Comparing Social Tools To Real Life Situations

I was at a conference yesterday trying to explain to people why they should be spending their time online and one of the biggest factors that came across was the fear of the unknown about these fancy tools we all use online. I tried to explain that the tools we use very much mirror real life and that they just help us to communicate online. There are tribes of people online just like there are in real life, communities who talk to each other in certain ways. Cool people. Business people. People marketing themselves and people who just want to socialize and have fun. I thought it would be fun to compare so of the most popular online social networks to real life…

Twitter – Disco/Pub

Just like the pub people are chatting constantly, bragging about their business, discussing the news, making friends, talking politics and generally mingling with people who have the same interests. Just like any pub or nightclub you will get the odd loudmouth, people who are a little pushy trying to get the girl, people who slink in the corners and just take it all in and people who are just there for nothing more than to have a good time socially. When you bring so many people into one place socially most people will have a great time, some little fights will start and different cliques will start to form within the one main group based on people’s interests.

Linkedin- Chamber Of Commerce

Just like a professional networking group in real life Linkedin is all professional and discrete and a way of expanding your network of contacts and connecting with people who can help your business either directly or through their own network. Just like real life you will get out of the service what you put in. Standing in the corner and not talking to anybody or trying to interact and help others will have the exact same result in both the real world and on Linkedin. You wouldn’t walk in to a networking event and see unruly teens, loud and abusive drunks or wild party antics and the same is replicated on Linkedin, it is all business.

Facebook-College/Young Professional Party

Facebook is like the killer party that you can’t wait to go to at the weekend. All your real friends (people you actually know, rather than profiles you talk to online) will be at the party and they’ll all be taking photos and talking about the good old times. Just like in real life all the brands want to get these people on board and hand around with them because they are all professionals with good disposable incomes. This is a house party online where only people you actually know are allowed in which is a good thing as you will know everybody at the party personally rather than have weird strangers walking around.

Myspace- Battle Of The Bands

Just like people who are in to all the latest music will hang around at concerts, underground gigs and battle of the band competitions the same can be said about music online with all the best acts spending time on Myspace. Just like in real life bands want to hang out in places where they can build an audience, maybe get a record deal and somewhere where they have a good platform to be heard. The bands want to be seen by as many people as possible so profiles are very much open for anybody to stroll in and have a look at.

Blogs – Dinner Party

Blogs are very much like dinner parties. You spend time on your own (or in a small group) making the best dinner you possibly can for your guests, you are showing off the best you have to offer in a public sphere. Once the dinner is ready you show it off to friends and people you know. They will provide comments on the dinner and often the discussion will move on to other topics and a lively debate will ensue. If you cook good food and are a good host your friends will tell others that you are the best host around and spread the word and you will get a good reputation just as you would online.