Like all social media marketers and just about anyone out there with internet skills, we have all come to embrace and experience the trend of new technology, particularly, social media. This new internet trend not only has changed the face of marketing forever but also has had great effects on education, business, politics, and society in general. Social media marketing is now the new marketing trend that has leveled the playing field between small, medium, and large businesses. Social media is now a popular communication and learning tool for education and society. And who doesn’t know about social media and how it was a factor in one US president’s win in the elections?
But amid all this innovation and hullabaloo, very few experts have taken a step back and seen just how too much social media is starting to make us anti-social media. In spite of all the positive aspects, it gives out to help us connect and interact more, too much social media today is actually robbing us of more human experiences.
Social Media is Actually Making People Anti-Social Media
You see, Social Media is more of a community-based website. One example of this is MySpace. People can create free accounts and add as many friends as they want. They can do this all with no special abilities or knowledge. It is not even about anything. So if one day a person goes onto MySpace and sees some cool pictures of cats, they can be sure that the person has become a member of the community.
Now, what I am trying to get is that if someone goes to a site like Myspace and takes something like “remember when I shaved my head” and puts it in a Myspace profile. Within seconds, their friends will have access to this. They will then be able to tell their friends about the awesome new haircut they now have. All because this person took the time to add themselves to a network. The result is that this person will have made some new friends.
Social Media is also making people become friends who might go on to become business partners. This is true because Social Media is used to develop business relationships. Suppose you are a young entrepreneur, and you are looking to take your business online. In that case, you may want to look into using Social Media. This will help you learn what your target market is, and this will make it easier for you to find out what kind of products they want and how you can advertise them to them.
Social Media is creating people who are more productive than the average person. In today’s society, most people put a lot of time and effort into work, but the results are usually just mediocre. People can’t seem to get anything done at work. This is because most people simply don’t have any ideas floating around in their heads. Social Media, on the other hand, gives us brainpower. This brainpower allows us to develop new ideas, and we can then turn those ideas into real products that we can sell.
Therefore, Social Media is actually making people anti-social so that they stay home and don’t do anything productive. People need to realize that if they use Social Media properly, they can actually make a difference. It’s a common site nowadays with friends and families coming together for a dinner or during the holidays and yet everyone is sitting hunched down over their phones. Then, seriously, you hear snatches of conversation like, “Wow, Betty got 35 likes on her selfie on Instagram,” or “Did you see the number of shares for that news last night about the shooting?” The thing is, these are real people supposedly coming together for holidays, barbecues, dinners, celebrations, etc., and yet are more consumed on social media rather than making memories with people they supposedly care for.
Social Media will Distract You from the Present
Do any of these situations sound familiar to you?
- You missed the game-tying goal at a hockey playoff game because you were too busy texting.
- You missed the game-winning shot at an NBA finals game because you were too busy tweeting about the game.
- Your friends are all laughing and bawling around you, but you missed the joke because you were busy posting your group picture on Instagram.
- You’re watching a concert but you’re too busy trying to take a picture or video of the singer, and all in front of you is a wave of people with their cameras and smartphones all raised like yours.
- You place your smartphone on the dinner table and every time it sounds off you’re more on your phone than into talking with others at the dinner table.
Why is it that Social Media will distract you from the present? It does so because we live in a time when change is sometimes difficult to accept. Change can disrupt our comfort zones and disrupts our flow of activities. Change sometimes even shocks us. Therefore, it is understandable that one of the most effective ways to divert yourself from the present moment is to talk about current events.
But why do we need to talk about the current? There are two reasons: One is to entertain ourselves. We like to talk about the things that interest us. This will allow us to escape from the monotony of our daily activities and also help us relax. Second, we use social media systems to connect with our friends and colleagues.
But how can social media systems distract you from the present? Well, there are a lot of them. Facebook and Twitter are excellent sources of information and entertainment. Unfortunately, these sources are not necessarily free. So if we want to stay connected with our friends and colleagues, we will need to pay for the privilege.
