Unsocial Media?

Early on in my social media adventures, I saw many tweets and status updates from Me Monsters. I recently learned that a Me Monster is one of those people who can only talk about themselves and constantly tries to top other people’s stories or experiences with their own. I’m sure you know one, and I would bet he or she LOVES social media sites. Me Monsters like social media because they can broadcast anything they want and, in theory, people will listen to them. Me Monsters love the sound of their own voices and don’t really care who, if anyone, listens as long as they get their story out.

Unfortunately, as businesses increase their adoption of social media, too many approach it as a Me Monster would. They care less about sociality, two-way communication, interactivity, and personalization and more about blasting marketing messages to all in range. I believe businesses that adopt the Me Monster approach to social media can do more harm than good for their brands because their audiences want more than just “look at ME and how great I am" messages.

Those businesses that really make an effort to utilize the personal nature of social media and use it as a way to communicate WITH their audience rather than TO it, can build loyal fans, followers and probably customers for life.