Social Media Divorce: Making Your Way Through It

Earlier today, I posed this question on my Facebook:  “If Facebook is my husband, is Twitter my boyfriend? Or am I just in a plural marriage?” Of course, that was meant to be a joke, but your connection to social media can be a lot like a relationship. You spend a lot of time with it, you tell it about your day and what you’re up to, it provides feedback and a connection, and sooner or later, you realize you’re kind of dependent on it.

Unfortunately, there are times when even good relationships go bad. The same is true for social media. Do you really think you’re going to find any friends on Friendster? And MySpace is kind of like the slightly older cousin/neighbor/friend that seemed pretty cool when you were younger. Now, you just realize he’s a big flippin’ burn out.

Sure, there are still a few people hanging around him, but those are people who a) have no clue or b) resist change. And he may still have a following with teenagers, but kids are known to hang out with older, dodgy weirdos who can score them alcohol.

Anyway… back to the point. Here’s how to get through your Social Media Divorce:

Let Your Feelings Be Known

Sit down with your social media site {re: MySpace} and tell them why you are leaving. Explain that you had some good times, but you’ve grown apart. Let them know that you wish them luck, but that there really isn’t any point to being ‘friends’ anymore.

Tell Your Friends And Family

The next step is to tell your friends and family that you are moving on and where they can find you. This may mean your custom Facebook URL or your Twitter handle, etc. Your best bet is to include your new address in your emails, on your business cards, etc. Don’t be shy about letting people know…

Start Seeing Other Sites

In many cases, a social media divorce happens because the person has started seeing Facebook and/or Twitter on the side.  If you haven’t started yet, now is the time! You’re a free agent! Don’t feel bad about tweeting or updating your Facebook status. Remember, you are not married to MySpace anymore!

Have Fun And Experiment – But Remember What You Learned

Yes, now is the time to have fun and experiment with new sites. Let your hair down a little and put up some Twitpics, Retweet a funny post, install a Twitter app on your phone, hell – if you have the ability… go mobile with Facebook, and don’t forget to tell a few people you like their status and even leave a comment or two.

But remember what you learned. Social Media sites don’t last forever, so don’t get too attached. Just because it’s hot today, doesn’t mean it’s going to be the “it” place to be next year. When you start hearing chatter about the next cool thing, don’t be so quick to dismiss it. Be adventurous and go explore it. You never know, you may just find a new (and enjoyable) distraction.