I don’t know you.
You have to set your social media boundaries, and when it comes to my professional reputation I mean business.
I don’t know this user. I do not click that button; I think LI needs a better reject or decline option. But if we’ve never chatted on a message board, haven’t talked on Twitter, why would I?
- We are not in the same groups.
- We have not done business together.
- We did not go to school together.
- We don’t share the same connections.
Even if we are all of those things, it still doesn’t mean that I know you. Just because we read the same blog post, like wine and breathe air doesn’t mean we’re connected.
Networking (adding connections or friends) is not counting marbles, for me it’s about professional development. LinkedIn is your online resume, your “professional” face to the world.
Now I know some smart people not on LinkedIn. For the link juice to my own site and blog, IMO it’s worth maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile just for the SEO. YMMV.
The Business Side of Social Media
Sure there are virtual friends in my LinkedIn connections, people I know via Twitter, LI groups and blogs. While we may not have met “in real life,” very real relationships have been made.
LinkedIn can be a powerful networking and business development tool. I have answered questions, shared blog post and other articles with my groups. It’s helped me connect with smart people, increase my blog readership and grow as a professional.
Like anything else with social media, LinkedIn is not “set and forget.” You get back what you put in.
You’re a Diva, Rock Star, Maven? So big with the NOT caring
Random LinkedIn requests are just as odious as the “thanks for following, here’s the link to my useless FREE crap” Direct Messages (DM) on Twitter. Ugg. (I don’t do that, promise.) LinkedIn is a social network to be sure, but it’s still about making connections, not selling yourself (even if you are looking for a job).
I love meeting and connecting with new people, but I’m not going to help you pad your numbers.
Do you connect with anyone and everyone on LinkedIn? Please share why or why not.
Great piece, Davina. I started out “selective” but my LinkedIn requests became so numerous (due to my blog) that I decided to take the Twitter approach and just consider it an honor that people want to connect with me. After about six months of that, I don;t see that it hurts anything. People in my sphere really don;t actively use me to get to other people.
I have found some good value from the groups but lament the increasingly commercial aspects of those forums.
Thanks!
Mark, Folks are always going to try to sell themselves, via Twitter or LinkedIn, where ever. I am also flattered, but pass on “connections” for numbers’ sake.
As for the groups, I’ve seen a lot of folks pimping their own blog posts and what not, always felt weird about doing it too much myself. Until I shared the right post with the right audience; it was very well received, helped me reconnect with an old classmate. Win-win.
Thanks for reading, adding your comment.