LinkedIn - You Get Out What You Put In

Craig and Darren, the guys who took us into the Twittersphere are back and this time they are talking about LinkedIn. This vid isn't nearly as funny as the Twitter send-up; in fact the only moment that made me laugh was when a person posing as a headhunter shows up only to sell them resume-making DVDs. (post continues below)



What makes this vid compelling, however, is that once Darren joins LinkedIn, they all stand there doing nothing ... and then they whine that nobody ever gets any work from the site.

Well, if you do nothing on the site, then you can expect to get nothing out of the site.

Whenever I speak about social networking or hold a training workshop, I always ask how many people are on LinkedIn. Every time, no matter who the audience, nearly every hand is raised. Then, I ask how many participate in the LinkedIn community. Maybe one or two hands come up...maybe. Most people just stare at me blankly.

Fact is, I've secured numerous clients, speaking opportunities, media interviews and job offers through LinkedIn. But, that's because I participate in the community: I offer my opinions in the Q&A sections and share news and ideas in the group discussions. I get noticed because I put myself in front of people online - people who are interested in my area of expertise.

"If you build it, they will come" is just as much a myth in social networking sites as it is in the web overall. And, surely the guys at SuperNews know this. So, enjoy their latest social media mockuvid - but remember, there is a lesson to be learned here too.