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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Social networking, connect or not?
Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 5:08 PM on 04.12.09 |
->> I decided to start a new thread on this, hope no one minds. None of the other ones directly addressed this.
Maybe I'm just over thinking this. Every once in a while, either on facebook or linkedin (two network sites I belong to) I get an invitation from someone I don't know to become connected. I feel rude asking if we know each other as I like many of us have met or worked with hundreds of people in college and journalism over the years.
It feels awkward to interrogate someone about why they want to become connected, but at times it's kinda like someone out of the blue who asks to be sponsored for SS.com. You don't want to vouch or get connected to someone you don't know and can't say what kind of person they are.
Maybe I just miss the days where this all happened over a beer or two after a workshop or covering the same assignment, instead of cyberspace. I'll shut my yap now. |
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Delane B. Rouse, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | US | Posted: 5:34 PM on 04.12.09 |
->> My canned response:
"I apologize, but my memory isn't what it used to be...can you jog my memory as to how we know each other?"
Delane |
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Nina Zhito, Photographer
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bay area | CA | | Posted: 5:52 PM on 04.12.09 |
->> sportsshooter was certainly one of the earlier social networks, and its success, as evidenced by its continued growth and the loyalty of its membership should be evident.
FYI, the Poynter Institute for Media Studies' News University and The Knight Digital Media Center are hosting a webinar Tuesday April 14 on this subject ....
www.newsu.org/SocialNetworksWebinar. |
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Paul W Gillespie, Photographer
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Annapolis | MD | USA | Posted: 7:18 PM on 04.12.09 |
->> I guess it all depends on what you want to get out of the particular site. If someone wants to connect with me on Linkedin, who may be a good contact to have due to their job, connections or friendship, I say go for it. You never know who will be able to use you as a shooter and it is good to have contacts.
Facebook might be another story, also depending on what you are using to accomplish. If you are posting pictures of you out partying all the time and sharing old photos, it might not be the best to let potential clients see it. If it is another shooter, who wants to make friends, I usually let them, since I am a friendly guy and like meeting people. There is also my other reason for friending on FB and that is Mafia Wars.
Good luck.
BTW I am on Linkedin and Facebook if anyone wants to connect, for networking or Mafia Wars. |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 11:39 PM on 04.12.09 |
| ->> "ignore" |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 12:21 AM on 04.13.09 |
| ->> I always look to see if the person is either from my hometown, my high school, or a photographer, or a hot chick. If none of those, I ignore. :-) I know nothing about Linkedin |
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Louis Lopez, Photographer
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Fontana | CA | USA | Posted: 12:29 AM on 04.13.09 |
->> Phil,
I am glad we are FB friends... |
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Mark Sutton, Photographer
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Herndon | VA | USA | Posted: 8:42 AM on 04.13.09 |
| ->> Phil I'm with you, but in reverse order... ;) |
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Thomas Campbell, Photographer
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Houston/San Antonio | TX | USA | Posted: 9:49 AM on 04.13.09 |
->> I use social networking sites to market myself, so I am happy to add who ever to make more impressions. I don't have anything on there incriminating.
That was all deleted when my parents joined Facebook. |
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Thomas Marshall, Photographer
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Saugus | CA | USA | Posted: 10:13 PM on 04.13.09 |
->> I always ask if I know the person.
It's not rude, it's personal.
I don't want perfect strangers seeing what I am up too, or being a potential threat to my security. I only accept friends, family and collegues.
Don't sweat the small stuff. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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Live HVN : Work SFO-NYC | | | Posted: 12:53 PM on 04.14.09 |
->> Facebook and LinkedIn are two very different networking sites
Facebook is good for photogs to network for weddings, portraits, private commissions, but not the best for picking up corporate or editorial work. Facebook is all about social networking.
LinkedIn is for professional networking. While I do not use LinkedIn for photography, I use it extensively for my other business and I am often surprised to find out why is reading what is being written.
On Facebook I am starting to reduce the number of 'friends' I have. I don't really use Facebook extensively and aside from the instant-chat and 3 or 4 groups, I don't poke around at what is availabe.
