The Power of Give and Take In Social Media

Ann Tran Quotes_give moreIn social media, it is important to give more than you take, just as in life. The karma effect works magically when we share and promote others.

I understand that we cannot possibly re-tweet everyone who shares our tweets or blog posts.  Each day, I return the favor to my followers who have been really generous with sharing my content. I take about thirty minutes to go through their Twitter or Facebook pages in order to share what I like best.

Another way of giving back is to favorite my followers’ tweets, so I can repost their tweets in the future.  In this way, I am still sharing their material – it’s like a drive by hello!

Recently, I started allotting time each week for commenting on other blog sites.  I light up when I see fun or constructive feedback on my blog, so I enjoy giving what I hope to receive.

When we take time to promote our social media friends, then when there is an occasion for us to recruit their help to promote our campaign or blog, our friends will be happy to return the favor. However, don’t go to people only when you need something from them.  Promote them if you feel that their content fits your feed and when it is time to ask for help, people will help you with enthusiasm.

Recently @ZAGrrl asked me to re-tweet her children’s book, “Further Through The Looking Glass” ow.ly/7FsdY, I was more than excited to share her work.  Why? Because @ZAGrrl has been SUPER generous with me over the years we   been following each other.  (Also, we spent the day together at the Lilith Fair Concert in Boston. ) Remember, you need to build relationships before you direct message people to share your content.  This may sound harsh, but you need to earn it first before you ask for it.

I promote my friends by featuring them in my blog posts.  I try to support new and different friends in my post to introduce them to my audience.   This is a way I say thank you for being supportive in my social media world.

Have you ever wondered why people don’t pay more attention to you?  Well, perhaps it is because you have not been posting their content. This quote is fitting: Don’t be so intent upon your own journey that you forget to help others along the way.”– Unknown

Two friends that I admire very much are Susan Cooper, known as @BuzzEdition on Twitter and Liz Strauss, @LizStrauss have written similar articles on this topic.  They bring out a number of other points that you might want to explore.  Here are the links:

Top 10 Reasons I Did Not RT Your DM Request http://buzzedition.com/social-media/top-10-reasons-i-did-not-rt-your-dm-request/ by @BuzzEdition

Please Don’t Ask Before You Say Hello and Another 9 Don’ts http://www.successful-blog.com/1/please-dont-ask-before-you-say-hello-and-another-9-donts/ by @lizstrauss

I hope that this post helps you see my perspective.  I also wrote some helpful tips in the article, How To Get Noticed on Twitter https://ann-tran.com/2011/06/twitter-101/. This post addresses a similar topic, but with a little different point of view.

How is your social media karma?

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39 Replies to “The Power of Give and Take In Social Media

    1. Hello Jessan,

      “For it is in giving that we receive.” ― Francis of Assisi

      Thank you for stopping by.

      Ann

  1. Ann this is brilliant. It is a really powerful reminder to take time out of our busy day to share others content. We sometimes forget to do the simple things that make all the difference. Thanks for putting me back on track 🙂

  2. Great post. I’m new on Twitter and am humbled to observe the generosity and interaction of many people who have large followings. Your post is helpful and as others have noted, seeking to give more than you get is the best way to approach life in general. Thanks!

    1. Hello Paul,

      If you are new to Twitter, I have a Twitter category as well as a social media category. Glad you found the post useful. Yes, lots of great people on Twitter ツ

      Best,
      Ann

    1. Hi Chosen,

      People forget, social media is just like in real life. ツ Be kind, be respectful as if the person is standing in front of you.

      Ann

  3. Thanks for the helpful article. I am trying to learn more about social media relationship building and etiquette. Any other suggestions?

  4. Important reminder for the hustle and bustle of the social media arena – sometimes I can’t keep track of who I have helped recently – keeping some kind of chart would be too much work, but it isn’t about tick for tack, it is about authenticity. If we have connected and warmly shared I believe the magic will happen.

    1. Hi Joann,

      I agree with you about it isn’t about tick for tack. It’s so hard to keep up and can only do our best. Thank you for sharing.

      Best,
      Ann

  5. Love this post, and so on point. I like to say… do for others without expectation of anything directly in return. It is amazing how it comes back to you. ROR… Return on Relationship 🙂

    1. Hi Ted,

      Good to see you here. I love Gina Bell’s comment re: social equity. It is key to social media.

      Best,
      Ann

  6. I live and promote people all the time. Thank you for sharing this I plan to share it with others. Awesome post!

    Jon Nelson social media and marketing

  7. Blogging, Inspiration, Photography
    Social Media, Tech, Travel, Twitter
    Videos
    🙂 I am very glad to know you, Ann.

    1. Hi Jody,

      Social media can get overwhelming and I am glad this post helped. You may want to check out all the articles I wrote, it should help with balancing life and social media.

