This post really isn’t meant as a commentary on the past, present and future value of social media properties, although the title may indicate that.  If anything, what I am trying to do may even be a bit selfish – I’d like to explain my use of social media properties and figure out if other people, particularly businesspeople, are experiencing the same trend that I am experiencing.

Let’s address the current kings of social media: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Before anyone gets all riled up, I recognize that each of the properties above is very, very different – different audiences, different usage and different business models.  That being said, I happen to use all three and many folks I do business with do as well, hence the whole thought process that lead me to this post.

Let’s start with LinkedIn , the property I started using first.  LinkedIn is a business networking property, plain and simple.  Most people to use it to connect with other professionals.  Perhaps some use it for personal (non-business) purposes, but I certainly don’t.  Here’s my history with LinkedIn:

• Started using it sometime in 2003.
• Used it initially to connect with other professionals and expand my business network.
• When I reached a certain comfort level – call it 100 contacts or so – I began using it as a prospecting and lead generation tool for my business.
• On the flip side, also used it to find providers/vendors for my business, so it worked both ways for me.
• Used LinkedIn Answers in a limited manner to answer questions “in my wheelhouse” and also to ask questions to my network.
• At some point between 2007 – present, it feels as if the world discovered LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn began to feel overcrowded, became far less useful for me, and now I pay very little attention other than a daily login to make sure I am not missing something important.

Let’s move on to Facebook .  Facebook represents the opposite of LinkedIn for me.  I use it almost exclusively for social/personal purposes, although I suppose there are tangential business benefits.  I don’t mean to indicate that there aren’t substantial direct business benefits – there absolutely are for those who are smart about reaching their target audiences without ruining the Facebook experience.  Here’s my history with Facebook:

• Started using it sometime in 2008, maybe late 2007.
• Used it initially to just connect with old friends and colleagues.
• When I reached a certain comfort level – call it 3 months in – I actually posted an occasional status update and photos.
• At some point in late 2008/early 2009, the world seemed to discover Facebook.
• Facebook began to feel overcrowded, became far less entertaining and useful for me, and while I do log in frequently, I am far more focused on how my clients can use Facebook than how I can use it for personal purposes.

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I just finished reading Malcolm Gladwell’s latest piece in The New Yorker, How David Beats Goliath: When Underdogs Break the Rules.  To no surprise he has once again hit the nail on the head.  Through both research data and elegant examples as varied to include the eponymous Biblical tale, 12 year old girls basketball, World War I’s Lawrence of Arabia and Digger Phelps’s Fordham Rams upsetting Dr. J’s UMass team, Gladwell reveals and reinforces his key point — When underdogs choose not to play by Goliath’s rules, they win…even when everything we think we know about power says they shouldn’t.  The article is a great read.

In the marketing world we see this with our clients every day, with underdogs triumphing over their own Goliath.  Disruptive startups that change things  - like Google changed the web — rather than those that mashup and wait for the quick sale.    Established businesses that decide TODAY is the day to do something different and throw out the old rules, like King Gillette giving away free razors so many years ago or Radiohead, Trent Reznor, and other bands that understand the value of no cost audience building.  

So, if your organization is a “David” (or a “Lawrence” or “Digger”) what’s your plan to break the rules today?