Social Media and Friendship: Ain’t too Proud to Beg

Dog Standing on Hind Legs to Receive Treat

Just the other day, a friend suggested I become a fan of a Denver Yoga Group on Facebook. First, the one and only time I tried yoga, I spent the whole time trying not to laugh as those around me meditated – yeah, relaxation isn’t really my thing. Secondly, I don’t live in Denver, so why would this group be relevant to me at all?

Every day it seems that someone is suggesting I become a fan of something or inviting me to an event on the opposite coast. Maybe they assume that because I’m their pal, I’ll do whatever they want. Then I’ll pop onto Twitter and witness people begging for more followers. From fans to followers, it appears there are those in social media land that are obsessed with the numbers game.

It’s obvious that some spend little time or effort on targeting the right audience; instead they just want any audience. A recent post by Nicole VanScoten touched on this issue about how companies want to grow their audience fast despite who’s listening. Sure it would be great to have 10,000 more followers on Twitter, but do I want them to follow me out of pity, or because they are interested in what I have to say?

Of course  numbers are impressive, but what do they really mean? If you have 100 Facebook fans, and 50% became a fan simply out of friendship, does that mean you are still getting the message out? Or, does it just mean you have a larger number that you can brag to your client about?

As much as I adore my friends, I don’t like being used as a social media number. So next time you beg your friends to become a fan of something, or put out a call for more Twitter followers, offer something of value –  make sure that you are asking the right people. Even though quantity is great, it’s the quality of your audience that really counts in the end.

So readers, have you been a victim of the social media-friendship bombardment? Or, have you been a perpetrator of this tactic?

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