It is a fallacy to suggest social networking is about networking, opines Jeff Hurt. Identity comes first, relationship building second, and networking with the community third.
Social networking sites are social identity sites.
When people like a page on Facebook, answer something on Quora, recommend someone on LinkedIn or tweet something on Twitter, they do those things not because of community but because of their identity.
"I love ____________ (insert brand name here)," says something about us. It establishes our identity. We say we love something because it ultimately says something about our self. We don't do it just to say something about the company. It is about us.
Scroll to the bottom of this page and tell your Facebook friends or LinkedIn connections that you like what Jeff has to say.
Or, don't share anything at all.
The choice is yours as you brand your identity to the world.
Photo: CarbonNYC/Flickr (Creative Commons)
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Ari Herzog provides communications services to the nonprofit and public sectors, and encourages you to join his Facebook community.