      Ann

  8. A simple yet great observation..sharing shows the importance you give to someone else’s work..it an awesome way to reciprocate..over the time it will build you a strong network and relationships..thanks for lighting the path

  9. Love this post Ann. I think when you treat people the way I want to be treated it comes back to you. It’s so much more rewarding to build relationships than just throw information out there. I try to follow back as many people as I can but if I see a page only throws out blog posts, I pass. I like to see information and better *conversation*. That’s where the true learning and inspiration come from. You do all that and more. Thank you. xo

  10. Thanks, Ann!
    I can always use another reminder that this is why I first got on Twitter (to help promote someone else’s art), so I do try to make it a big part of why I stay.

    You’re also correct that this is just like life… Enough said.

    Playful blessings,
    Stan (aka @muz4now)

  11. giving and taking, two things we often do everyday. You clearly gave examples of giving . we expect nothing while giving things to friends but we get something in return (unexpected.). I understood the importance of refering friends, more important i also understood the real importance of commenting and reading others blogs. its a great post… thank you

  12. Thanks for, yet again, another great post. So agree with you. People have to learn to be polite also on social media. Pay it forward, it always comes back in the end, one way or another.

    Best regards
    Tine

  13. Ann you are such an inspiration and I feel so lucky and blessed to have connected with you through the power of social. You spread kindness and make our world a better place. Many blessings to you and your family.
    Hugs from Miami xo!

  14. Great article Ann…and yes one does reap what they sew here in the social media world…if we are kind and supportive of our friends, they in turn are happy to be supportive of us.

    I find that so many people forget their manners online. My dm box is full of people asking me to tweet or Rt things for them…and i dont even know the person asking…nor do they even stop by to say hello to me in the stream!

    Thanks for giving voice to this in such a heart felt way! xo D

  15. Great post dear so much to learn from you. We know eachother from years but never met hope someday we meet. Great way to published the post including your friends and support them you are such a kind soul. Love reading your awesome post. Thanks so much for your support as always. Keep Rocking and Keep Spreading Kindness and Smiles 🙂 Rock On!!

  16. Great post Ann! You’ve certainly unearth the secret to social media success with this post. You, from my experience, are a great example and a bearer of the message this post carries.

    Nicely, done.

  17. Excellent points! Social media is all about being social and mixing, mingling and making great friends! Friends give a hand in any way possible and in this world it is sharing our appreciation for what they have given us! I appreciate this post and it is a great reminder to make the rounds! I am grateful for all of the dear friends that I have made through blogging! THank you for sharing this Ann!

  18. Enjoyed reading the post Ann. Some humble views from me

    *most people who are the so called Social Media experts show the least courtesy. They wouldnt be where they are but for the courtesy & effort of the many RTs, with or without requests.
    * many people do ask for RTs & I know this from personal experience. Agree with you re: requests made & a good personal relationship.
    * but many so called experts have been in that situation & someone has RT their post.
    I have RT many blog posts, not because I have necessarily liked it every time, but more so as a matter of courtesy. After all small things count.
    * most of the topics that the famous SocialMedia experts write about are repetitive – for e.g.  Blog posts on Twitter  facets of twitter, Blog on Social Media., BUT if one were to take an objective look at the substance & content, they all encompass the same message. So in my view there is nothing Unique.
    * very few blogs (may not necessarily have lot of followers on Twitter) have content which is unique & is an eye opener. But sadly don’t get the required recognition.
    * so I think the true nature of a person is revealed even on Twitter. More often than not a display of an Egoistic Attitude & a general lack of gratitude all because some of them think they are famous on Twitter

    Thank you
    Lalita

  19. You hit the nail on the head, Ann! Caring, sharing and then asking… it has to be the order of good social media etiquette. Whether it’s life or on Twitter/FB…, building relationship matters more than anything else. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

  20. Very nice, Ann.

    I love seeing you and your posts in the stream. Going over to your timeline is so refreshing, a nice mix of positive quotes, great links and friendly exchanges. Most folks RT what you’ve put out there because it’s just darned good stuff! And for you to take the time to go through their timeline and share their posts shows such grace and gratitude. Thank you!

    All my best, John

  21. I rarely get follow back or ty from people with more than 100K followers. When you did, it was refreshing and I was totally surprised. You really do practice what you preach. Thank you.

  22. Nice post Ann. There is so much talk today about the value of social media. I think that the challenge is that many people don’t know how to value relationships and they don’t see your network of relationships as one of your most valuable assets. They take time to build and you are an example of someone who sees the value and take the time. Thanks for sharing.

  23. Excellent post and I have learned so much about being generous from you and others in the past year. I also dislike when people that you don’t know DM you with posts to share. It seems very rude to me.

    Thank you for the great examples in your post and everyday.
    Peggy <3

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