Almost Savvy » Facebook

Is Social Media the Brussels Sprouts of the Internet?

Irene Koehler — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:46:35 +0000

To those of us who live and breathe social media every day, it is easy to forget that not everyone is as comfortable online as we are. In fact, many people have concerns about being too visible online and some don’t want to be online, period. Yes, there are people who, by choice, do not have Facebook, Twitter or Google+ accounts. To my fellow social media aficionados, I realize this may come as a shock.

A few days ago, I had a chance to have lunch with a dear friend. Lola is successful and intelligent, as well as both technology and business savvy. Naturally, given my work, the conversation turned to the topic of social media. Lola doesn’t use Facebook. She never has and has absolutely no interest in starting now. Though she has never used Facebook, she has extremely strong opinions about many aspects of the widely popular social networking site, ranging from privacy to rampant oversharing to the implicit meaning of the Like button.

Judging from a distance

I left our lunch wondering…How could someone so bright know that she was opposed to one of the most popular activities in the world without even trying it out herself? Wasn’t she curious in the least bit? Hadn’t she read articles about business-related successes on Facebook, along with the articles about oversharing and privacy risks? If we were talking about something difficult or dangerous (say, cliff diving), I’d understand, but Facebook?

Using social media is not straight forward. Everyone’s experience – what they hope it will be and what it actually turns out to be – is different. One’s experience has everything to do with whom we connect online. It has to do with strategy, style, preferences, and an understanding of the networking platform.

Social media is easily misunderstood. It’s misunderstood when it’s perceived as content, rather than a channel through which content is shared. It is misunderstood when it is seen as a tool which defines one’s experience, rather than a tool which can be used to tailor one’s experience. Would we refuse to use the telephone if we didn’t like the way other people were using it?

Here’s where the brussels sprout come in

Social media is like brussels sprouts. Well, kinda like brussels sprouts. It’s the brussels sprouts of the internet. Brussels sprouts have been described as ugly, smelly and bitter, yet they are rich in disease fighting nutrients. Most people I know despise brussels sprouts; would only consider eating them if no other food was available within a 400 mile radius. Many of these same people have never eaten a brussels sprout or haven’t had one since they were a child. Like social media, brussels sprouts are/can be very good for us, yet both are frequently dismissed based solely on what we’ve “heard” about them.

I’ve put together a handy scientific* chart illustrating this point.

“No, thank you” helpings

When I was young and didn’t want to try a new food, I was told I had to take a No, thank you helping. A No, thank you helping was a small sampling of whatever I was trying to avoid. It was a taste, just enough for me to decide if I truly did not like the food based on my own first-hand experience, rather than decide based on its purple-ish color or the fact that my sister cried when she tasted it.

Is it possible to take a No, thank you helping of Facebook (or other social media channels)? I propose that it is and that it is simple to do so. One need only to set up an account, connect with interesting people or organizations and periodically read what is being shared. If something seems interesting, it is easy to add a comment and contribute to the conversation. While this small taste will not be the same experience as when one is fully engaged, it is possible to skim the surface and get a sense of how others are using social media. At a minimum, it may facilitate a more informed decision.

On a personal level, I take No, thank you helpings on a regular basis when it comes to something new or something I haven’t tried in a long time. I’ve hated brussels sprouts for as long as I can remember. A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to give them another try, another No, thank you helping. While I don’t expect them to become my favorite food anytime soon, I was surprised to find how much I liked them. All it took was the right recipe and an open mind, and a willingness to give them another try.

*Scientific means that it makes sense in my head

Image courtesy of Ed Yourdon

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Top 5 Signs Your Business Should Not Be Using Social Media

Irene Koehler — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:59:32 +0000

Beware the hidden dangers of social media.

Social media is all the rage. All the cool kids are using it; at least, that’s what the cool kids on the internet are telling us. The number of businesses on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube is mind-boggling, but the real question is how many of them are using the tools wisely?

If you own a business, work for or with businesses, I’m sure you’ve heard from nearly everyone you know that you must be using social media. The pressure to jump into the game immediately, plus the perception that social media success is both free and easy, have led many businesses to make very visible mistakes online. A poorly constructed and executed social plan often leads to results more problematic than had the business done nothing at all.

