The latter part of the last decade has seen a revolution in the way we communicate. The growth of social networking has changed the way we interact with friends, both new and old; how companies engage with their customers and now even shape the way that government policy is set.
The influence of social media has even led to the recent sentencing of two men to four years in prison for setting up Facebook groups to incite rioting, and to talks of the influence online platforms have had in both the instigation and clean-up of last month's civil unrest in the UK.
Behind the headlines every minute of every day social networks connect people in a series of conversations on a range of topics, from sports to films to business. Much of the interaction can be dismissed as inconsequential but a lot of import is also shared and discussed online, both in closed and public forums.
One of the consequences of the popularity of such networks has been the growth of interest in networking in general. Previously perceived as a pastime of the few, either through 'Old School Tie' connections or small business exchanging business cards over breakfast, networking is now seen as essential for business growth or career development.
The growth of an entrepreneurial culture and increased competitiveness and scarcity in the jobs market have both played a role in the increased importance of networking, but the popularity of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn in particular have brought networking into the mainstream. In every workshop I run or talk I give, irrespective of industry or seniority, the vast majority of the audience are members of at least one social network.
Unfortunately, as with face to face networks, many people join social networks because they receive countless invites and see their colleagues already there. Little thought is given to why join and what type of return would justify the time spent online and the privacy sacrificed. That's fine when networking is purely social, but if the objective is to use social networks for professional benefit, more consideration is required.
Broadly speaking, we network for one of three main reasons, to become:
-Better known
-Better equipped or
-Better connected.
Your choice of social network, and how you participate in that network, should be guided by those objectives.
Is the goal to raise your profile? If so, where and for what? If you want to be well known in a particular industry, look for niche networks based around that industry, or join appropriate discussion groups on a site like LinkedIn. If you want to get your name recognised in a particular part of the world or within a certain demographic, find out which networks are the most popular with your audience.
Once you have chosen the appropriate network, decide what you want to stand for in that market and to what you have to commit to get the message out. There is no point joining a platform with the right audience but then staying quiet. You need to blog, post links, ask questions and join in with discussions. Engage rather than promote and be consistent in your approach so that other people using that network get to recognise you and what you stand for.
Is your goal to learn or seek out support? In which case, which networks boast the expertise and people with the experience you lack? Niche networks or groups may come to the fore here, but searches on mainstream sites like Twitter can also produce powerful results.
If your goal is to increase connections and get referred, you need to be focused on the quality of relationship you have with other members with whom you connect. Just sending out a mass of invitations and accepting all incoming ones won't lead to the introductions you need to boost your career or your business.
Start by connecting with people you already know, like and trust and, if you accept requests from people you haven't previously met, find out what you have in common and look to establish mutual understanding based on that.
LinkedIn is a very powerful tool for referral generation, as I discuss here. Most people, however, don't understand how simple yet effective this approach is and spend their time just accepting connections and updating their CV.
However you want to use social networks, they don't operate in isolation. I meet a lot of people who tell me that they are now focusing their networking time online rather than meeting people in person. I believe this is a big mistake. You can establish and develop relationships to a certain level online, but nothing beats the rapport building made possible when you physically shake hands and see the whites of the other person's eyes.
Relationships lie at the core of networking, however it takes place. People are more inclined to support you if you have both invested time in developing trust and mutual understanding first. Online and face to face networking work hand in hand but the basic rules stay the same:
-Show an interest in the other person
-Develop the relationship over time
-Stay in touch
Despite negative stories in the media and concerns in Government, the social networking revolution is here to stay. In career and business terms, we now need to move from curiosity and experimentation to focus and strategy if we are going to make it truly drive us towards our goals.