Your Facebook friends may have hidden you and you didn't know it! Yes, you could be talking to, well, no one. OK- maybe it's not that bad, but there may be some friends you are missing.
I have been on Facebook for about a year now and have amassed a modest 127 friends. I don't often go seeking friends but I do love adding friends when they find me! Facebook has been a great way for me to get to know friends better, colleagues, and sometimes even strangers if we have a common bond such as our business.
I love sharing what I'm doing and hearing about what my friends are up to during the day. But, as with anything, there are times when it's not so much a thrill. There are times I have "un-friended" people and have "hidden" others.
Why?
What were their crimes to deserve this? As I share a few reasons, consider if you've been guilty!
Unfriended: Generally the only reason I would actually "un-friend" someone is for obscenity. It's my Facebook, I have other friends and colleagues who see it, and I just plain don't want it.
Hidden: I "hide" people more often when I don't want to lose their friendship but I just can't take their posts any longer! This allows me to occasionally go in and see what they're up to and still maintain contact with them. Most of the time, they're not aware they're hidden and that I'm not seeing their posts.
Some reasons I have "hidden" friends:
• Constant sales pitch: Whether it's business, politics, your religion, or your new diet you can't stop talking about. Mention it now and then, fine. Post it over and over and over again, sometimes 3 or more times in a row and you're hidden.
• Constant updates: Like 4-5 in a row. Whether it's what you're doing every minute, or what you ate-- edit yourself. Please. I really do not need to know everything!
• Quotes: Remember: You are not the only one who constantly posts quotes. There's only so many quotes I can take!
I think the thing to remember is that this is Social Media-- with the emphasis on social. It is not usually the content that will get someone hidden as much as it is the frequency of that content. I want to know who you are, not your sales pitch, or a random quote. Think of it as a party-- you wouldn't walk in and start your sales pitch. You would seek to form relationships.
Facebook is also a "give and take." Do you post frequently but never comment on anyone else's posts? Don't be a selfish Facebook friend! How good can a relationship be if it's one-sided?
Facebook is a wonderful way to connect and re-connect with friends, colleagues, and others, but as in any relationship, it needs nourishment and time invested.
So, are there Facebook habits you can change? I know I'm not the only one who hides people for these reasons!
Please try to avoid these habits-- you are in a vibrant industry with plenty of great things to share!
Don't go and get yourself hidden!
Michele Roseis a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
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One of my family members is hidden because he just provides all of us "too much information" and posts that overwhelm our sites. Good reminder!