Can you feel it? It’s very subtle, sometimes. Other times it’s as powerful as a roaring river.
I’m talking about the backlash. People are getting sick and tired of social media.
Tweeters are tired of tweeting so often. “It’s a time suck,” they say.
On the flip side, readers are tired of sifting through the junk. “98% of what people tweet isn’t worth reading,” someone commented.
Even Google, who might not be the social king (with Google+ not being as successful as hoped) but is certainly Emperor Almighty of the Internet Realm that Extends from Here Forward to the End of Space and Time, has shied away from relying solely on the internet.
Google recently announced that they were opening a call center for people with questions about Google Apps.
- Always watching!
That’s right; you can now call Google and talk to a real person about your problems.
Whoa.
But it’s Google? Shouldn’t they have an algorithm that can predict what your problem is and fix it before you call? At least they should have an all knowing phone tree that has a computerized British woman leading you in circles, right?
Nope, it’s just a person who’s willing to stay on the phone until your issue is resolved.
So this must mean the end of social media as we know it if an Internet company known for its automation is de-automating.
WRONG.
What is happening is a shift. It’s a mass exodus away from stuff that doesn’t matter.
Stuff like, “Like Me on Facebook!” and “Follow Me on Twitter.” Or “So and So has just sent you a gift on Mafia Wars.” Or things like, “Our customer service bot will be able to help you with ALL of your problems.”
Cartoonist Hugh MacLeod wrote a great piece on what is actually important on the internet. He calls them, “social objects.” (Be warned there is some rough language in his post. But hey, he’s passionate.)
What we’re seeing is a shift towards meaningful interactions. Interactions, that when they are over, leave a lasting impression.
It boils down to the same stuff that gets us talking in “real life”: Shared interests, common experiences, mutual friends, desires, dreams, and aspirations.
Talk about much of anything else and you’ll be ignored. MacLeod puts it well in one of his cartoons, “If you talked to people the way advertising talked to people, they’d punch you in the face.”
So, here at Environmental Enhancements, we got on social media to chat with customers, other garden enthusiasts, and people who need answers to questions.
Honestly, we’re here to talk to just about anyone with something to share.
- The real deal
The reality is, if you want to like us on Facebook, you’ll like us. If you want to follow us on Twitter, you’ll follow us. If you feel compelled to comment on our blog posts, you’ll comment.
But if you don’t, you won’t.
We’ll still be here, sharing our social objects because we’re not here for the likes, or the follows, or even the re-tweets.
We’re here for something a little more meaningful than that.
