Social Media Has Become a Virus

20 Mar 2010

Social Media Virus

I’ve got a serious problem with social media, and after reading Chris Brogan’s blog this morning, I can’t hide it any more.

Chris Brogan, much like Gary Vaynerchuk, is a man that gave far too much for far too long. He’s blogged for free for 11 years, and is one of the most accessible big name bloggers I’ve ever met. Seriously…if there was an accessibility line, I’d say he and Gary Vaynerchuk would be tied for moving it the most.

What’s interesting about this though, is that Chris also takes more flak than any blogger I know…at least publicly. Reading through his blog comments on a daily basis, you’ll find guys like Tim Jahn that do nothing but take pot shots at those on the ladder above them. You’ll watch as Chris not only allows negative comments loaded with criticism (on his own platform nonetheless), but also addresses them with humanity and all too often…empathy.

Still, the most telling trend at ChrisBrogan.com, is what happens any time Chris tries to make a bit of cash by promoting affiliate products, or as in the case of the 3rd Tribe, one of his own. The very minute he tries to, as he says, “attach a $ sign” to something, the hounds are unleashed and the gnashing of the teeth begins.

Why? Because of the kumbayah social media crusaders.

Social media has bastardized profit

I don’t know when it happened, somewhere, somehow…people started putting transparency, authenticity, and engagement in front of making a profit.

It became OK to work for free as long as you were making people feel special and doing good work.

You’re moving the ball baby…you’re a torch bearer for the new wave of business where social media, as “feel good” methodology, evens the playing field against those evil capitalists.

Bullshit.

Do you know what happens when those evil capitalists start hemmoraging capital because your precious social media services do nothing more than make people feel good and pad your bank account?

The need for social media prodigies dissipates and suddenly an entire industry, one that is built upon it’s own ego, ceases to exist.

Yes, there’s value in social media, but not at the expense of profit. And just because you’ve had a Twitter account for 12 months and have legions of followers stumbling to RT everything you say, does not mean you have any business being in the business.

Social media has bastardized relationships

Let’s go back to Chris Brogan for a minute and analyze what happens when you try to be everything to everybody…in an effort to do good and inspire people (this is not a bad thing).

Instead of being grateful for the time and free advice, there is a moderate percentage of Brogan fans that feel they now have a right to Chris and his time. His blog has become a breeding ground for entitlement mentality…one in which people lose their minds and roam around like spoiled brats.

No matter how much Chris makes himself available to them…it’s never enough. Their appetite is insatiable, and the very act of being authentic and accessible only serves to help the monster’s appetite grow.

It’s the same with the hundreds of big businesses that “get it” and are overly accessible via Twitter. Do people respect their attempt at being more accessible? Most do..yes, but then there’s that 10% (guessing) that sees it as one more place to harass a business in public.

Why call customer service or visit a local branch when you can badger them on Twitter, right? Yet we wonder why more businesses don’t open up the gates of social media with eagerness and excitement.

On the flipside, you now have a medium (social media), who’s highest purpose has become not empowering customers or helping corporations grow, but to empower engagement and leverage relationships. Excuse me, but does that sound fake to anyone besides me?

It’s now become SOP to build relationships specifically for the sake of leveraging them.

Bringing corporations down so we can annoy the hell out of them on Twitter and Facebook.

Instead of looking down and thinking about how to help people, there’s now a frenzy of people always looking up…trying to find another name to drop. People have become virtual stepping stones, and much of what looks like friendly interaction extrinsically, in reality, is a bidding war for favor.

Smoke and mirrors.

Relationship whoring.

The relationships are an illusion, and behind that illusion, is a symbiote…moving from host to host in order to harvest people for power.

How do I know this?

Simple…let’s experiment.

Suppose that Twitter died today, and every list, every group, and ever follower was lost. How many of your followers would you attempt to reconnect with? How many of them would reconnect with you? How many follow you because they like you? How many of them follow you because they’re using you to level up? What about you?

Is social media a tool for listening or for you to get heard?

Do businesses really care about you or are they just trying to keep you buying their shit?

Keep it real dawg

Look, there’s nothing wrong with leveraging relationships to level up…but at least be honest about it. Don’t pretend that it’s something it’s not.

Don’t build relationships with people that you have nothing in common with, or that you wouldn’t approach in any other case.

Don’t lie to yourself and speak of engagement and outreach like it’s some sort of holy crusade, because it isn’t…it’s about these:

$$$

As is the case with Chris, Gary, and others…it’s easy to see that authenticity and accessibility, on that level, cannot scale.

And this is one of the reasons why I’m a member of the 3rd Tribe…not because I want to learn something or because I want to hang out with the big dogs…but because I can meet people to forge profitable relationships with. I’m not there to sing kumbayah…I’m there to fund an enterprise that helps shift the balance of power from those types to the types that keep it real.

