Is It Live or Is It Twittorex?
I’ve been on a tangent with colleagues and clients regarding the automation of social networking and all the buzz of “authenticity.” So much so that I’ve threatened for months to write a blog post about it. Well, after hearing Scott Stratten speak this week at the Social Media Club of St. Louis, a stop on his current Unbook tour, he reminded me that you write a blog post when you have something to say, and I do, so here it is…
I’ve spent quite a bit of time on Twitter. It was slow going at first, having reluctantly set my account up in April 2009, I think. Then earlier this year I decided to give it a whirl and see what I was missing. Off I go to Twitterville. I made new connections, engaged in conversation with those I wanted to get to know. I found numerous VA colleagues and other business contacts to follow and interact with. On Fridays, I liked to share my music playlist of the morning as the week wound down. I shared good resources and quotes, retweeted good stuff from others, participated in #FollowFriday, and so forth. Life in Twitterville was happening as I heard it would. And then it happened… tweet automation. Where did everyone go? I suddenly felt like I was talking to myself.
(For those of you who engage regularly in social networking, this post is not for you, so forgive me as a generalize. We’ll Tweet soon.)
Over the past several months I’ve seen the same thing happen on Facebook as it has on Twitter. There are so many people scheduling tweets and posts that they never interact, or engage as Scott calls it, with their audience. I begin to hear more talk of clients outsourcing their social media management to their virtual assistant. It didn’t take long at all to take the whole point of being social out of the picture. This led me to the question, “Would you send your computer to a face-to-face networking event to represent you?” Umm… no! At least I hope you wouldn’t. Well… when you have someone else doing your social networking is that not what you are doing? When you automate your Twitter and Facebook posts, is that not what you are doing? You’re not present. It’s like setting your computer on the main table at the local Chamber breakfast meeting and then leaving. You don’t talk back and you don’t engage with me in any way. But, every 10 – 50 minutes your computer pops up another message of wisdom you’d like to share with me. Why bother? You’re not creating relationships.
That brings us to my question of authenticity, which is “Would you send your twin sister on a job interview for you?” Or, “Would you send your virtual assistant to deliver a keynote speech for you in front of your most important audience?” Not likely. Why? Because people come to hear YOU. So why look at it any differently in the online world just because you have a keyboard and a monitor to mask your identity. Your twin brother may look like you, dress like you, and act like you, but subtle differences will be noted. I find myself not even following some people anymore because the chances of engaging in a conversation with them are slim and none. And, on the odd chance that they do respond, I find myself questioning if it’s really them behind the keystrokes.
I understand there are ghostwriters out there in the world who write others’ words all the time, myself included. And, I know I’m going against the grain of my virtual assistant colleagues who offer social media management services, such as managing a client’s tweets and responding on Facebook. But c’mon folks, it’s called “social” networking for a reason. Your followers, fans, friends, and connections want to connect and build a relationship with YOU. How can that be accomplished if you’re not there? Where is the authenticity in that? Where is the YOU in having someone else act as you?
I can get totally on board with outsourcing the setup of accounts, managing of friend requests or followers, and responding to event or group invites, because that doesn’t involve you as the individual that your following is wanting to create a relationship with. I also understand that in the corporate setting, as I do for one of my clients, you can have designated people act as the company representative. Corporate is different in that the following is looking to engage with the company, not the individual, about the company’s product or service. But when it comes to creating the valuable relationships you set out to make when you decided to get involved in social networking, you are the best person for the job.
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