Cross-Linking Drives Social Engagement

This is an old hat, but it hasn’t been worn in a while (image: twistedtigger). Apparently it needs to be dusted off. See many people these days just publish and don’t cross-link. All push, no pull.

So what’s the difference between an email newsletter and one published on a blog platform? Nothing. Even if the words social or blog are in the effort… Talking at people is the old way. It’s inherently antisocial.

See, without cross-links companies, entities, organizations are not engaging in communities. It’s what Doc Searls called the generous web:

- Morality of self-interest. This gives us “owning”, “domination”, etc. The Old School. Industrial Age shit. Still prevails in many business plans that are just for killing other companies.
- Morality of accounting. We balance everything. “Paying debts”, “owing favors”. This is our system of justice, by the way. It’s all about accounting. (Note the scales of justice symbol.)
- Morality of generosity. We give. We are open. We love without expectation of reward, or even accounting. (In fact, when you bring in accounting, you compromise it.) Think about how we give to our spouses, our children, without strings. It pays off, too. But that’s fundamentally not what it’s about.

And Doc’s right, it does pay off. Virally. Because we engage in the larger conversation and participate, creating dramatic new venues for engagement with our stakeholders and key influencers (those you link towards). But if people keep talking without cross-linking outside their company SEVERAL times in each post, they’ll never find that out. They are ungenerous and have bad social karma.

3 Responses to "Cross-Linking Drives Social Engagement

Leslie Bradshaw Says:

Couldn’t agree with you more. The rules of social engagement and human nature don’t just dry up or dramatically morph when you come online. Thanks for a great post and deeper thoughts (not to mention good link examples). Hi to Qui!!
Geoff Livingston Says:

Thanks, Leslie. It seems counter intuitive for many…
James Clark Says:

Geoff, the links are the wormholes that connect the different social media universes.

I actually just launched my own blog called “endless wormhole” based on this simple fact, that it’s linking that drives social media.

Loved it when I saw your post. Great timing man.

3 Trackbacks

Don’t Start a Blog for Your Business to Be Cool « carbon+eau Says:

[...] 5. Read other blogs and comment on them.Â Then use references to others’ blogs.Â That is the great thing about blogging and social media – the community and the conversation that it engenders. [...]
Hacking Content » The Buzz Bin Says:

[...] This riffing on others is normal. It’s a part of what we do out here, discussing ideas, and moving them forward (or backwards). But there’s a caveat; it’s the cross link. [...]
Blogging Primer » The Buzz Bin Says:

[...] It’s a good idea to link to a minimum of three other blogs per post. This gets you read by other bloggers, and also demonstrates that you’ve researched your topic, and actually have subject matter expertise to offer. Find an entire discussion on cross-linking here. [...]

The Buzz Bin