You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake

People want so desperately to be special and unique that they’ve turned something ordinary into something “holy,” and in the process, have bastardized both profit and relationships.

Why are we so concerned with social media as a movement? Why are we concerned that it will turn in to a “traditional media outlet?”

Here’s what I think…because if it does, then suddenly we lose our power and become nothing once more. The crusade we’ve worked so hard on building in order to take power from the nasty interruption marketers and infuse our lives with something meaningful, would be destroyed.

Sounds a lot like politics.

That’s why we treat social media like a holy grail, and that’s why I think it’s become a virus that needs to be treated. The older it gets…the more it bastardizes…the more it stinks.

Yes…I am a majority partner in several businesses that employ social media strategies for small businesses. Yes, I have a large Twitter following (large for a random Army guy that blogs) and have a Facebook Fan Page.

But the difference is that I’m not trying to sugarcoat it. The people I work with know what I’m trying to do.

Quid Pro Quo…it works for both parties.

Look, I’m not here to throw out a blanket verdict, but you know who you are. Most of the people that read this are part of the choir, but there’s a reason we have to preach to the choir…it’s the safest place to hide.

Editor’s Note (3/21/10):

I suppose it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t include the other “sources” that got me riled up enough to post this. The first is a blog post by Mitch Joel, who I normally really enjoy reading, about the Death of Social Media. The 2nd, was learning that Mr. “Social Media Jedi” himself, Scott Stratten, was going to be speaking at BWE10. Having previously stated that I’m not a fan of anti-gurus posing as gurus, this was the straw that broke the camel, so to speak. Editors Note #2: Some have said that this post is an attack on Scott, which it is not. We simply disagree on many levels about the way social media should be treated.

That being said, although I’m extremely grateful for the attention this post has received, I’m not sure if the true heart of the matter, at least in my opinion, is being addressed…which is that social media isn’t anything special, and that it isn’t something that needs coddled or protected. It’s become a game of scammers trying to fool the ignorant into parting ways with their cash, and as someone that works in the industry, I’m not a fan of what it’s become.

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Tia Singh

Oh forgot to mention, Chris Brogan rocks!! Maybe it's time to kick out all those noobs who heckle Chris. I'm a part of Third Tribe mainly because of him even though I haven't been very active in there (yet).

Chris (when you read this cos you probably will) - as a learning tip, what (if at all), do you think you could have done differently so people wouldn't vulturise you like that? @TiaSparkles
Tia Singh

Holy snapballs! You just made my jaw drop - somebody put so eloquently into words what I've been thinking for a while :O Nathan, DUDE!!

I've recently started connecting on phone / in person with people that I follow (some, not all - dropping most), because yeah having close to 1000 FB friends and 5500 twitter followers means jack all.

It IS about relationship building for me, but the real - I love what you do, stand for, you inspire me, I inspire you, we inspire others kinda way that leads to a better standard of living in terms of nourishment, encouragement, creativity, business etc.

People use social media for various reasons and I'm not saying there is any right way but to use it purely as a strategy to build business without caring for those you're doing business with is #fail and will not work in the long term.

It's sustainable business and relationships that we're talking about.

My twitter "strategy" has changed this year - to connecting with people who I can collaborate with, learn from, or whose energy I enjoy.

While I've gotten clients and blog traffic using SM, I'd say that social media is a tool, not a movement. People forget that, especially the so called social media experts - Gawd I intensely dislike that term.

It's not even that old to have 10,000 hours of mastery people (guessing, I haven't actually sat down to calculate!)

I just found you what - a couple of days ago? And why? Cos I'm intentionally looking for people like you to engage with for all the above mentioned reasons. Not as a stepping stone, but as someone adding value and vice versa.

Well, I totally didn't expect to be writing so much but it's been great! Thanks for this excellent;y provocative piece :)

Tia @TiaSparkles

ps: I'm with Kelly - a unique, beautiful snowflake :) Or maybe a dancing Jessica! I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me. ... and don't you tell me I'm delusional ;)
Nathan Hangen

So glad you found us here. Like you said, Twitter is a great tool not for selling, but for finding fellow crusaders to team up with.

Just the term "Social Media" lately has been making me sick. I think it's time we bring it back down to reality.

Really like what Jim Kukral has been saying about it as of late.
Adrian Swinscoe

Hi Nathan,
Completely agree with your point about it all being a tool, a channel and think that people making snipey comments are not doing their 'brand' any help.....the internet seems to me like a huge cave with never ending echoes.

On the point of charging for stuff, surely that's the prerogative of the content generator? People sniping about that just doesn't make sense after all its up to them if they buy or not and nobody's forcing them to do anything. Must be living in a different world to the rest of us.

Adrian
snipe

Adrian - not only are you not witty or clever, you're not perceptive - or possibly not literate. Nathan and I found common ground and agreed to disagree on some things. How long did it take you to come up with that reply? Hours, I bet.

