How to Make Social Media More Social
It sucks to post a photo of something we worked really hard to create and be met with a single mouse click that doesn’t communicate what a person liked or why they liked something or how it was appreciated. It’s disheartening to promote a link to something we recorded and watch the stats for it stay at zero. It’s almost painful to spend weeks writing a blog post only to have it lost in all the noise.
The Internet and Social Media have come a long way in an incredibly short span of time and as such, we’ve all had to adapt and adjust rapidly, sometimes without any consideration. But Social Media is made up of the users and the users, despite the complaints, have a lot more power than we give ourselves credit for when it comes to making these platforms socially engaging and beneficial.
So how can we make Social Media more social?
1. Remember — the Internet IS real life:
There are actual people behind the avatars, just like you. Living, breathing whole human beings, and just like you, they are social creatures. So first of all, think of the people you’re interacting with as people, not pixels. Write to them as if they were in the room with you, regardless of time zones or distance.
2. Make time for it:
We use Social Media platforms to stave off boredom. They’re something most of us engage in mindlessly, as a way to distract ourselves from whatever is going on (or not going on) around us.
If we genuinely make time for Social Media, actually set the intention to spend the twenty minutes seeing what our friends are up to, we are also allowing for more time to write responses, to engage in conversation and to really connect.
3. Don’t be a passive user:
I stopped using the ‘like’ button on Facebook two years ago.
I don’t touch it. Ever.
If I like something, if I appreciate what’s been posted, I want to let the person know why. I want to share it effectively. Does it go on my wall? Do I post it to another Social Media channel as well? How should I go about thanking the person for what they’ve shared? If I found it funny, educational, inspirational, helpful, interesting, insightful — I let them know.
4. Think before you post:
This is encompassed in all three of the above.
A mantra I now follow is: If I wouldn’t say it to their face, I shouldn’t write it online.
Or when I’m putting something out there — an article, a blog post, a podcast — I ask myself what my intention is with it. I fact-check. It’s easy to get swept away with the need to post something quickly, but I much prefer to take my time with a piece to ensure it’s well-thought out and backed up before I put it out there. Just because the life of a post is quick doesn’t mean the quality of it shouldn’t be considered.
You never know when something you posted will be unearthed. Something from six months ago could suddenly go viral because the right circumstances led to someone finding it at the right time and re-posting.
I want to connect with others who appreciate the same approach to life as me and recognise themselves in the art I create and the things I write. I want to find kindred spirits. I want to encourage and inspire the way others have encouraged and inspired me.
I also want to learn more, to be exposed to different ways of thinking and living in the world. I want to have a broader understanding of the various experiences of human beings all over the planet. I want discussion and idea sharing, engaging conversation and intelligent debate. I want to be challenged and given opportunities to grow, to become more flexible and to cultivate empathy.
Social Media gives us all of this. It’s not inherently anti-social or pro-social. It’s a tool, like any other tool, which can be used effectively or not. The choice it ours.
