A few months ago, LinkedIn announced a partnership with Twitter whereby users can post updates they make in one social network directly in the other with a few simple clicks.
For example, you might update your LinkedIn status to announce a new service offering or product launch and by ticking the tiny Twitter icon before you click share, your news will also be broadcast to your Twitter followers.
It works in both directions too. So if you find an interesting article and share it with your Twitter following, you can add #IN to your tweet and your LinkedIn status will also be updated. There are similar connections for Twitter and Facebook, and websites that will post your update to any number of social sites. Sounds convenient right?
Yes. And no.
In my opinion, eager social networkers have been too quick to adopt these shortcuts without considering the content, the audience or the desired outcome. I often tell my clients to think of popular social networks in this way:
* LinkedIn is your professional networking event – you’re a bit buttoned up and prepared to shake hands, exchange business cards, and make rain
* Facebook is more akin to a backyard bar-be-que – you’re more relaxed but there’s a business card jammed in your wallet somewhere. Light conversation about work arises, but nothing to serious because there’s a beer or a frisbee that needs your attention
* Twitter is the social equivalent of the cocktail party – sure you chat about work but also politics, sports and all manner of current events, and you seldom get into deep conversation as much as you “work the room”
What’s more, Twitter has its own language. There are all those symbols and undecipherable names. For example, “RT @themime … #lol” is a perfectly good tweet, but not very LinkedIn or Facebook friendly.
The bottom line? Old-school marketing principles still apply. Consider your message, your target audience and what you hope the reader will do, think or feel before blindly using shortcuts across social networks.