I've got news - it's not an insult if the other guy came up with the joke first. Next time, do try to keep up with the class, though.
Adrian Swinscoe

Hi Alison,
Not trying to be either and my comment was not a jibe at you but rather a use of UK vernacular. I hadn't paid much attention the names of the commenters. My mistake.

Apologies if you felt I was having a go but I wasn't. Try not to lash out. Not a great way to make friends. :)

Adrian
snipe

Ahh, my sincere apologies then. It seemed too much of a coincidence that 'snipey' was used twice in a reply without it being deliberate. Glad to know it hasn't come to that :)
Nathan Hangen

See, I love this. Not only do we get some awesome barbs going back and forth, but in the end everyone's still cool with each other. That's the way it oughttta be.
snipe

Oh yeah?! Screw you buddy! Oh... wait... nevermind.. :P
Adrian Swinscoe

Let's all play nice :)
Mo "Mad Dog" Stoneskin

A tool for listening or a tool to get heard? In theory it is both, sometimes it heavily swings towards a sort of self-indulgent field trip but hey, that's the web for you. I have no beef with the Third Tribe, Chris or any of that and at times I hate the way bloggers attack, bitching like spoilt brats!
Donovan Moore

I must be doing something right, because there are many people I have met on line via twitter and facebook that I would have to hunt down if twitter and or facebook went away.

donovan
spiritnewsdaily.com
snipe

So the jist of this article is that you are mad because people who started using social media to connect with people - sometimes for purely profitable reasons and sometimes not - have gone and mucked up people's expectations for social media?

It is totally possible to remain authentic and still give things away and have followers that do not expect everything for free. I turn down new business every day from connections I made on Twitter or through my blog. (I have been blogging for 15 years.) Not everyone that follows you will grok that, but if you make that clear up front, it's not really rocket science.

The social media market, like most other markets, has an element of self-correction. So the big dawgs contributed to an environment where everything should be free. That is an unsustainable model. Things will stop being free, and then people will adjust. There are freetards everywhere. As a contributor to the open source software community, I have seen this for 15 years. But what I create for free isn't my product - it's a way for people to discover how talented and useful I am, so they think of me the next time they need something. Do you have any traditional marketing experience at all? Brand health and recognizability isn't bullshit.

I can't quite tell whether your perspective here is as a "webpreneur" (which quite possibly gets the award for dumbest web 2.0 word yet), and that's why you're bitter? Fact is, if you have something worth buying, people will buy it. If someone else offers it for free, it's your job to make it clear why it's worth it for people to pay for what you have. Again, not really rocket science.
Nathan Hangen

The jist is that people treat social media as something sacred and holy, when it's nothing more than a marketing medium.

LOL I haven't used the term Webrepreneur for a while now, but I'm glad you like it so much. Snipe is just as cool.

Apparently you missed the point of the message, because most of your argument comes bearing a grudge, but that's OK....wouldn't expect anything less from someone named snipe.
snipe

I have no grudges - I don't even know you. As for "Webpreneur", it's in your Facebook fan page which is linked form your sidebar, so according to website visitors, you *are* still using it.

Social media isn't sacred or holy - those were your words, not the words of the people you've referenced in this article. It is, however, a tool that when used properly can generate revenue *and* help people. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
Nathan Hangen

You read Unmarketing, so I shouldn't even have to tell you how prophetic people have become with social media. Look at Mitch's article...did you read it? He's worried that social media will become just another medium...isn't it already?

I'm all for using it as a tool, but I'm not giving it much more than that.

As for the fan page, unfortunately, Facebook won't let me change that, as much as I'd like to.
snipe

I read Unmarketing and about 300 other blogs. He actually does understand that it's a tool, and that if you have nothing of value, it doesn't matter how much social media magic you pull out of your ass, you will not be successful.

It's possilble to use social media as a traditional marketing tool, sure - but it's also possible to use it in a way that traditional marketing could never be used. Do direct mail or TV/radio commercials offer you the same opportuity to learn from your customers about what they want? The direct line of communication *is* amazing, when you use it the way it can be used. If you're just using it to hawk your own crap, then it's nothing more than a high-maintenance web ad.
Nathan Hangen

That's cool, I don't have a problem with you personally, but I do have a problem with terms like "Jedi for Social Media." Those words make it pretty clear what he's trying to say. His rant last night against internet marketing was the reason I added him to the post this morning...out of line and uncalled for...but that's his schtick...I get it, but I just don't agree.

It sounds like you and I agree a lot on the use of social media, so I don't have much to argue with you here...in fact...I think you and I have a lot in common.
snipe

You might also get a laugh out of this one: http://www.socialmediadouchebag.net - that was a fun one to create.
Nathan Hangen

That site is priceless...love the popped collar.
snipe

I was thinking that myself. I have written pretty extensively about social media - you might be interested: http://www.snipe.net/tags/social-networking/

But for what it's worth, that's *not* what I got from reading the article. Anyone who expects everything for free is not a real customer (or potential customer) anyway, so what difference does it make what they think?

