Have you ever done a Google Search for the phrase..What is social networking?  Really?!?!  Have you? 

Of course you are going to get the site whatissocianetworking.com…duh!  But really if you look further there is not very many attempts to define what social networking really is…or is not!  Outside of me trying of course.

I have been around the block a few times with social networking having created three social networks over the past ten years.  Two online and one offline.  I think I have a pretty good handle on what social networking is and really now have a firm grip on what it is not.  But, for this blog I thought I would just make a brief statement on what Social Networking is with a focus towards the online environment.

Social Networking really is what it says it is…social …networking.   Meaning people…not places or things…socializing in a group…not by themselves or as singularity.  Pretty simple isn’t it?

Now I am sure here would be where a classic Rant on asking why people are not using the social spaces for social networking, but I would rather spend these last few words expanding on what social networking really is in an effort to maybe be of more help to those who see being non-social as being social.

In the daily review I make of the social spaces, that are really social spaces, I am seeing more and more people who obviously do not know how to socialize.  I have concluded in many cases the lack of socialization for many is not because they do not know how to social but is purely driven by global economic temptation of selling or marketing to perceived large numbers of people captured in one place.  This temptation is overwhelming to most.  I see all kinds of attempts to commercialize the space where social media should be used instead. 

I see more unsocial behavior leading me to strongly believe there are a very large number of people split up into two groups..Those who don’t care to be social and those who do not know how to be social online, which is more than likely reflective of them also not knowing how to be social offline.  This results in there being just a dribble of relevant social content being seen over the steady stream of non-social content.

It is clear more and more people are attempting to redefine social media to drop the social and just be commercial media.  

How To Be Social Online

For those who are tired of reading, the bottomline to being social, in any environment, is in the conversation.   No matter how bad the grammar maybe or how misspelled the words are, the conversation…not a sales pitch..with someone is being social.  Now..for clarity..better grammar and spelling and communicating in the person’s native language makes for a Better Conversation. 

And, for those who are still with me..if the conversation is done effectively, and a number of them held over a long period of time, it Will lead to the opportunity to talk shop, aka, do business!

Let’s get social people. Showing others who you really are is what the consumers want to know, not who you represent or what you have to sell.  Let me know how I can help.