Putting the U in CommUnity

Here’s a little game.

If you’re on Twitter, make a list of the last 5 people who @replied you. If you’re on Facebook, make a list of the last 5 people in your Live Feed.

Now, take those lists and think about what all those people have in common.

For me, my Twitter list consists of a friend in Nashville, several local friends, and a member of a local band. My Facebook list consists of several local friends, a friend who has re-located to Long Island, and…my daughter!

Seven of these people are friends I met initially online (my daughter is definitely not one of those). And I actually have met ALL of them and consider them friends in the traditional sense.

Now what do they all have in common? Some, but not all, share my musical tastes. Some, but not all, share my love of coffee. Some are family, some are friends, some are professional contacts.

The answer is easy. The unifying factor for these people, many of whom don’t even know of the other’s existence is: me. The thing that all of the people on your list have in common is you! Those people are all a part of your community (or communities). They are your friends/followers for a variety of reasons. Each of them has a few things they have in common with you, but as a whole, YOU are the unifying factor. In fact it may be through that some of these people have met each other (either online or in real life).

Never underestimate the power of networking and community. You might even be what Chris Brogan and Julien Smith refer to as an Agent Zero in their book Trust Agents.

You are connected to a lot of people, both in real life, and on social networks. As a result, you have the ability to connect those people to each other. This might embody itself in you helping someone find a job, or linking people together for business or personal relationships.

By nature, those who fit the category of Agent Zero tend be connectors. Be a connector in your personal social community. Both you and your friends will benefit from this.

Tagged as: Community, facebook, Social Media, trust agents, Twitter

Kelly Watson | Womenwise Marketing

im in ur twitter, readin ur tweetz!

Sorry. That's the first thing that came to mind when I read your post title.

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kmueller62

I agree, Adam. I have so many friends...good friends...whom I have met through social media. I trust their judgment and opinions. Some people talk about social media leading to a disconnectedness or unplugging from "real" relationships, but I certainly haven't found that to be the case.

Adam Chlan

I think this is one of the more unexpected, but enjoyable parts of becoming active in social networks for me. I have become acquaintances (and friends) with such a large variety of people. I feel like when I talk to a friend in need, I can go through my social network and come up with someone perfect for the job. It helps them out, and is also personally rewarding for me.