But I think that's exactly PART of being authentic on Twitter, Facebook, etc. If I ask people to buy something of mine, a good percentage of them will buy it. Because it's useful to them, not because it's me. The people that follow me (other than the ones that enjoy the laughs, which are always free) do so because I offer news and insights about my industry. They have come to respect my opinions on things because of my authenticity, and my unwillingness to be bought or play politics.

I'm not sure where the disconnect happened with Chris, and why he catches so much flack. It's a shame. There's going to be some backlash when you start charging for things when they're used to getting everything for free (look at the shitstorm that erupted when @atebits wanted to charge a whole $2 for a newer version of Tweetie). But those people were never going to be paying customers anyway.
Nathan Hangen

Well, if you want the truth...people just bug the shit out of me, and as much as I hate to be wrong...I don't mind hearing different opinions as long as they keep it real (see Alison's comment).

I just don't like it when people hold something over my head, which is what I feel Scott has done to many of us evil marketers. I don't think Scott is a bad guy, but I don't like the sm jedi thing.

With Mich...I'm actually a huge fan...just think he was wrong there. Maybe it's my bias showing through...who knows.

In the case of Chris, I think it's what happens when you try to be everything to everyone. I often fall into the same trap, and it bites me in the ass.

Your last comment though is what is the most important...find your customers and cater to them. That's what every single person listed in this post has done...and it has worked very well for them.
snipe

I do want the truth :D And for what it's worth, people bug the shit out of me every day, and I don't keep quiet about it either. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong, but either way, I'm gonna live 100 years longer than the people who keep that stuff inside where it eats a hole in their stomach.

Me, I can see both sides - People who miss the point of social networks and use to as a broadcast medium annoy me. People who only sell on social media don't annoy me - I just don't follow them. But it cannot be ignored that social media *is* different than traditional media. While it doesn't need to be coddled, there is a lot more exposure, with a lot more potential for fscking things up from a marketing side. Companies can quickly and cheaply ruin a 50-year reputation just by being an idiot on social media. They would have had to try pretty hard and spend a lot of money to do that level of damage in tranditional media, and chances are, a lot more eyes would have seen it before it left the desk.

I didn't actually catch Scott's rant last night, so I can't comment on it. I can say that he's not a douchebag. I don't know if he came up with the Jedi monniker or if it were bestowed upon him, but knowing him, it speaks as much (if not more) to his geeky side than the marketing thing. If it were bestowed upon me, I think I'd keep it too, just because I'm a big geek. But ultimately, it's just a name. I'm always apprehensive of people who start following me on twitter who have "social media guru" or "expert" or whatever in their title, but unless I see something particularly douchey in their twitter stream, I give them a chance.
Valentina

Nathan, you're singing my song.

I have only just begun to dip my toes into the whole social media thing and am still trying to sort out the @ RT and the # ... and I know that I need to get this part of IM locked tight, it's there to help me grow my business.

The operative word is business, and for all that I learned that social media (I was going to put in SM ... but hmm, that doesn't look right, does it?) is all about developing relationships and not promoting our wares, the same course leader then showed us how to utilize the protocol and etiquette on these sites, so that ultimately, we can make some money.

I am not a member of 3rd tribe. It looked enticing but I decided against joining simply because I am having a devil of a time keeping up with the stuff I have now, let alone take on another membership. But my thoughts are that there are always the holier than thou crowd who for some reason think that money is filthy - I'll bet a wager that they are also the ones who are broke - and they think that the world owes them everything, for free of course.
Martin Malden

Hear hear, Nathan - bang on!

I'm with Alison Kramer above - doing both works well for me, and the reason I'm a fan of the Third Tribe is because that's what 3T is all about: drawing on the best of Social Media and traditional IM techniques to make a profit.

I've read some really critical reviews of 3T that just don't get that.

Social Media is a route to market, like many other routes, and I treat it like that. I'm accessible on Twitter and I use the Twitter search function to answer questions on subjects I know something about. That's brought me traffic and actual business, but I still regard it as a route to market and I apportion my time there accordingly.

The concept of everything must be free because it's online has made all our jobs a lot harder, but it's going to be a tough and long haul to change that now :(

Cheers,

Martin.
mmangen

Nathan - my first time by your site via Dave Doolin's website and post this weekend.

As many other people commented -- the true relationships I have built via social media (my addiction is Twitter) are special enough to be programmed into my phone or as an Outlook contact so if Twitter were to disappear today - I'd know how to find those people and they would know how to find me.

We are all in business to make money - short and sweet! I've found myself "pulling back" over the past several months from those that have proven to be "time vampires".

