Important Lessons from ‘The Social Dilemma’ and ‘The Great Hack’
Do you control social media or is it the other way around?
I finished watching #TheGreatHack on Netflix after watching #TheSocialDilemma last week.
While the former talks about the entire Cambridge Analytica scandal and its role in the 2016 US election as well as Facebook’s complicit part in it all, the latter refers to how we are all products in the world of social media.
Watching one documentary will make you think; watching both will leave you shaken.
The Great Hack reveals how they actually used ‘innocent’ personality tests to determine who could be ‘persuaded’ to believe extremist propaganda on the social media platform.
Get this: Even though I was personally NOT the target audience nor did I have a say in the 2016 election, I do remember one thing very clearly: Getting riled up by the entire thing and blogging about it as well as ranting about it on social media.
I also removed a few friends from my Facebook list because their views didn’t align with my own!
And to think that this was all pre-planned to a fault is unnerving.
For a lot of us, we should now begin to ask a very important question: Should I continue to use social media?
Honestly, if you’ve been using it for this long and it’s helped in any way, it makes sense to continue using it, but with some degree of caution.
And the follow up question: If I do use social media for my blog or business, how do I ensure that I use it right?
I’ve been using Social media to promote my blog since 2013.
And since 2018, I’ve used it to expand my professional network and grow my business.
So I’d say I’ve run the gamut of challenges when it comes to these platforms.
Everything from extreme dependency on validation to complete disgust and deactivation of the platforms when it all became overwhelming.
What this all taught me though, was the science of moderation and how to execute it to a fine line of precision today.
Tips to use Social Media For your Business
A) Use it sparingly and in a meaningful way. Social media, as a tool, can be powerful to connect with the right people.
B) Follow thought leaders and businesses in your niche. Connect and network with them for what they share/inspire. Do it with zero expectations and because you want to truly follow them.
C) Pick one or two social media channels where your audience is active and both listen to them and engage with them (for me that’s Instagram and my private and free Facebook group). Just watch the amount of time you spend on the platforms.
D) Do not go on a like-for-like spree or a follow loop. Trust me. This is VERY harmful for the health of your account and also gives unnecessary data to the social media giants watching.
E) Limit the number of accounts you interact with. Remember that every like is tracked; every bit of engagement is being monitored.
At the end of the day, social media can help you and your business grow if you allow it to function within its limits.
Learning how to do it may be the tricky part, but once you get it down to a science, you can confidently assert that social media no longer has its talons in you.
Rather, it’s a well-trained hawk where you hold the reins of control.
