Measure Social Media Influence with Poetry, Not Algorithms
I am preparing to nominate several more people for the Inman News 100 Most Influential Leaders. I’m weighing criteria about influence. Influence is not just about the numbers. Random House Dictionary offers this definition:
in⋅flu⋅ence /ˈɪnfluəns/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [in-floo-uhns] noun, verb, -enced, -enc⋅ing.
–noun
- the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others: He used family influence to get the contract.
- the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others: Her mother’s influence made her stay.
There has been a lot of discussion about measuring influence in the real estate social media space.
2009 finds my name on several lists:
- Swanepoel’s 2009 Top 50 Most Influential Women in Real Estate
- Proxio’s 2009 25 Most Connected People in Real Estate
- 100 Influential and Interesting Real Estate People
- 50 Most Influential People on Twitter
- Roost.com’s Top 50 People to Follow on Twitter in August
Recent “influencer” discussions in social media see a blend of authoritative and subjective selection by leading visionary Stefan Swanepoel, brilliant mathematical algorithms by techno-geeky real estate blogfather Dustin Luther, and introspective challenge on all fronts by brand manager and thought leader Marc Davison. The most insightful discussion about influence occurred recently in a rapid-fire exchange of 140-character bursts of passion and opinion between Davison and Luther. They volleyed for hours: What is the value of the number of followers and connections in social media? What relationship does the number of followers have, if any, to real estate production volume?
I consider those questions as I develop my 2010 business plan this weekend … my life is taking new directions and I wonder:
What does this really mean?
What value do I deliver to people in the real estate industry and in social media to earn the right to appear on these lists?
In some cases, my appearance on lists is a function of the number of people with whom I am connected. I am a long-time participant in social media and an early adopter in the Blogosphere and Twittersphere, giving me a large sphere of influence in online communities.
I do not think my value lies in sheer numbers. I do not aspire to win a numbers game. I shudder each time I receive an invitation to apply new technology to automate my engagement and grow my Twitter list to thousands in a day.
I do not want followers who are attracted to me because an algorithmic cyberbot directs them to my link. I want social media friends who are attracted by words and thoughts and poetry … I am attracted to words and thoughts and poetry … numbers are almost meaningless.
I see Twitter more an extension of the human soul than a technology tool.
Facebook was transformed into an online chapel this week as friends prayed for a young Tucson girl as she received a new pair of lungs. Facebook sharing was prayerful, teary-eyed, and breathless as we waited. The same space issued relief, gratitude, and joy when the young girl rebounded and sat in a chair two days after surgery. Yesterday saw her back on Facebook, thankful and loving. This kind of engagement has nothing to do with numbers. Sharing was about collecting prayers, not new Facebook and Twitter friends.
I measure the gist of human engagement when I consider influence. Does someone move me (or others) to action? Am I inspired and moved? Does someone make me tether my thinking cap with a string under my chin so my cap does not fly away in the wind?
Those are the measures I will use when I make these nominations. Those are the measures I use when embrace a new social media friend.
Imagine that online engagement is all about poetry and has nothing to do with numbers, What difference would that make in social media? … in our lives?
(I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.)
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Comments
“An extension of the human soul…” Now that’s something worth engaging in.
Cheers.