I am all about giving - paying it forward - but at the end of the day there are only so many hours in the day and we only have so much energy.

@mmangen
Nathan Hangen

I've seen you around, just can't remember where. Thanks for the comment.

You're right...only so many hours and the more business we get, the quicker they fill up. Sounds easy when you don't have any business, but how quickly that changes when your biz grows up.
Alison Kramer

i have a few questions, forgive my ignorance if they are silly ones...
1. Is it not possible to do both? Social media is a tool to sell my wares, connect with my customers and build my brand....but it is also my place to meet new people that i share commonalities with, laugh with and commiserate with over the processes of my life - which include owning a business and parenting. I think Chris B actually has been addressing this brilliantly. I have actually never encountered anyone on twitter who was against selling stuff and making money. i had the pleasure of seeing GaryV speak last week, and i am pretty sure he was open with what he was selling and also shared tons of amazing info and content. i think he actually said something about his book being successful even though he gave content away from free.... Maybe i just need more followers :)
I think you are putting too much focus on the loud voices of a few. i believe in letting those voices in, but not using them as my lens in work, life or soc media.
2. "the older it gets the more it bastardizes..." all things change, they evolve, new things come up...such is life, such is growth. It does not change that for the new person, or a new company, that it won't be an amazing tool. Maybe some companies or people do out grow it, but not everyone.

Only thing i didn't like about your post (not that you asked :) ) is that your titles are a little sensational and "all caps" for me.
Nathan Hangen

Yes, you can do both, and it's great for that...but at some point you have to let go. Gary V pimps being "authentic" and accessible...but the reality is that he isn't.

My point isn't so much that social media is bad, but that it isn't special. It's cool, but that's about it.

Is it a tool...yes. Amazing? I'm not so sure.

My problem is that we're preaching all of this "feel good" stuff, but does any of it really translate into capital? We're still early in the process, but I'm sure we'll find out.

Again...I love social media, but if it disappeared today the world wouldn't end. My problem is with the people that might have us think the opposite.

I'm guessing you're talking about the header tags?
Alison Kramer

hi
i only know my experience and i found both those people very accessible, certainly more than any other author out there that i have not learned about through twitter.
i do agree that twitter alone, is not enough. meeting people irl and other kinds of engagement are the real networking and relationship building. But its a great start and if it went down tomorrow i would have a whole lot more contacts and friends than if i never logged on. The tool does not guarantee "amazing", but the potential of it can be.
As far as capital earned, it is as measurable as any ad i ever placed in a magazine or sale i ran with my retailers - some earnings are obvious, some are indirect and some are unknown.
and ya, the header tags, its just me probably. How do you know i am not a beautiful and unique snowflake!?! ;)
thanks for the read
Nathan Hangen

haha, you sound like one, so I won't argue :)

You're right, they are more accessible than some, but as Gary becomes more popular he's learning that it just isn't as possible as it used to be. Compared to where he was a year ago...he approach has changed tremendously.

Thanks for bringing some heat to the table and challenging the post...I like that.
Mike Stenger

Awesome post Nathan! So many are really afraid to just be honest about things when it's, in my opinion, one of the most powerful things you can do.

Here's how I feel about it: If you have a serious problem with me selling something, after I've published all this free, valuable content, then maybe you shouldn't be visiting my blog or following me on Twitter or be friends with me on Facebook.

I really enjoyed the point you made about if everything Twitter was to be lost, who would you reconnect with and who would reconnect with you.

Because frankly, with the majority of Twitter users, it probably wouldn't be too many because so many are only here to self-promote and that's it.
Nathan Hangen

Thanks man. I'm actually surprised so many people agree with me, but then again...it's pretty obvious to most people that see things objectively.

If I lose 1,000 Twitter followers because I speak up or say something controversial, what does that tell me? It tells me I haven't culled my followers enough.

I can tell when I'm being used, and most of the time I'm OK with that, but just be honest about it (not you specifically).

Fan clubs and "twitterati" are things that bother me tremendously. I think Seth was right when he said most people don't want to be linchpins...they just want to worship those that are.
Ivan Walsh

Nate,
Maybe I misunderstand you but I’d disagree with ‘authenticity cannot scale’. Either you're authentic or not? Scale doesn’t come into the equation.
I think the issue for CB is that a minority begrudge him monetizing his efforts. I don’t. I wish there were more like him.
I don’t agree with everything he says and I have some reservations about the Tribes project, but that’s just me. I don’t know it, it’s just not for me, or at least, not now.
Ivan
Nathan Hangen

Totally forgot to answer the part about scaling...

Authenticity can scale, but accessibility cannot. However, much of the "authenticity" we see is complete bullshit...it's an illusion created to separate people from their cash...or any other form of currency (social, authority, etc) that they maintain.
Nathan Hangen

I also have some reservations about it, and although I'm a member, I think the project hurt reputations in the fact that it expected the community to do all of the work. TBH...Chris is the only one I see in there trying to answer questions on a daily basis.