How many businesses have we all seen have their efforts undermined because they failed to recognize the signs that they weren’t prepared? The good news is that we can all learn from their mistakes, a few of which have led to…

Signs Your Business Should Not Be Using Social Media (Yet)

1. You Like It Because You Think It’s Free

Your primary reason for wanting to use social media is that you think it’s the “modern” way to send your promotional messages out to large numbers of people all at once with very little cost and effort. Perhaps, you’ve sent out promotional postcards (a.k.a. junk mail) in the past and are now looking for a more cost effective way to reach more people. If this is your primary activity online, you are not a marketer. You are a spammer.

2. You’re Obsessed with ROI

You are under the impression that you must know the precise ROI (Return on Investment) of your social media efforts before you begin. Using digital platforms successfully to build community, relationships, and trust is an iterative process. It is, and should be, a strategic approach beginning with thoughtful first steps, followed by measuring the results and adjusting things where appropriate.

Anyone who tells you that if you do X [some social media task], you will achieve Y [specific number of Facebook fans, % increase in sales, etc.] is blowing smoke in your direction. Did you calculate the ROI of the telephone or the company car before you invested in them? Did you know up front how to connect those investments to the bottom line? Of course not, but you knew they were important to the business and you have continually evaluated your use of them to maximize their value. Understanding exactly what you want to measure and how to measure it takes time. Don’t expect to have this completely nailed down before you even begin.

3. Meet Your New Chief of Social Media: The Neighbor’s Kid

The kid spends all day on Facebook anyway, so it makes sense to let him handle all of the social media for your business, right? Plus, you don’t need to pay him. He’s happy to put in a couple of hours a week just to have access to your swimming pool in the summer. If this is the direction you’re heading, or a similar plan to assign the task to a student who will work for peanuts <ahem, intern>, I encourage you to do some research and consider finding someone who is qualified to guide your efforts. Spoiler alert: Being able to tweet or post photos to Facebook from a smartphone doesn’t count as a qualification.

4. Set Up Your Social Accounts, Watch the Money Roll In

You’ve heard the stories; a bookstore (or was it a coffee shop, no wait, it was a computer company, or was it a magazine, it’s so hard to remember) set up a Facebook Page and six weeks later had 2.5 million Facebook fans and increased sales by 420%.

Stories are just that – stories, not reality. Here’s the truth about social media: It’s not magic; it takes work. It is not a “set it and forget it” proposition. Like most things in life, success comes with focus, competence, passion, a unique vision and, yes, work. In fact, simply setting up pages and then letting them go stale without any activity can do more harm to your brand than had you never set them up in the first place.

5. Your Business Sucks

Incorporating social media tools into an overall business strategy definitely offers important opportunities which wouldn’t have been possible any other way. That said, investing in social media will not save you if your product or service, uhm, sucks. If your customers or your employees aren’t happy, adopting social media will not save your sinking ship. Social media provides a larger platform to be who we are and amplifies the voices of those talking about you. If whatever you’re selling doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, it might be best to focus your efforts on fixing that problem first and tackle social media once the business sucks a little less.

If these signs describe your view of social media, take heart, you aren’t the only one. Too many are under the impression that going online is a sure-fire way to boost business with little to no effort. If you take the time to really understand the benefits, risks and best practices (or partner with someone else who understands this), you could well be on your way to building the kind of online presence that suits your business best. It won’t happen overnight, but it can happen.

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Image courtesy of upyernoz

How to Find and Ban Members in Facebook Groups

Irene Koehler — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:40:37 +0000

Seemingly stealth group members. You know they're there, but you can't find them.

Today’s post is written specifically for those responsible for managing a Group on Facebook. Facebook Groups don’t get as much buzz as Facebook Profiles (soon to be known as Timelines) and Facebook Pages. Still, there are many wonderful uses for Groups. I belong to many, including some business, community or family related.

Serving as an Admin of a Facebook Group can be incredibly easy or a huge time commitment, depending on the size of the group and how closely the group’s content is moderated. There are many considerations in managing a group, but today’s post will focus on just one. More specifically, it will focus on when reasonable efforts to carry out that one task don’t work as they should, resulting in frustration for group members and Admins.

