social network communityWow, is it me or is it starting to be more and more steps to follow someone.

We round em' up in circles. We click the Facebook like, send and share buttons. We accept or invite them to LinkedIn.  And if they're lucky we may even opt-in to their email list via their blog or website.

So now that we have spent half a morning circling, liking, following and plussing people what will we do with all those we liked, followed, plussed and circled yesterday? Or how about the 15 we did the same thing to the day before? And the day before. And the day before that?

A tweet, Google+, or Facebook post grabs our attention. Within seconds we get lost in never ever ending like land.

But why do we like! Why do we circle? Do we really like them? Or do we circle them so they will circle us?

Our time is our greatest asset. Even the moments you spend roundin' up peeps via clicks, like and circles should be spent wisely!

Do more than circle, like & follow.  Are you reading what you like? Do you know or even like the person you circled? Or are you simply circling them because everyone else is?

The real question is who likes you? Who follows you? Who knows you? Who likes you? Who is inspired by you? Are you being put in the acquaintances or the “gotta read” circles?

To truly succeed in social media we need to do more spend our days roundin' folks up in circles. We need to focus on developing real conversations that are relevant and provide value.

Don't get lost in the circle, plus and numbers game!

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter who is in your circles. What matters is the people you know in your circles and the people who know you. What circles are you in? Who knows you?

Do tell me, what Google+ circles are you in?

7 Tips to Maximize Your Circles, Likes, Follows & More!

1. Don't just follow for numbers. Look past following numbers, Klout scores, Peer Index rankings and number of circles. Look into the eyes and hearts of your community. Focus on how many people you genuinely connect with versus how many people you have on your lists.

2. Organize your following. Take the time to organize your lists, circles and likes. If you are new to social media you will be happy you did this at the beginning. I am one who didn't and am now paying the price.

3. Prioritize where you spend your time. Don't let yourself run off on some wild goose chase every morning.

4.  Keep a weekly double click list. These are the peeps you want to engage with. Take the time to visit and comment on the blogs that interest you. Interact and engage with them on Facebook or Twitter. Comment and talk with them on Google+.

5. Show the social love. If you focus on giving first and helping others succeed your success will come organically. Check out this article I wrote a while back on 26 Tips to Show the Social Love.

6. Don't be afraid to purge. Schedule time every now and then to clean house. Don't be afraid to unlike, unfollow, uncircle and unsubscribe if it gives you more space, more time to connect with people in a real way.

7.  Keep weekly thankful list. Focus in on a few people each week. You know, the ones who make you feel good. Let them know. Engage with them a bit more than you usually do. Help them achieve their objectives. Nurture your relationships in both a personal and professional way.



Is your time spent circling, liking and roundin' up peeps into your community delivering a return on investment in life and business? How do you organize your social house? How do you prioritize your time? Do you think some folks are getting too hung up in the circle, like and follow games?