Adapting Your Message

These days, it can be a little confusing when you are deciding how you want to relate with people online and build relationships via shared interests. It’s helpful to understand the differences between social networks and online communities, like message boards, interest groups on LinkedIn, Facebook Community Pages, or forums. Just as there are different dress codes and expectations for places you go to eat, there are different virtual dress codes and expectations for social media networks and online communities. When you engage in these places in a way that’s consistent with their culture, you can begin to have interesting discussions and develop relationships with people you respect.

Social networks: It’s personal. Family, friends, people we know from school, colleagues, and so forth. These personal relationships usually exist “on land” before they’re expanded to include keeping up via social media. It’s especially terrific for keeping up with friends who live far away from you and whom you want to keep up with. When you engage on social networks, remember that this is a friendship you’re developing and it’s important to share some personal things that have nothing to do with business.

Online communities: It’s about shared interests. Whether people in online communities are passionate about geographical location, their profession, hobbies, or even their favorite beer, people love to get together with like-minded others to discuss what they love most. When you engage in an online community, keep this at the forefront of your thinking and talk with people about this shared interest, rather than what movie you saw last night (unless, of course, that’s the community’s shared interest!).

LinkedIn combines social networking and professional online communities so that they go more deeply into a subject from the perspective of an experienced professional.