Monday, July 21, 2014

Social Media's Triple Crown


I think I can achieve social media's triple crown, possibly in the next five years. It's not that I'm competitive or have anything to prove. I just like big round numbers. I don't know why. It would make me feel good, I guess -- 5,000 friends on Facebook, 500+ connections on LinkedIn and 100,000 followers on Twitter. The only other Internet-y accomplishment that would give me pleasure -- I guess you could call it the 4th leg of the triple crown -- is having my own Wikipedia page. I mean, let's face it, you're not really somebody until you have your own Wikipedia page. 

Here's the thing about the triple crown that makes it so prestigious -- it's hard to achieve, mainly because some people have what it takes to dominate one or two media, but all three, forget it. For example, twitter superstar Rob Delaney has a million followers in that medium and easily shatters the Facebook 5,000-friends limit, but he doesn't have 500+ connections on LinkedIn. I think that tells you something right there. Obviously, nobody wants to do serious business with him. Sorry, Rob. Britney Spears, same deal: 38.1 million followers on Twitter, Facebook limit destroyed, but she lacks the professionalism to make it on LinkedIn. Bummer.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh. After all, not everyone can be like Deepak Chopra, the ultimate triple threat. Here's a guy who can humor you on Twitter (1.9 million), touch your heart on Facebook (limit reached) and then shred the boardroom on LinkedIn (500+). His versatility, demonstrated by his ability to be powerful and yet also modest, even common, is truly terrifying. And then there's uber CEO Elon Musk -- 776.1k on Twitter, limit reached on Facebook and 500+ on LinkedIn, but the pièce de résistance is that this guy was the inspiration for a super hero, Iron Man, played by Robert Downey, Jr. in the Hollywood movie by the same name. Sorry, ghost of Steve Jobs. Yes, they made a movie about your life too, but in that movie, you were not a super hero, and, last I checked, Ashton Kutcher does not have 3 Golden Globe Awards. 

Do I have my work cut out for me? With 420 followers on Twitter, clearly I do. The 500+ connections on LinkedIn -- in time, I'll get there. Facebook, that could be a problem. I just don't know how many look-at-this-amazing-brunch-I-had photographs I have in me.

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