What will make me come back? after all it’s the relationship that matters these days right?

That’s what I think of when I surf marketing, business, and trend websites that are trying to “monetize” social networking sites. They see a big pool of potential customers and they are intensely frustrated that they don’t have a piece of the action. They are furiously waving red flags at their colleagues shouting, “Look at all of these people over here!”

Then I chime in with my idealistic, “If you commercialize social networking (more than it already is), you’ll kill it completely. People won’t Twitter or MySpace or FaceBook or MeetUp or whatever if they are going to have to fend off marketing pitches or, worse, attempts at viral marketing that are patently obvious. The appeal of these places is that people can connect with others who they share some commonality with (sports, music, industry, high school, etc.).

Corporations will never create genuine social networks on their own sites that can replicate this. The only exception I can think of is user support sites like Microsoft or other technology discussion boards but the reason most people visit those sites is because their software ISN’T working, not to compliment Microsoft on their fine, fine products. Second Life is commercialized but users can control how deeply they want to get into that virtual world.

It seems like marketers also want to control the message. You put up a Coke Fans bulletin board and there will be as many “Coke sucks” messages as people who like their product. But if you put in a moderating system, it drives people away in droves.

Basically, the day marketers control or influence online social networking (any more than they do), is the day it dies. People will just move on to something else.

End of rant. I just get a little sick reading marketing blogs that treat the “masses” as merely potential revenue sources. And most people are smart enough now to smell their contempt and stay away from contrived marketing campaigns. I’ll step off my soapbox now.

I’m also thinking of ways to expand on a sharing of ideas and insight in my own marketing initiatives. What do I have to offer? What do we as a group of people engaged in what amounts to a commodity product that will bring more people into the fold?

It’s always a challenge, and something I know I am and will continually be refining. Thanks for your additional thoughts Chris. You nailed it on the head!

Watching people market themselves on twitter is just testing how much humility one can handle. There are people like Jason Calacanis who boisterously pimp their services left and right, but there are others like Chris Brogan and Laura Fitton who market themselves and their services by being human.

It’ll be hard to rebrand marketing due to the jaded people out there, like me. But, I think you’re well on your way.