As you pay, you will distract yourself from your work. Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace allow their users to advertising their products and services. While some people are not aware of this, some companies advertising and marketing strategies are controversial. To put it simply, these media are a channel for companies to sell their products to consumers. Therefore, the content shared by Facebook and Twitter will distract you from the current event.
On the other hand, MySpace and Facebook allow their users to form personal bonds. If we are part of an online social network, we will create new friendships and even send messages to those we do not know. Facebook and MySpace allow for instant communication. If we are away from our computers, we can send messages and chat with our friends. This form of interaction will distract you from your work and daily chores.
Aside from the fact that these websites are great sources of communication, they also encourage individuals to spend more time in front of the computer. This is because there are many advertisements posted every time you open the page. As you spend more time in front of the screen, chances are, you will also spend more hours in front of the screen.
The use of social media systems has grown rapidly over the past years. Many people think that this type of activity is very bad and should be limited. However, as these social media systems continue to expand, there is no way that we can control our lives. Therefore, there is no reason to limit ourselves. The next time you feel distracted at work, try to relax. Create a bubble where you can isolate yourself from the world and focus on the task at hand. If necessary, take a break and listen to music or read a book. By doing so, you will regain your attention and be able to work productively.
When you work in an office, there are people around you who you do not want to see. Chances are, these people make you feel unappreciated, and you will become distracted from your work. For example, if there are many young students in your office, you might spend most of the day talking to each other rather than looking at the clock. By excluding certain individuals from your social media systems, you will allow yourself to become more focused on the tasks at hand.
In addition to feeling ignored by others, you might become distracted when a situation arises where you have to deal with people. Instead of being productive, you will lose your mind and become distracted. For example, if you have to give an important presentation, you might become distracted by how bad your speech is. You can then discuss the topic over social media systems before the presentation and have your mind wander when you have to speak to the group afterward.
Finally, you must try not to be involved with social media systems during the day. You need to shut out the world and concentrate on your work. It is easy to lose track of time when you are multitasking on the computer. It is better to write down everything you have to do for the day to focus on the task at hand and not get distracted. Then, once you get back to the real world, you will be able to concentrate again and complete the task at hand.
Even though you may think that these problems are not big deals, they could quickly become ones that you want to remedy as they arise. If you are not careful, they can quickly turn into major issues that distract you from your work and the things you need to get done. There are numerous reasons why you might want to block some social media systems. By blocking them, you are effectively telling the world that you are going to be more focused than ever, and you are going to get the job done.
Even Social Media Marketing Can Be a Distraction on Social Media
Honestly, when you become more concerned with your device and social media than with the people or happenings around you, this becomes a problem, and you might be losing the sense of what it feels like to be human and enjoy life. It’s nice to take a picture of what you’re having for dinner, but do enjoy the meal, the taste of the food, and the conversations that go with that meal rather than spending more time finding the right platforms to post those dinner food pictures.
Even social media can be a distraction in social media marketing. My advice is to focus on your business or products and ignore social media. Social media serves as a reminder. Once a friend posts something online, they are a fan, a follower, and someone who will be “accomplished” if they follow you on whatever your social media page says. This is just a click of a button for them to follow you because they liked what you wrote. Avoid distractions when trying to build your business.
Your followers may think you are not listening to them, and this is a turn-off. They may also think that you think you have no real-life friends, which turns off many followers. So, the first thing to do is to listen to your followers and what they say. Suppose you want to build a true business. In that case, your social media marketing strategy should include this as an important part of your plan.
The second thing you need to do to develop your business is to make sure that your followers are your friend. This means doing everything possible, not to make them mad, sad, or upset. You cannot just come out here and post any old rubbish and hope that people will like you. Your followers will see this in your words and opinion. If you make it obvious that you only wish good things for them, then they will be happy to help spread the word about your business and website. So, be kind, be nice, and be social but stay away from distractions in social media marketing.