Is Social Networking Overrated?
Linked In, Face Book and MySpace to name a few. These are all examples of Social Networking sites. Personally, as a professional I only find true-value in using LinkedIn. In fact, I use it daily for questions and answers (my fave) and finding new business contacts for brainstorming etc…
While out on the web today I came across this article which discusses the possible merge between the Wall Street Journal and LinkedIn. Which on the surface seems like a great idea – however think about it a little more and it may not seem so spectacular.
I say this because the more well known and “trendy” a Social Networking site becomes the less interested I get. I’m not trying to impress anybody when I network; I’m simply trying to network. And the more popular these services become the less relevant they become to avid users.
Why?
Because, the value of the site’s contacts become diluted with wannabee’s who add absolutely no value whatsoever to the rest of the community. Furthermore, the more people get involved, and the more corporate America gets involved the bigger the eyeballs get of the Shareholders who see nothing but $$$ signs.
Social Networking is becoming a revenue stream for Corporate America and what will start to happen is these sites will no longer be free to guys like me (already LinkedIn charges for premier services such as “In mail” etc…) but they also get crammed with useless blinking ads and Roadblock ads from Sprint that do nothing but annoy the hell out of people.
So I asked myself, would I continue to use a service like LinkedIn if it became even more main-stream.
Probably not, I would not get my current value out of it. Instead, I’d be solicited by all the “newbie’s” for consulting offers and requests to connect solely to barrage me with SPAM emails and cold-calls.
So maybe Social Networking is overrated – maybe I am just a moron. Either way, I’m entitled to my opinion!
