Why personal info is good for business - SmartBrief

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Why personal info is good for business

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Marketing

SmartPulse — our weekly reader poll in Smartbrief on Social Media — tracks feedback from leading marketers about social media practices and issues. Paul Chaney, Internet marketing director for Bizzuka, author of “The Digital Handshake,” and member of the SmartBrief on Social Media Advisory Board, helps create the questions and analyzes the results. We run the poll question each Wednesday in our e-newsletter and feature Paul’s analysis on this blog.

Last week’s poll question: Should users of social networks maintain separate personas, one for business and another for their personal life?

  • Yes, absolutely. Keep business and personal separate 43%
  • It depends on the social network in question; some are more designed for business use than others 31%
  • There is no right or wrong; it’s up to the individual to decide 19%
  • No way. You are who you are. Best to integrate business and personal into one 7%

“I tend to fall within the minority here. I believe that your business and personal life should not, be separated out of necessity. Here’s why: Within social media, people relate better to people than brands. Add to that the fact that we tend to do business with people we know and like and I see great relevance in maintaining an integrated profile.

Of course, that all depends on the social network in question. Obviously, LinkedIn is more business-specific, so interjecting personal information makes less sense there. Facebook, on the other hand, provides a 360 degree view of you — or it can depending on your use of lists and privacy settings. Long story short, I opt for integration where possible.” –Paul Chaney