Being a part of the world of social media is becoming very much like taking a walk through a chaotic bazaar. The prospect of soaking up the lively atmosphere and the promise of striking up a great deal entices many to come from far and wide to find out for themselves what it’s all about.
Wander through the bazaar and you’ll soon identify the different characters. Most of stallholders are shouting as loud as they can, letting you know what they sell and why you should buy it from them. They are not interested in hearing what you’re looking for, but will get in your way if that’s what it takes to make sure you know of their presence.
Then there are the ones who want to be your friend. “Where are you from?” they ask first. “How do you like our city?” They invite you for a cup of tea, sit you down and then bring out their goods, knowing that they have a captive audience for a short while at least.
Others still just want to appear helpful. “Where do you want to go?” they come out and ask you as you take a furtive glance at your map. They scribble a few places down that you shouldn’t miss, tell you about a great café or restaurant and let you know which places you should avoid. Even though they are selling the same things as everyone else, when it’s time to buy you are obviously going to remember your new friend who helped you out and didn’t give you any hassle.
And so it is online. “Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our blog to hear our latest news” is the common tagline for companies and even individuals. For many businesses social media has presented an opportunity to have a bigger, more powerful megaphone in the increasingly crowded bazaar.
Some companies meanwhile have decided that they don’t just want us to be customers; they want a meaningful relationship. Staff are employed to encourage us make ‘friends’ with them and become their ‘brand ambassadors’ (ugh). We can then fill the online world with the positive vibes that previously would have taken up the majority of their PR and marketing budget.
On the surface it makes sense for companies to want to be able to reach me in a dozen different ways. They see their competitors shouting louder and feel the need to amplify their voice to drown them out. Yet as ever more businesses employ quick and cheap methods to shout their message far and wide, the experience in the market becomes less of a journey of discovery and more of an unpleasant ordeal. More of us start to cover our ears or avoid the bazaar altogether.
But look around in every market and there’s usually one stall, out of sight to all but those who know about it, where the owner is constantly busy and never needs to shout to draw new customers. They’ve been there for longer than most can remember and their quality speaks for itself. Friends tell friends, parents tell their children and the customers keep coming. In a world where the noisiest often seem to get noticed, it’s nice to think that it is quality that usually wins out in the long run.