When a group member interacts inappropriately in the group, it is often up to the Group Admin to remove them from the group. What constitutes inappropriate conduct certainly varies from group to group, but may include anything from spamming the group to posting hateful messages. Removing and banning that person from the group should be an easy task, with should being the operative word. It should be only be a matter of finding that person on the list of group members and removing them with a click of the mouse. The problem is that, for some reason, finding the name you’re looking for on the list of members is very often impossible.

If you aren’t able to find their name, it is impossible to remove and ban them from the group. Or, is it? The good news is that there is at least one workaround. It takes a bit of time and you’ll need Google Chrome to make this trick work. If someone is really taking advantage of the group and annoying members with their posts, it just might be worth your time to watch this video to learn how to do this yourself. (If you’re an experienced Group Admin and very comfortable jumping right to the nitty gritty details without much of the context, you might want skip ahead and start watching at around 7:00.)

You may also view the How to Find and Ban Members in Facebook Groups video on YouTube.

Are you a Facebook Group Admin? Have any tips which you think would help others?

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Image courtesy of elycefeliz.

Facebook Sharing and Privacy Tips (Video)

Irene Koehler — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:14:41 +0000

If you’re a Facebook user, you’ve probably noticed a lot of changes, especially on the homepage where you see updates from your Facebook friends. What you may not have noticed are the significant updates in how you manage your privacy, along with other new features and changes. Facebook is a wonderful tool for connecting with family and friends, as well as your favorite brands and businesses. In order to get the most out of your time on Facebook and to use it safely, it is critical that you understand how it works and how you can customize your settings in a way that is comfortable for you.

In the video, I highlight a number of key points:

What is that Ticker on the right side of the page and why am I seeing information from people who aren’t my Facebook friends?
How do I mute certain types of updates?
If I’m seeing content from people who aren’t my friends, does that mean that people I don’t know are seeing what I post?
How do I customize my privacy settings so only the right people see my information?

The video is a recording of a live webinar from last week. If you’d like to be among the first to know about upcoming events, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

I’ve already heard from many people that they now understand how to did into their privacy settings and how to tweak their newsfeed after watching this session. Which tip was most useful to you? Please reply below to let me know.

Confused About Facebook Changes? (Free Webinar)

Irene Koehler — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:18:23 +0000

While it may seem that David Bowie is referring to Facebook when he sings, “Ch, ch, ch, ch, changes..” I’m pretty sure he had something else in mind. Still, the lyrics do include “Turn and face the strain,” which may be how you’re feeling each time you visit the site.

The good new is that you’re not alone. I’ve been inundated with questions like, “How do I…?” and “Where do I find…?” The even better news is that you’re now invited to join me online to uncover answers to your questions.

Can’t Beat the Price

By popular demand (well, demand is a strong word, it’s more like popular request), I’m offering a complimentary webinar on Tuesday, October 18. What does complimentary mean? Does it mean that you’ll be expected to offer me compliments? Well, no, though compliments are always welcome! It means that cost of this session is on me – it’s free to attend.

What We’ll Cover

We’ll touch on a number of important updates:

What is that Ticker on the right side of the page and why am I seeing information from people who aren’t my Facebook friends?
How do I mute certain types of updates?
If I’m seeing content from people who aren’t my friends, does that mean that people I don’t know are seeing what I post?
What is the new Timeline and is it replacing my Profile?
How do I customize my privacy setting so only the right people see my information?
And, more………

I hope you’ll join me in this live session on Tuesday, October 18. We’ll be covering some of the key Facebook changes and I’ll be sharing important tips you’ll want to use to manage your own account.

Reserve Your Spot Now

There are a limited number of seats, so be sure to register now by clicking here and save your spot. The session will be recorded, so if you aren’t able to join us live, go ahead and register anyway. This way, I’ll be able to let you know when the recording is available.

This session will cover changes you need to know about as an individual Facebook user. There is so much to talk about, we won’t be covering business use and Facebook pages. Even with that caveat, it’ll be fast-paced and cover a lot of territory.

What Questions Would You Like Me to Cover?

Will you be there? Let me know in the comments section below and tell me what questions you’re hoping to have answered.

If you enjoyed this post, sign up to receive free updates by email here so you don’t miss any future Almost Savvy social media updates and news. You are also invited to connect with others interested in social media on the Almost Savvy page on Facebook where we share news and tips.

