Business vs Personal Life?
This is an issue that I keep finding myself having to consider, especially with all of the new web2.0 community sites like Facebook and MySpace.
The issue is: Should we mix our business community profile with our personal life profile?
I want to have a profile, but I am not sure if I should combine my personal friends with my business friends? Networking is a part of these community sites. Even if these sites were not created for business use, networking is going to happen simply because of all of the people in the community.
However, do I want to mix personal and business on these sites? I act differently between personal and business friends (I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but it is how it is for me), so if I had both combined in the same profile, then they both might get confused seeing business/personal messages being sent.
Do you mix personal and business when it comes to web2.0 community site profiles?
Do you have multiple accounts to separate business and personal?
I recently created a new profile in a common community site and have added friends from both sides… but I am now considering if I should create another account and move some of the friends.
Please comment and let me know what you think and what you do about this.
April 7th, 2008 06:19
I agree. It is a tricky decision. I have made it in part by presenting myself as the person who is seen by my business associates. Anyone who I feel I should like to have a closer friendship with I refer to a different kind of page elsewhere.
This is the same as an off line meeting. You don’t tell a new acquaintance everything at once. You build a friendship gradually by allowing them more insights into your personality and private life. Online should be no different.
You can have many associates but only a few will evolve into true friends. These you will communicate with in other ways. True friends are not managed in ‘accounts’.
April 8th, 2008 12:51
I think with today’s social marketing, media and network platforms it all becomes one and the same.
In the old days of marketing people didn’t have the options they have today to voice their opinions about certain people, products and services. Although it’s a two-edged sword it is necessary evil to get involved in these platforms to succeed.
When I visit blogs like these, WoodyMaxim.com, MichaelFortin.com, TechCrunch.com and the list goes on, but I want to interact as much as possible and if you treat me like one of your friends you increase the chances of me coming back to your blog, site, social networking page, etc.
In the end you have the control with how much you put out there for the world to see, but I don’t see the difference between business and personal anymore.
Fisk Gawsen