I'm extremely disappointed in Darren's role over there.
Ivan Walsh

One of the problems CB has flagged (since before xmas) is that he’s pulled in 100 directions and can’t cope. Maybe cope is the wrong word but you get the idea. He needs a well-trained PA, to be honest. He shouldn’t be answering 600 emails a day — there’s bigger fish to fry.

While there is merit in the Tribes formula, if the contributors don’t deliver then EVERYONE’s credibility gets damaged, especially those who’ve pushed it the most…

Personally, I think BC on Copyblogger has a better long-term model with sub-editors etc.

My concern was/is that these guys are Second Life structured at the moment, how can they find time for more wok. I can’t and I'm no-one. So, how can Seth, JJ, DR etc.

Maybe they need to pay someone (not me!) to coordinate things internally otherwise people will start making their grievances public and you don’t want that.

Everyone loses and as CBs thing is trust, you certainly don’t want to undermine that. Hard to get back.
Nathan Hangen

Something I hadn't thought of until I read your comment just now is that these social media pied pipers...the ones beating the drum the loudest (like Chris), are teaching us to be transparent and approachable and accessible...but at the same time they're showing us that it can't be done.

Hell, look at Gary V...same situation. Move the accessibility line, move it...all day long he's beating that drum until he reached the point when he can't do it anymore...but he's still beating the drum.

Some really good comments in this comment Ivan, going to ponder them a bit.
JosephRatliff

Nathan, could that be because both Gary V and CB keep growing their businesses? Perhaps transparency, approachability, and accessibility can't be scaled on a personal level (key phrase: personal level) past a certain point.

That doesn't mean Gary and CB couldn't build keep their businesses transparent, approachable, and accessible...but we have to be realistic IMHO, you can only do so much as one person...even if you've built your business on these concepts.

But...

Something to think about...

Why do they have to keep growing their businesses? It seems that our "culture" is conditioned that businesses have to keep growing bigger and bigger etc... why should they if their initial model doesn't allow it?

So, with that said...perhaps CB and GV would then "level off" this part of their businesses and scale a different part of their business to a bigger level. They can grow another part of their businesses with staff/outsourcing/management, while trying to maintain their ability to be transparent, approachable, and accessible.

Just some thoughts ;)
Catherine Caine

Maybe the way things will work now is a staged thing. When you're small (like me) you can afford to answer every comment and email and overoveroverdeliver, but there has to be a point where you keep the stuff that makes you great but stop trying to deliver it one-on-one. Only Santa can do that!

Seth Godin's done a reasonable job there. He focuses on talking to groups instead of individuals, so a lot of people get his wisdom without him having to talk to every single one of them individually.
Allyn

I am going to give my $.02 on the corp side of the argument if I may.
The reason I like "badgering" big corporations on Twitter and Facebook, for example, is because many many of them have outsourced customer service over the phone to India and the Philippines. As a customer, I want to talk to an actual employee of "big company X" and not a hired call center worker who is reading a scripted response list in broken English.
So yes, I do leverage Twitter because it hasn't been outsourced yet. The relationship I am leveraging is the most powerful relationship there is, that of the customer. the customer relationship is the most important and big companies have destroyed that by going the cheap route with outsourcing.
AL
PS-- Kelly Diels is a snow storm, not just a snowflake! :)
Nathan Hangen

Allyn,

You are right there, in many cases. I badgered Samsung on Twitter because their phone support was a complete joke and oddly enough, the Twitter people got me results.

On the other hand, long-term...does this really help us? What happens when hundreds of thousands of people start badgering companies on Twitter? Outsourcing the Twitter account I'm guessing.

I can see why companies do it...they have shareholders to please, but I don't like being treated like a number. The problem is, and as a consumer I completely acknowledge this...it's easy for someone like me to talk about customer service and treating people well...but what happens when they have to scale that? How can you scale that?

I don't have an answer, but I think that's how corp's ended up there in the first place...there's just so much going on, and let's face it...a lot of customers do act like spoiled brats.
Allyn

I work for a big corp and the problem is that we are not allowed to tell the brat customers to "take a flying leap."
We are forced to keep certain customers even if we can prove they cost more than we make from their business. Many of them know this, and they continually "work the system" and get more and more while paying less and less for services. It is a very real problem.
Much of this stems from the way Wallstreet values a company based on customer counts and customer growth instead of bottom line profitability, but that is going way off the track for this discussion.
That is why I love small business so much, and oftentimes despise large companies. But that is my burden to bare, LOL :)
Kevin Tea

Strong and relevant post.Nathan. Every healthy body has the potential for cancer. If not that then every healthy body has the potential for some outbreak of disease that causes a lot of shit and aggravation until it is treated. Social media is not a virus but a healthy and vibrant body that has the potential to have its system attacked which is what all these detractors are doing.