Image courtesy of purplemattfish

The ROI of Respect, Listening and Hugs

Irene Koehler — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:45:31 +0000

I spend way too much time online, most of it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn. While you may not spend the hours online as I do, admit it, you are online a lot. My question to you is a simple one:

How well do you really know your virtual connections?

We love our time in this fast-paced world of sharing personal updates, news, opinions and general silly banter, but do we allow the keyboard and screen to depersonalize the experience and create a false sense of intimacy? It feels like we know these people, but do we? (Spoiler alert: The answer is No.)

While there will be always be an ongoing debate about which metrics (number of followers, fans, clicks) are most important when calculating social media ROI (return on investment), I wonder if there is a downside to being a metric-holic. In our quest to connect with more people, stay abreast of new online tools, drive traffic to our websites or defend an opinion, it is all too easy to lose our way. Has become increasingly difficult to remember that there are real people on the other end of our online posts? These real people have real feelings, real families, real problems and real lives. They are not simply numbers.

With most of the essence of communication being non-verbal and only a small percentage about the actual words, we lose the context and nuance of the words when all we get is words. Without body language, facial expression, or tone of voice, misunderstandings are all too frequent. It’s just too hard to understand how my message resonates with you or what you meant when you posted that last update. The result is that, for many, the default behavior is to focus on what I have to say and not on how it might impact you. It’s easier to focus on something I know than on something I have no way of knowing. Still, isn’t it worth a try?

These questions have been rattling around in my mind for the last couple of months, but yesterday’s terribly tragic suicide of well-respected social media expert, Trey Pennington, brought them to the forefront. I only knew Trey virtually, but the pain of those who knew him well is palpable. He had been suffering from depression, something which not all of his friends knew. This, too, begs the question – How well do we know each other and are we a different version of ourselves online and off?

This led me to wonder if it is realistically possible to strengthen our connections, making them more meaningful and authentic. Obviously, there are no easy answers, but we can only start at the beginning by making some commitments to our virtual friends. With that in mind, here are three metrics no social analytics tool will measure when calculating ROI, but which I suggest are pretty damn important. (Yes, I used a curse word. I’m pretty sure we’ll all survive.) It’s time for us to stop taking these connections so lightly and focus more intentionally on each other.

Respect

Is it my imagination or are people more willing to publicly harass and insult others than ever before? I see bloggers calling out other bloggers for unsavory practices. I see people with strong political views arguing the finer points of the problems with the U.S. economy. I see people bullying others for no apparent reason (even boasting about how much fun it is). Healthy disagreements can be both interesting and productive, as long as we remember to respect the person, disagree with their perspective. When these exchanges degrade to the point that they include name-calling, bullying and labeling others, that’s where it crosses the line for me.

Sure, we think we’re right and therefore permitted to make sure everyone knows it. Tell me – who doesn’t think they’re right? What about being smarter, savvier or more right than the other person compels us to overlook the impact our words may be having on someone else?

Consider:

When you disagree, do you consider whether it’s possible that you’ve misinterpreted the message or intent?
Do you contact the person privately to see more information?
If you feel they’ve made a mistake and there is a lesson to be learned, do you share their content publicly without having hidden their identity?
Is it worth your time to be mindful of respecting others online?

Listening

When we’re online, are we listening? Not the sentiment analysis kind of listening, but the real kind of listening? When we notice that someone has been uncharacteristically silent or frustrated, do we let it pass or do we take it upon ourselves to get in touch directly to see if we might be able to help? Yeah, I know it might be awkward and chances are good that someone else will probably notice, right? And, it’s not like they were asking for someone to notice them – or were they?

Consider:

Is it possible that you may get a different response to a public “Are you ok?” than a private message?
Are you able to set aside your own agenda and be open to offering support free from judgement?
Are you really too busy to listen?
Are you willing to be that someone else who takes the time to say, “I hear you?”
Is it worth your time to be a more active listener online?

Hugs

I love hugs. They are a precious, brief moment in time when two people connect, literally or figuratively. Hugs can mean, “I support and care about you,” “I’m sorry,” or “I’m ridiculously happy to see you.” Hugs can mean different things to different people and come in many forms – a comforting embrace, coffee with a friend or a phone call from a loved one. The best thing about them is that they’re shared on a one-to-one basis. In the social media world, we’re always looking for ways to scale communication on a one-to-many basis. For those of you with huge networks of friends, you’re out of luck because hugs don’t scale. And that’s exactly why they are so special.

