Why Social Media Is A Lot Like Sex

Here at V3 headquarters, we consume a lot of content. A. Lot. And we often find blogs, vlogs, articles and presentations that make us think (or sometimes cringe). The best? When something makes us think AND laugh, as evidenced by HubSpot’s brilliant presentation “Social Media Is A Lot Like…Sex.”

You’re already hooked by the title, aren’t you? Trust us—it gets better! How, exactly, is social media like everyone’s favorite naughty activity? Take a look (and don’t worry—we’ll stay squarely in SFW territory).

Everyone’s Doing It

Look at it this way—according to HubSpot’s preso, social networks reach 82% of the world’s Internet users, which translates to 700,000 new Facebook users each day. Even more impressive? Something new is shared every 60 seconds, which adds up to 7,000,000,000 things being shared in social channels each week. And when you add up the numbers, social media is actually harder to resist than sex (shocking, right?).

The Importance of Doing It Right

Keeping the sex analogy in mind (as if you could forget it), let’s think about naked time. It’s important to get it right, isn’t it? You want to pick a great partner, put forth your best effort and have the whole thing end with fireworks and a symphony—well, that’s the idea, any way.

This is where social media becomes even more like sex. It’s critical to get your social strategy right, which is where, according to HubSpot, so many businesses fail—and end up acting like horny teenagers on social channels: “Everyone talks about it, everyone wants to do it, nobody knows how. When we finally get around to giving it a shot, we’re surprised it’s not better.”

So when you examine your business’s social media marketing strategy, don’t follow this guy’s example:

Instead, emulate this guy:

You’re building a relationship with your audience—not engaging in a one-night stand. You need to find them. You need to connect with them. You need to woo them (c’mon, we’ve all been down this path before, you know how to do this). Then, once you’ve got their attention, give them what they want. And just like the dating game, once you get this stuff mastered, they’ll keep coming back for more.

But there’s no “easy” button. There’s no “set it and forget it” strategy. Success in social requires that you do the work. Learn who your audience is. Understand them. Make them feel special. And don’t be afraid to try new positions—err, tactics—to see what works. Sure, you’ll likely have some tried-and-true moves that help guarantee success. But don’t completely ban experimentation, either. After all, social media changes daily—and your strategy needs to evolve, too, in order to deliver optimal results. Oh, and if you try the mailing it in route, they’ll know.

Consider what you just read the quickie version—now treat yourself and go watch HubSpot’s ridiculously awesome preso for yourself to see just how closely sex and social media are intertwined.

So whaddya think? They’re right, aren’t they? Just remember that as you’re crafting your social media strategy and talking about tactics. And if you mess it up, watch out because then you’ll hear “We are never, ever getting back together.” (You’re welcome for that).

Images via HubSpot