Thankfully I am so far down the ladder I haven't suffered this but my initial reaction would be to give these types advice on sex and travel. But CB is handling it right, not letting it get to him (publicly) and patting the little assholes on the head.
Nathan Hangen

I guess my point is that social media isn't any more special than radio or TV...it's just another medium with room to grow that hasn't been absorbed by the masses, which makes it an appealing advertising medium.

However, it's not something we couldn't live without.
Keith Bloemendaal

Let's face the real facts here, and you pretty much said it. The snipers are the ones that are simply jealous. How do I know that, because it was me not long ago. I ragged on Chris, Darren and even Risley. It wasn't because of any other reason than pure jealousy. Plain and simple. They had something I wanted.

About 3mos ago (might be 4) I changed my attitude, and actually have became more successful with my online marketing because of it.

The main point here to me is, stop the envy because someone has something you don't. Second point is, get your own head on straight before you eff with someone else!

Great post Nathan!
Nathan Hangen

Keith,

Take a real man to step up and say that...I admire and appreciate your honesty.

You're right...stop focusing on what you don't have and start finding out how you can get it.
Joel Williams

Strong stuff Nathan, Chris Brogan impresses me on a daily basis and the crap he receives is totally uncalled for. However I don't think it is as a big an issue as people think. Try looking at YouTube comments, now they're crazy. A few detractors who jump on the bandwagon of criticism don't make for a trend. For everyone shouting the loudest, there are hundreds who are happy and nice people who just don't take the time to say so.
Perhaps I've lost the point I was trying to make there, but not everyone who get things for free complain, some of us are in awe of how much is freely available. As my friend always says, you should never complain about the brand of another man's free beer. But you can complain if it's not cold enough.
Nathan Hangen

I agree, but the difference between Chris' website and YouTube is that Chris pays for the hosting and domain...it's his house. I wouldn't take that crap in my house...would you?
Joel Williams

I agree that it's different and I certainly wouldn't be as gracious as CB on my own sit. Though on YouTube you can moderate comments as if it was your own site, but I understand people perhaps feel it's less personal when on YouTube even though it's a personal attack. I'm not one of the people who enjoy getting negative comments, if constructive fine, but if not, they're not allowed a voice "in my house"
Dave Doolin

One more thing to say about 3rd Tribe (even though I have been absent lately): I like it BECAUSE it costs $27/month or whatever.

This keeps out at least some of the posers.

The funny thing is that all the Big Names aren't really necessary. I don't have the mojo to do business with them to mutual profit. Instead, it's a place where people more or less at my level, that is, a little ahead or a little behind, can forge profitable business relationships.

That's worth $27/month. Easy.

Then again, if my business supported it, I'd pony up for any of Kern's products just to go party with people who have this crap nailed tight. Ad the surf is awesome in San Diego anyway.
Tracy

I read this from the vantage of a social media noob, especially Twitter, which I only came to in the last month or so. I freely admit that I ventured in there because it was clear that it was a good move from a business point of view, as a writer and blogger.

Having said that, I think most of us handle social media interactions much as we treat our real life relationships - it's just amplified our "reach". The people who seek social advantage and leverage from the social media connections they make will be doing that irl, too. When "names" like Chris keep the lines open to all, some will trade on that accessibility to raise their own social cachet (in their eyes, anyway!).

I bet they do the same things at conferences or parties, too - gravitate to the person they think it most advantageous to be seen with.

My own experience in social media? I've found I do the same thing I always do - gravitate to the people I have some affinity with, who have something to say that I appreciate, a conversation I want to participate in. I choose not to follow for the sake of it, or because someone else has followed me (that's a no-brainer - can't believe how many spammers are trolling for follows...I mean, d'uh?!) - couldn't give a hoot how many followers I have at the moment (may revise that comment as the biz grows, of course). I comment on blogs when the post sparks a response I can't help but write, and I get to know the people behind the blogs for the same reason I follow - because I get where they are coming from, and I enjoy building relationships with like-minded people (that whole tribe thing, you know).

As ever, it's not the medium that's the problem, it's the people that use it, right? ;)
Catherine Caine

I recognised your avatar and thought, "Tracy!". When someone recognises you on social media the same way you'd see someone in the street, you are so doing it right.
Nathan Hangen

That's probably a good perspective to have. Perhaps I've been in the scene so long that I've started to become jaded, but I'm not so sure...I think it's just a matter of finally seeing things how they really are.

What you said about parties is totally true...it gets even worse, but I won't get in to that here.

