Baby boomer’s perils in online social network

Late last year, some friends of mine convinced me that I needed to create a profile on Facebook and another one on LinkedIn, which is supposed to be like a Facebook for business people.

“This is not for me,” I thought. “No one needs to know about me or what I do in my spare time or what books I’ve read.”

But the needling continued, so I finally just went “out there,” set up a page and went on my happy way.

Then, within 24 hours, I started getting invitations to be a “friend.” “What do you mean, friend?” I thought. “We are friends. That’s how I got into this situation in the first place!” So I went back to my profile, realized that I hadn’t really filled anything out completely and that people were finding out about me through some magic in the program that alerts them when someone from their area joins the social network.

I started getting messages stating, “So-and-so wants to be your friend. Please accept them as a friend.” Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to accept them; it was more a case of not knowing how or what to do once I had. Something told me that once I took that step, I would have to start updating my profile, and I really didn’t have time for that.

So, I ignored the messages. Some folks tried a second and third time; others disappeared.

But then I started running into them in town. Warm hugs and handshakes turned into curt hellos. People averted their eyes. Others turned their backs. Some sat on the other side of the conference table.

“What’s up with this?” I wondered. Then one day I asked.

Came the reply: “You didn’t accept my invitation to be a friend.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve known you for 25 years! Of course we’re friends!”

“Not on Facebook we’re not.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sakes,” I said. “You can’t be serious! I don’t have time to do all that stuff. I can’t keep up with it. I just put something out there so everyone would quit hounding me.”

“If you can’t do it right, you shouldn’t be ‘out there,'” I was told. “You are either part of the network or you are just taking up bandwidth. You need to choose.”

And another back was turned.

Now, this really puzzled me. I had known these people for years… been to their weddings, babysat their kids, done business with them and volunteered with them. What in the world could be so important about this online networking?

Then I saw the teachable moment – not only for me but also for the businesses and entrepreneurs we work with on a daily basis.

Either do it right out there, or you’re just taking up bandwidth.

Online marketing is often confused with setting up a Web site and waiting for the orders to come in. That might have worked early on in the cyber revolution but no longer. There is so much competition out there, that you must create a reason for people to come back to your site and/or profile often, or they will go elsewhere for their information, entertainment, products and services.

In addition to keeping content updated, relevant and timely, it’s wise to remember a few additional tips.

Respect your users’ time. Don’t use large graphics that take forever to load; many users are still on slower dial-up connections.

Complex backgrounds, blinking icons and overuse of color are things of the past. Users come for content, not bells and whistles.

Offer educational information in addition to just trying to make sales. That’s a value-added reason for users to return.

Refresh your content on a regular basis. Create excitement by offering short-term promotions. Provide a variety of ordering options, including online, phone or printing an order form for mailing or faxing. Not everyone is comfortable sending information online.

Study your competition. Make your site, and its features, better, more interesting and more worth a return visit.

Establish a social network. I know. This is coming from me? But it’s a good way to keep some people visiting your site.

So, I’m resolved to quit just taking up bandwidth. It may not happen right away, but I’m going to give this online networking a try. I’m going to start by trying to keep up with my three e-mail accounts, updating the blog on our center site and then branching out into the Facebook and LinkedIn world.

Maybe everyone will be “friendlier” then!  v

Mary Paulsell directs the University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She can be reached at [email protected] or 573-882-1353