I’m pretty sure there must be a government-sponsored study around somewhere which validates the health benefits of hugs, but I’ll go out on a limb and just declare that they’re good for us. Whether given or received, you can’t be on the wrong end of a well-intended hug.

Consider:

Is there someone you know who could use a hug?
Should we wait until we sense that something is wrong to let someone know we’re thinking of them?
Why isn’t now the right time?
Are there times when being willing to ask for a hug is as important as giving one?
Is it worth your time to share a hug with someone you care about?

Feel free to adopt these metrics to measure the ROI of your own social interactions, both online and in the real/offline world. Feel free to talk with one another, not just at one another. Feel free to let me know which social interaction metrics you’d like to add.

I appreciate you reading this and value your feedback.

Image courtesy of drinksmachine.

Why I’m Over Declaring Tech Tools “Over”

Irene Koehler — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:55:01 +0000

With the launch of Google’s new social network, Google+, there are many who have rushed to publish opinions about the demise of other networks, most notably Twitter and Facebook. Some have even gone as far as to shut down their accounts on these other networks to move their entire online network to Google+. Others, while leaving the accounts open, are no longer updating those accounts and have posted this as their profile picture as a sort of forwarding address:

While I’m loving what I see so far on Google+, I’m nowhere near prepared to move and vacate my other social networking accounts. This is not the same as when a new version of a product we’re already using is launched. If I’m an iPhone user and a newer iPhone model comes out, sure, I’ll jump in and buy it, knowing there is no need to keep using both. It would be redundant.

This is not the case with Google+. While some may argue that there are some features which are very similar those on Facebook or Twitter, it is not a straight-across apples to apples comparison. The tools are different, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Plus, even if I had a strong preference for one over another, suddenly moving my social presence would really be all about me, rather than respecting where and how my community is most comfortable engaging. If such a move doesn’t make sense for my business community, as well as my friends and family, it doesn’t make sense for me.

Why is it, then, that people want to rush in and declare something over or dead so quickly? Is it because they really believe it to be so or is it because they think that it might one day be so and they want to have been the first to have predicted its demise?

R.I.P.

Over the last couple of years, I recall hearing of a few other deaths; among them were email, blogs and the telephone. Strangely, I continue to use them all. Of course, how I use all of the tools and platforms has evolved over time, but they are all still relevant and important. Enough of the useless pronouncements that something is over; I’m over it. I prefer to remain focused on continuing to leverage the right tools in the right away, given our own objectives and resources.

Worry Not

To those not yet on Google+ who may be wondering if it is going to replace whatever you’re currently doing, don’t worry. As long as you continue to share valuable and helpful content and are always willing to keep an open mind about new tools and best practices, you’ll do just fine. Google+ is brand spanking new and has just begun to develop.

If you enjoyed this post, sign up to receive free updates by email here to be sure you don’t miss any future Almost Savvy news. You are also invited to connect with others interested in social media on the friendly folks on the Almost Savvy page on Facebook where we share news and tips.

Facebook Friend Requests: Accept or Ignore?

Irene Koehler — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:45:40 +0000

Everybody uses Facebook differently. Just like all of social media, there is no one right way to use it. Still, I’m often asked how I use it. One of the common questions about Facebook concerns friend requests. How to choose which to accept and which to ignore? My own criteria may or may not be a fit for you, but here’s my best attempt in articulating my very unscientific process:

I’m kind of picky

I currently have about 600 Facebook friends, which is probably too many for me. I think I was much looser in accepting friend requests early on than I am now. Part of this is due to my own learning curve and part due the evolution of my own idea of how I choose to use Facebook. This isn’t because I’m posting scandalous content that I don’t want people to see or that I’m having controversial conversations I’m afraid will rub people the wrong way. Anyone who knows me knows that I am incredibly dull and really don’t have much to hide. For me, it’s really a matter of where and how I want to have particular conversations and connections.

Not really a person

Have you seen Facebook profiles for organizations or businesses? They really should have set up a Facebook page, not a profile. Most of the time, the mistake is usually made due to a misunderstanding of the difference between pages and profiles. Still, there are many businesses which have done this intentionally as it allows them to directly contact their friends – something which can’t be done as easily from a Facebook page. I don’t accept friend requests from businesses, period.