On LinkedIn I accept requests from just about anyone in my field of interest who can be beneficial (which is just about anyone who would seek me out as a contact). I find LinkedIn has a very good network for pursuing business leads, which is not available on Facebook.
So to connect or not to connect? Be careful on Facebook. People on Facebook will look at photos and comments and updates. Watch your information. On LinkedIn there are o photo galleries and 'mafia wars' , it is professional and aimed at professionals, so requests are almost always of the professional nature, so why not accept them. |
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Colin Lenton, Photographer
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Philadelphia | PA | United States | Posted: 1:28 PM on 04.14.09 |
| ->> If you want to do social networking right, on any site, the key is to not over think things. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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Live HVN : Work SFO-NYC | | | Posted: 2:12 PM on 04.14.09 |
->> Colin,
In business networking you should think things through.
I have an example from last week. Last Friday I made a post on my blog regarding my 4 year old son's opinion on why he wants to fly a specific airline. The post is mostly tounge-in-cheek about why he likes KLM and Korean Air (having flown neither) and why he wants to visit Amsterdam (the airport, he could care less about the city).
A day later I received a message from the CEO of a major global airline's consulting division (major as in thier airline provides service to more than 80 countries with 500+ aircraft)...so when I got the e-mail I was a bit taken back.
His e-mail briefly stated that he wanted to know "is your son part of the consulting package, because he's shilling for the competition. Happy Easter."
So on LinkedIn you get a whole different level of people reading what you write. If you don't think your comments and answers all the way through you can end up in a position you don't want to be in.
We see it on SportsShooter, and elsewhere (David Cantor can attest to my youthful incidents), but on sites intended for intense business networking, rather than social networking, it can be a significant problem. |
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Ian L. Sitren, Photographer
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Palm Springs | CA | USA | Posted: 7:12 PM on 04.14.09 |
->> I just try to be very cordial and considerate. Because I am so well known in my niche as a photographer in the bodybuilding world a huge number of people know who I am and really are just being 'social'.
Then on BodyBuilding.com we have a social network called BodySpace along with blogs called BodyBlogs and mine http://blog.bodybuilding.com/SecondFocus is the 9th most popular since it was created a few years ago. It is part of what I do.
And then a lot of people from BodySpace add me on the other social networks etc. So it just keeps going. The popularity and relationships do not hurt at all! |
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Colin Lenton, Photographer
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Philadelphia | PA | United States | Posted: 9:04 PM on 04.14.09 |
->> Steven,
Good advice sure, but I don't disagree -
I wasn't saying DONT think, I'm just saying, don't overthink.
Social networking online should not be treated differently than real human interaction. |
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Ken Shelton, Photographer
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Wyckoff | NJ | USA | Posted: 9:21 PM on 04.14.09 |
->> A former boss of mine has a consulting business which includes how to use social networking sites as a business tool. One of his blog articles tells how to respond to an invitation from an unknown person.
http://www.coherentsalesconsulting.com/blog/how-do-you-turn-down-a-linkedin.../
It and a number of his other blog posts are interesting reads.
Ken |
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Mark Sutton, Photographer
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Herndon | VA | USA | Posted: 12:50 AM on 04.21.09 |
| ->> From this thread I found a wonderful new vehicle called LinkedIn. I guess I'm slow because to my suprise I've found several of my clients that are already linked and also my niece. Thanks Paul for pointing me to this. |
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Joe Livingston, Photographer
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Dallas | GA | USA | Posted: 11:41 AM on 04.21.09 |
->> Im with Phil and Chuck..
If theres no immediate connection to home, work, friends or mutual acquaintances then I have to question the reasons and or motives as to why they need/want me in their network or friends box and I ignore them.
My thought as to being cautious:
Not everyone you meet can help you, but everyone you meet can hurt you.. |
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Rich Cruse, Photographer
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Laguna Niguel | CA | USA | Posted: 2:49 PM on 04.21.09 |
->> Interesting...I mentioned an interesting iPhone app on Twitter and the developer sent me a free code for it!
This guy is SMART! Using word of mouth to promote his product-brilliant! |
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