Valuing Connections More Than Stats
In our digital world, a single view can have significant impact
A few months before launching this Substack, I was experimenting with various ways of exploring the upsides of social media and how to collectively use it to advance collaboration and community. To that end, in September, I published a brief article on LinkedIn urging small business owners to be vulnerable with customers and community members about the challenges they face in operating their business.
Citing findings from a research study conducted on Culinary Distancing COS, a Facebook group dedicated to supporting local food and drink businesses through the pandemic and beyond, the article highlighted how community members became more invested in businesses that shared struggles and needs instead of merely communicating offers and information.1 “Tell the community about what you’re doing and be transparent about the things you’re learning along the way,” I wrote. “Ask the community for support and help. Be specific about what you need…. When we know how to help, we become partners and friends instead of mere consumers.”
I was excited about the article. I love supporting small businesses and helping them find ways of connecting with their audience — especially ways that demonstrate how vital businesses are to communities and how deeply business owners care about the people they serve. “When brands make continual efforts to connect and reconnect with consumers by showing that their story and position are real, and that they are on the consumer’s side, strong connections result,” says Sean Pillot de Chenecey in The Post-Truth Business: How to Rebuild Brand Authenticity in a Distrusting World. I find joy in sharing research, case studies, and insights on the power of simple human connection to create lasting bonds between businesses and customers.
Based on LinkedIn stats, however, the article was a dud. As of this writing, it only has 30 views and three “likes”. Despite all the criticism and hand-wringing about engagement-maximizing algorithms determining what social media networks serve to users, engagement metrics still dominate discussions about “successful” social media content. Many social media jobs are measured on increasing views, likes, comments and shares — not on making and nurturing human connections and interactions. And, according to those measures, the post wasn’t successful at all.
But a few weeks ago, at an event held at Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market, a grocery store serving our downtown community (and launched in the midst of the pandemic), Stacy, one of the owners and curators, stopped me to tell me she enjoyed the post. She went on to say that after thinking about it and talking it over with her co-owner, they decided to use some of my suggestions in a communication with supporters of the store. I was honored.
And I was floored.
I interpreted the LinkedIn metrics as saying no one read the post, which is absurd since the metrics clearly state 30 people viewed it. Stacy, a business owner who believes in building community, and, according to the Bread & Butter website “provide[s] a space for good food and good community,” was one of those people.
Even though I know the difference between engagement and impact — and write and speak about the difference pretty much all the time — I automatically assumed my post had no impact because the engagement stats were low. That’s how conditioned I am to measuring the impact and value of my digital activity in terms of engagement metrics.
I’m writing this as a reminder to myself and as an example to anyone who doubts that what we say and do in digital spaces matters — even when we think no one is paying attention. Maybe especially then.
Unless someone tells us how our social media content impacts them (thank you, Stacey, for your kindness in doing so!), we don’t know what kind of impact our posts are having.
A post may be seen by only a handful of viewers, but it can have profound impact on one or all of them. For better. Or for worse.
When we choose “for better,” we transform digital spaces into welcoming and uplifting places full of helpful information and insights; stories of people and businesses doing brave, innovative, and community-centric things; respectful conversations about difficult and controversial topics; kindness and camaraderie. Those posts might not “perform well” in terms of engagement metrics, but they are invaluable contributions to the positive social media use many of us want to see.
Please keep sharing your interests, your passions, your observations, your thoughts, and your hearts — even if engagement metrics are low. You never know who is paying attention and what connections your posts will spark. That’s how we build relationships with people we might not otherwise ever meet, strengthen bonds with those we already know, and find our way forward together to a better world for all.
Also from Lauren M. Hug — Digital Kindness: Being Human in a Hyper-Connected World and COMING SOON Digital Grace: Embracing Benevolence in an Outraged World.
I’ve written about the findings from this study before. If you’re interested, check out “Come for the food businesses, stay for the connections.” And to access the complete report and case study visit www.ppwfc.org/CulinaryDistancingCOS.