It's certainly not the medium, but the people are on the verge of doing irreparable harm to it.
Richard Scott

This is why I like reading your blogs. You really are open and blunt about things and that's cool. You're not being fake about it. I'm new to this whole social media thing. I find it frustrating and difficult to even grasp. It seems like over-hype to me. What I am finding is some genuinely great bloggers that I can relate to. In the mess of wanna-bes, there are those that stand out. I'm not a blogger who blogs about making money. Hell I don't even have a real blog, mine blog is static. But I consider it the same thing as a blog and I treat it the same way. I blog regularly and I feel I help a lot of people. It's my niche. What I learn from bloggers like you applies to what I do as well. Or try to do.

So far, social media and me have not quite connected. I'm just now learning to be more open and be myself online. This blog makes me wonder, is it all worth it? Or should I not even worry about it and just keep doing what I do? Questions I may never know. Thanks for making my brain work.
Nathan Hangen

Thanks Richard, I appreciate that. I'll be honest...I hesitated before I hit the publish button, but then I thought...why hide how I really feel? I'll become just like the people that bug me to death.

I say do what makes money, and if social media fits that strategy, then learn it...if not, keep on keepin on.
jadecraven

Thanks for the interesting post :-)

Social media irks me but hey, I had extreme debilitating anxiety. Thanks largely to relationships and projects that developed via twitter, I'm now functional. So I'm biased mwahahaha.

Ok - so lets say twitter disappeared. All of my friendships are from social media so i'd have a core group of people I could just phone up. I funnel all my business contacts to Linked In and the people who have become friends to facebook. So, I'd still have other avenues. This is moreso to make it easy on me to remember stuff though because, ya know, I'm that awesome. Not.

I like kumbaya though. Thats the word I use to describe my writing style and, within my business, its because a verb. Its awesome.

Anyway the entitlement mentality shits me but its something I'll have to work through as I develop my core audience. Its gonna be a tough one, as I like to give, but I'll learn. I'm thankful there are those like Chris and Gary willing to share.
Mike CJ

I can't believe how patient Brogan is with people sometimes.

Having said that, I do have social friends on social networks as well, so it's not just about the $.

I think there's a happy medium here - I have a bunch of social friends, and a bunch of what I would call peers (like you) most of whom aren't likely to buy my stuff, but I still value those relationships.
Nathan Hangen

I can't either...I really can't.

What you said about friends is different though...we met on a blog, which I don't really consider social media per se...and even then, you're not relationship hopping like many people do.

I don't have a problem with the friend part...it's the fake friend part that gets me. The sucking up...the preaching...etc.
Crunchy

Let's also look at how corporations have used the SM choir and it's love of FREE to have their profits RISE because of the eagerness of the soc med community to sell their services for nothing. People forget that just because they might be happy to write about something for free they have been asked to do so for a reason and that reason is money.
Nathan Hangen

they think it's love...but it's love of money, not love of relationships.

That's why I like Brogan taking cash (or cameras) for blog posts...keep it real man.

On the other hand, does Comcast really care? Puhleease.
Dave Doolin

I started hardening about 2 months ago: I'm in it long term to make money.

People who have an issue with that, well, nobody is forcing them to read.

I like Robert Plank's approach: blunt, no apologies, and if you have a problem, here's your money back and you're kicked out of his program. And he laughs about it. Refreshing.

Brian Clark recently tweeted something about how people that get stuff for free complain the loudest.
Mike Tiojanco

If anyone has problems with someone making money online, send them to John Chow's disclosure page: http://www.johnchow.com/about/my-disclosure-pol...

Ha.

You'd think that if people disagree with charging for things, they'd let you know by NOT buying your stuff, but I guess that's not enough. Gotta yell at you to make sure you know.
Nathan Hangen

I just got tired of feeling like I was in high school and that every relationship was a possible surface relationship.

I've made what I thought were "friends" only to realize that they were using me to get to someone else. A lot of people doing interviews do things like this. People jumping.
Kelly Diels

I am so a beautiful and unique snowflake. Just ask me.

I've been astonished at the sniping that goes on in Chris Brogan's comments. Sometimes a little sniping goes on in mine, and I'm always flabbergasted: this is my LIVING ROOM. I just invited you into my (virtual) house. Would you say that to my face?

And yes, let's all be transparent about why we're here: to make a living.

There's no shame in that. It is an honour to be able to feed my babies and live well. I'm not blushing about it.

Still, I have to say that because of Twitter and my blog, I have made real, soulful heart connections and honest-to-goodness friends. Online and IRL are the same thing. Relationships are relationships and I'm feeling very lucky to have met the people who are now My People.
Nathan Hangen

Well, you were the exception :)

There is a lot of sniping, and if I were him I'd start blacklisting people yesterday. Stand up and tell them to f off.

I'm with you on the friends stuff, but as I told Mike, it's the fake friends thing that gets me.

It's the crusaders that pretend they have something special that gets me.

Social media isn't the 2nd coming of Christ...it's another tool.