Every now and then unusual parallels pop into my mind. I don’t know why, but this morning it was the interesting similarities between social media and pregnancy.
If you’re a parent, I bet you’ll be able to relate to at least a few of these:
1. It’s Hard to Know What to Expect
No matter how much you’ve heard about becoming a parent, or doing social media, you just can’t know what to expect until you start down the road. Pregnancy begins with affirmation from the doctor or a drug-store test that “Yes, it’s real!” In social media, your welcome message does the trick: “Thanks for joining, you’re on your way!”
2. You Might Feel a Little Queasy at the Beginning
Often early pregnancy is marketed by morning sickness – which can really happen any time of day. Social media, with its overwhelming choices, unwritten rules and unique terminology can have the same effect. But if you’re social media efforts are leaving your stomach a little unsettled, take heart. It gets better as time goes by and you get more comfortable with the day-to-day life of a social media user.
3. Suddenly, Everyone’s a Expert
When you are an expectant parent, nearly everyone you meet has an opinion on parenthood. As time goes by, you learn that some opinions are better than others. You seek out the experts and listen hard to their insights. Social media is much the same. But in spite of their willingness to share, not everyone has the knowledge and experience to deliver solid advice.
4. Some People will Try to Scare You
It’s unfortunate that some people love to share horror stories. “Delivery was awful,” “We didn’t sleep for a months,” “You can’t eat THAT!” Don’t listen. Of course, this can be a scary time, but you’ll be alright. Just remain positive and stay engaged. Even the problems turn into valuable lessons that make you a better parents – or a stronger social media user.
5. Complete Strangers will Reach Out and Touch You
It’s amazing how total strangers will reach out to rub a pregnant belly. This can be really disconcerting, as can unexpected connections with social media fans and followers. It’s wonderful that people want to share in your experience, but it’s OK to say “No” if you’re uncomfortable.
6. Regular Check-Ups are Important
Good prenatal care is vital for moms-to-be and their babies. Just as the doctor is checking the growth and health of the baby, you should be keeping up with your social media programs. Track results and feedback, and make adjustments as needed.
7. The End Result Makes it all Worth While
When you’ve made it through the journey, there are big rewards at the end. Maternity ends with a beautiful baby to love on. With social media, you’ll discover a new community of peers, friends, prospects and business associates. Both will provide joy, humor, frustration and excitement as they grow and develop of the years.
Image by Simona Balint.
I enjoyed reading your article.
My friend works for a leading UK retailer and yes they use social media extremely well as a marketing tool.
They also use it as a recruitment tool. Not content with the interview, team building exercise and presentation processes they view the candidate’s social media profiles prior to making their final decision. They have said since using this indicator both their labour turnover and absence stats have dramatically improved.
You make a great point about social media having a purpose.
Just as in public relations, you need a strategy, without it you won’t maximize your content and reach your target audience. Taking a part in social media, being active and moving forward absolutely gets to the strategy table. Great post!