Social Media Burnout

August 30, 2010 on 11:27 am | In Social Media | 2 Comments
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Whether you are using social media personally or for business, it can wear you out.  I don’t know if you have noticed it, but I’m detecting an upswing in social media fatigue (SMF) these days. Is it happening to you? Georgina Laidlaw at Gigaom has picked up on it.

From a personal perspective, social media is wearing on me because there seems to be an explosion in the number of networks available. Seems like every day someone is inviting me to join yet another one.  I’m involved in enough thank you very much, and I really don’t need more.

On the business side of the equation, I think organizations are beginning to realize that engagement is a lot harder than just placing an ad and responding to inquiries.

It’s a little slower way to build your business, too. Not that I think this is a bad thing. The business you get through social media is more likely to be the kind that lasts. Engagement forces you and the customer to determine ahead of time if your cultures are compatible. When I worked for a mid-sized ad agency, we knew that the relationship had about a two year window. Then, the honeymoon was over and it was time to date someone else.

No matter why you might find yourself suffering from SMF, there is one word you should remember: focus.

Select – and commit to – a handful of social media networks that work strategically for you and your organization. Don’t just add a network for a specific tactical function.  Then, work those strategically selected networks like a government mule and you will have success.

Are you suffering from SMF? Tell us about it, or check these related articles.

10 Tips For Managing Social Media Burnout

6 Ways To Overcome Social Media Burnout

Is Social Media Burnout Imminent? (video)

Why Social Media Is Like Going To The Gym

Harry Hoover

Harry Hoover is a partner in My Creative Team, the agency that makes Fortune 1000 clients look good. His communications career spans 35 years and runs the gamut from print and broadcast journalism, government and corporate communications to advertising and public relations agencies.

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  • Jim Deitzel

    I”ll raise my hand. Personally the only time I use Twitter is if I’m bored sitting at a soccer practice and have nothing else to do. And now that I’ve download the Kindle reader for Android, I’ll have plenty to do. 98% of my Facebook emails have rules that send them directly to the trash folder.

    Personally I think much of the fatigue comes from having a large social network. It’s much easier to deal with a handful of great friends then a bunch of people you don’t really know.

    I like to equate social media burnout to having to attend a business dinner every night of the week.

  • http://my-creativeteam.com/blog Harry Hoover

    Excellent points, Jim. I also have been finding myself using social media more to keep up with a smaller group of good friends.

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