I love scuba diving. For me, there is nothing more magical than gliding through a coral forest seeing all of the strange creatures with their exotic colors going about their daily routines. It amazes me how much the activity at a single dive location can change depending on the time of day or night. Just like in a forest where animal species each have their time of day at the watering hole, sea life takes turns foraging on a reef. The dramatic change at the same location is extraordinary watching the afternoon fade into evening and then the silence of night. Colors that were muted and dull in the daylight become fluorescent under a dive light. Reefs that were occupied by tiny, glowing schools of tropical fish during the day are invaded by schools of giant loggerhead turtles and massive stingrays at night. The change is a stunning display of shifts in social interaction at a single location over time — some subtle and some extraordinarily dramatic.
What does this have to do with social media or marketing? Nothing and everything. Yes, I’m talking about diving, but the focus is on the transitions of interaction between creatures depending on the time of day. Consider the evolution of a reef and the shifts in various social media throughout the time of day. The creatures that lurk in the social networks change as the day passes just like sea life on a reef or wildlife in a forest. The inhabitants change, their familiarity or friendliness with one another changes, and consequently their social interaction changes. Just like in social networks — virtual or real.
This is something that you should do on the social networks where you participate. Spend a few days and nights observing. Who do you follow? When and where are they active? How does the conversation change throughout the day and night?
You’ll be very surprised, and rewarded if you try it.
Image: Iolanda reef in Ras Muhammad nature park by Mikhail Rogov
“Who do you follow? When and where are they active? How does the conversation change throughout the day and night? You’ll be very surprised, and rewarded…” with a restraining order. LOL!
please pardon the seemingly flippant remark, Dave. as you know it was very much influenced by something you DMd me a couple of days ago
but to the matter at hand: while i can’t say that i love scuba diving, i do *get* the parallel you propose to draw between the fascinating unpredictability of underwater life and that of social media interactions.
although here’s an added thought — i tweeted this yesterday: “the web’s meant to be virtual interconnectivity; that ‘social’ permeates the mainstream so rapidly should be no surprise” i mention this because this post reminds me of how quickly we all become so fascinated by what most of us perceive as a unique dynamic in social media (i.e., its rawness, unpredictability, changing modes, etc.) but aren’t these all quite simply indicative of human, societal behaviour? i don’t mean to diminish the nuance you are illustrating here; however, i feel that a truly holistic viewpiont would also attempt to account for ALL aspects of a phenomenon, especially ones that are observed in full objectivity ‘outside’ of said phenomenon.
my apologies if that sounded a tad pedantic (the bane of my philosophically prone thinking process) but i do appreciate you drawing out this nuance—even though i sit here in front my screen , decked in full diving suit, staring at a stamped piece of paper from the county court
LOL Autom! The restraining order jokes continue.
You make a great point about how obvious my analogy seems to be, and I agree completely. But, I am amazed at the number of people that I meet with who have no idea about how to interact in social media space — it seems like a foreign world to them. In reality, it’s social interaction like any other, just in a different venue.
Cheers!
great post. another thought and something I experienced today. The interconnection of social outlets can blur this line.
There was a time that a typical 9-5er wouldn’t be very active on facebook throughout their day. However, if their twitter is updated via their blackberry or iphone and their twitter feed directly updates their facebook status, they can appear as active on facebook as one who spends their tuesdays collecting unemployment.