No note

Do I know this person well? If not, it would be really nice to receive a note along with that friend request. This helps me to know (or remember) who the person is, how they know me and why they’d like to connect. Even if we have friends in common, if I don’t know you, if you are still new to me.

Friends in common

Speaking of friends in common, yes, I do often look to see if we have have some of the same friends. What’s more important than how many friends we have in common, is which friends we share. I know which of my friends are relatively selective about who they connect with online and which tend to connect with everyone on the planet. If our common friends are those planetary connectors, I’m less likely to accept a friend request.

Unwarranted compliments

Facebook friend requests that arrive with gushing compliments about how cute or sexy I look have zero chance of being accepted. Seriously, no one I know would actually say this to me (especially in a friend request). While these compliments tend to play to one’s vanity, I know full well that they are coming from spammers. (On a side note: It amazes me how many people are actually accepting these friend requests and giving spammers access to their accounts.)

Almost Savvy page on Facebook

The place where I most love to connect with people on Facebook is on the Almost Savvy page. For those who’ve come to know me through my blog, twitter, or at a speaking engagement, this is the best place to continue the conversation. The community on the Almost Savvy page is extremely friendly and helpful. It’s the best place to post any social media questions you have or share any tips. Like Twitter, the barrier to connection is virtually nonexistent. Anyone can join and participate. In fact, if you are reading this and and haven’t yet joined the page, why not do so right now by going here and clicking the Like button at the top of the page?

So there you have it in all its unscientific glory. Not exactly rules, more like general guidelines. How does this stack up against your own criteria when accepting friend requests?

How To Get Feedback on Your Profile Photo

Irene Koehler — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:41:34 +0000

Welcome to my shortest blog post ever. The response to my recent post about how to select the right photo for your online profile has been fantastic. I invite you to watch this video to find out…

How you can get valuable feedback on the photo you’ve chosen for your profile As my friend, Hjortur Smarason says, we should think of this photo as our own personal logo.
How you can support others by offering helpful feedback.
Why doing #1 and #2 above would be helpful to me personally.
Why this post is so short and the video isn’t edited at all.

Click here if you aren’t able to view the video above.

As mentioned in the video:

If you missed it earlier, read the tips here: 8 Tips: How to Select the Right Profile Photos
Post your photo and share feedback on others’ photos here: Almost Savvy Page on Facebook

I look forward to seeing your photos and feedback!

If you enjoyed this post, sign up to receive free updates by email here to be sure you don’t miss any future AlmostSavvy news. You are also invited to connect with others interested in social media on the friendly folks on the Almost Savvy page on Facebook where we share news and tips.

How Our Vanity Leads to Spam

Irene Koehler — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:51:52 +0000

The email I received from Gina had a very simple subject line: “Hello.” The body of the email was also simple, just a link without any other text. Ugh; spam. I knew immediately what had happened. Somewhere, she had clicked on a malicious link and all of her contacts received the same email.

I happened to see Gina about an hour after receiving the email. She was embarrassed as she is usually very careful to avoid clicking on bad links. As I asked her to think back on what she’d clicked on recently, she hung her head in shame. Staring at the floor, she quietly admitted, “There was a link on my Facebook wall that said that one of my friends had answered a question about me and I wanted to see what it was.”

There it was. One powerful tool in the spammer’s arsenal – vanity, not the spammer’s vanity, our own vanity. When we are led to believe that we will find out something interesting about our favorite subject – us – it is very hard to resist. Despite knowing better, Gina could not resist finding out what her friend had said about her.

We’ve all had friends fall prey to this ploy. Just a few of the applications and links I’ve seen recently which play on our vanity:

OMG, I can’t believe you’re in this video. Is this really you? LOL
Sam answered a question about you. Find out what he said.
Penelope found out that you’ve viewed her profile 6 times. Find out who has viewed your profile.
Amanda found out that her IQ is 72. How smart are you?

Each of these play on our desire to know what others are saying about us or how we measure up as compared to our friends. Next time you are tempted to click that link, ask yourself if it feels tempting because it promises to tell you something about yourself. If so, resist. Gina is kicking herself right now for giving into the temptation and is doing a lot of apologizing to her friends.

Photo courtesy of Khya.

Almost Savvy » Facebook

Is Social Media the Brussels Sprouts of the Internet?

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