) people.

Lets take a look at what else can make a difference in creating a logically trustworthy online image:

Headshot Photo:  Creating a solid, trustworthy, image through the use of a clear photo of one’s self really makes a tremendous difference.  If someone on Facebook changes their appearance frequently naturally their image will generate confusion..which drives people away.

Sense of Humor: There is no problem with being serious and discussing serious issues seriously.  However, dry points of views are a dime a dozen.  Humans like stories with some humor, or someone with a quick wit.   It would again be logical in thinking a humorous story would attract more viewers. 

Originality: If someone is just posting what someone else is providing, what value is it?  Logically, viewers being in direct contact to the original source of the information would more apt to be loyal to what that person offers.  If you are providing original information then it is logical to think more people would be interested in what is being said.

Selflessness: One of the best ways to influence people is to make your space in the social network more about others than yourself.  Giving gratitude towards someone else’s effort that has influenced you improves your online image.  Sharing experience in an effort to help someone you don’t know also improves your social image.

Marketing to Numbers Not Needed

There are a number of ways to measure yourself online and one of them is in not how many people you have following but in WHO is following you and who they follow.  Most marketers will attempt to place logic in their thinking that having tens of thousands of followers to market to would benefit someone’s marketing efforts.  That logical thinking would be precise if the ten of thousands of people following returned the favor or did something as simple as hiring you or buying your services.  But, that does not happen.

The change in social networking has been made towards the quality of followers more than the quantity of followers.  Making friends with people online is becoming profitable for all size businesses more so than just hoping that the link posted on Twitter is seen by tens of thousands.  Profits are short for those who are reporting their success from following old ways of internet marketing.  As more consumers reject people online who keep bothering them the most the more likely the consumer will gravitate to the person who is making a difference.

I am excited to see more blogs written and more people willing to go against the trend.  More progress has to be made in proving trust building is profitable but at least there is a start in seeing how social media is taking social networking into the mainstream of commerce. 

Let me know how I can help.