How I Use Social Networking Sites

Hi!

I recently had a long conversation with Jeff Hodgkinson, project manager extraordinaire, LinkedIn stud, and all-around great guy. We mostly talked about social networking sites and their different usage models. Jeff asked me to write a blog post explaining how I use them, so here it is...

The main social networking sites I use are: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogger. I use each in a different way and tie them all together using my web site, which also contains other links. Here's my usage model for each of the main four:

Blogger

My blog is where I publish my writing. My blog posts tend to cover topics about which I've given considerable thought. They're not short posts, and while they may include links to other sites, they're mostly original. I have occasionally included large portions of other people's writing, but that's because that writing had a profound impact on me. I don't post every day, mostly due to time constraints. My blog is accessible to everyone on the Internet.

Twitter

Twitter is where I publish quick updates. My Twitter account is linked to both my LinkedIn and Facebook accounts. This means that my Twitter posts must be appropriate to both my personal and professional "circles," both of which will be defined below. I'll allow anyone to follow me on Twitter.

Facebook

Facebook is where I connect with those with whom I have a personal connection: Family, friends (new, long-time, and long-lost), and classmates (former and current). I have a few co-workers on my Facebook friends list, but no one that I don't consider a friend first and a co-worker second. My goal is not to collect as many friends as possible, so I don't accept friend requests from people I don't know personally. I also use Facebook for news and updates about other things that interest me.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is where I connect with those with those with whom I have a personal and/or business-related connection. I'll pursue connections with people with whom I've shared one meeting, met briefly at a seminar, or had a interesting conversation with at a party. Like with Facebook, I won't accept a connection from just anyone, but the familiarity bar is lower for LinkedIn. Basically, anyone on my Facebook friends list would be a welcome addition to my LinkedIn connections list, but not necessarily vice versa. Some relationships I'd prefer to keep strictly business. I also use LinkedIn to build my network through groups and my resume through recommendations. I also have an on-line resume at VisualCV.

I understand that others have different models. Jeff, for example, is looking to maximize his LinkedIn network and will accept invitations from anyone. My cousin Timmy is a musician and seems to have a similar policy on Facebook. I also have friends who use Twitter as a way to share more information than I really need to know. There's nothing wrong with any of these models; they're just different than mine. What I'd encourage any social networker to do is to seriously consider what model they want for each site, then ensure the connections and content they share is consistent with that model.

Thanks,
Matt