Why We Open E-mail and Social Media Messages
NPR did a feature about how time consuming e-mail and social media are and the psychological reasons people MUST click. Why do we click, check and look for social media notifications?
NPR research said that people open their e-mail or respond to the little beep or alarm that tells people they’ve got a direct Tweet, Facebook message, LinkedIN response, mail or a message because they want a reward.
A compulsion to click and open messages is driven by the imagined emotional, professional or personal reward you expect to receive when you open an unopened or blinking red message in an inbox you are:
- Hoping that you’re going to get good news
- You’re expecting that someone is going to say something positive
- You open it because you want to be rewarded
- You click because you want to be entertained
- You are hoping that it will lift your spirits with new business, something free, kind words, provide you attention
While 85% of social media is just social, and e-mails do provide valuable information, most of it can be handled at a set time of day.
Social Media: The Big Timesucker
Social media is a timesucker. It’s the TV equivalent of channel surfing. It’s so easy to sit in front of the computer and call it a break from work when really, it’s mind-numbing chatter for anyone not doing business when they’re using social media.
How to Make Money on Facebook
If you’re an everyday person who has a basic understanding of Facebook you can make money on Facebook:
Cancel your account and get to work.
Leave it alone for a month. You’ll find focus and start talking to people instead of online.
Sure, you can interact with people, but if you’re at work or working from home: you skip Facebook for a week you’ll better manage your time and find you did OK without it. Or do it once a day for about two minutes.
I’ve spent hours helping innocent friends and clients who were hacked through their social media accounts in the past month.
They clicked on and opened social media warning messages from strangers either in their Twitter feed, Twitter Direct Messages or on their Facebook feed. The messages were all the same: alerting them that someone was saying horrible things about them online or that they were being featured in terribly damaging videos.
Of course no one was doing anything like that, but this was how the hackers got to them through Twitter and Facebook direct messages or posts that said they were being attacked online.
When they opened the links, viruses were unleashed on their computers or their accounts were suddenly sending SPAM, porn and other lovely messages to their contacts. Their contacts in turn opened the messages and had the same thing happen.
They clicked on it and surprise surprise they got a virus and panicked. Called me for help. Took hours to get them fixed up. When I was done I told them to stop clicking on every message they get. There’s no reason to open a message from someone they don’t know.
Recognizing the Hacker or Potential Virus
As a side note, these friends and clients who were attacked were not working with their social media, they were playing with it. Chatting with friends, sharing comments, etc.
If you’re a marketer and using social media for work that’s different. There are obvious reasons you should have your business on social media to interact with prospects, other businesses and the media.
But admit it, you like the goofing off part of social media. You like telling people what you’re doing, eating, seeing. You may share a picture of a meal, or telling everyone what TV show you’re watching. But try doing it less and when you’re not working. You’ll get a lot more done. Then when you do use your social media you really are rewarded.
Messages You Should Never Open
I know a hoax, hacker, virus, trick message when I see it. I’m in the business of websites and online marketing and I’m online about 12 hours minimum a day.
Most people do not know the difference. Here’s a list of Twitter/Facebook/e-mail messages that you should NEVER click because they’re hackers trying to get into your computer:
- You really started something in your blog, look what kind of gossip is going around about you
- Hey we need you to review this blog we wrote about you
- Someone is saying horrible things about you
- Have you seen this video you’re in? It’s really bad
- Did you know they put you in this video?
- OMG you’d better do something about this video it’s really bad
- You may not know it but you’re in this video and it’s all over the Internet
- Did you see these embarrassing pictures?
- Hey can you take this picture down. It’s bad
- You have to remove this video it’s so unbelievable that you don’t know
- Hey someone is spreading horrible rumors about you
- What are you doing in this video? I can’t believe how bad it is
- Someone is making shocking statements about you on this blog
- Really dreadful photos here. Better get them taken down
- Better see this and find out who’s responsible for saying it
- Thanks I really liked that blog can you send me your e-mail so we can talk offline?
- Your “insert your business, product or service here” is just what I’m looking for can you e-mail me so we can talk?
- Look at this video I can’t believe you’re in it. It’s bad!
Facebook Posts You Shouldn’t Open
- Friends’ posts that offer you a free iPad, Jordans, Nikes, free clothes, Starbucks, etc.
- Posts from unknown people that have porn-like video on them
- Porn-like photos from friends
- Messages from long lost friends
- Messages from friends sending you photos
- Messages from a respected colleague saying they have some photos to share
- Messages from business owners or clients that have nothing in the subject line
- Shoes, clothing, computers sold by friends
- Get rich quick offers from friends
- Offers from people you don’t interact with regularly who suddenly send you an e-mail with any kind of attachment
What to Do When You Get These Links or Messages
- Do NOT Click ANY of them
- DELETE them
- Make sure that your anti-virus is up to date–run it immediately after deleting the message
- Change all your social media, e-mail, and computer login passwords
- Do not keep those passwords anywhere but on a piece of paper or in a notebook or drive (flash or hard)
Don’t Open Direct Messages on Twitter or Click Crazy Facebook Posts
To prevent this from happening to you, don’t open ANY direct messages to you on Twitter from strangers OR crazy Facebook posts. They’re usually warning you to look at something negative that’s being said or shown about you online. It’s a trick. Stop clicking on them.
I’ve communicated regularly with people on Twitter and via direct messages. But with contacts that are vetted, known and who know me and my business. They are not sending me notes warning me of something horrible that’s being said about me. They’re discussing work issues.
The Marketing Square builds and rebuilds websites for Madison Wisconsin and Winter Park Florida small businesses. Our team members each have 20 years experience … this is why and how we provide proven web results.
Find out how to use social media, how to record and post video, how to write blog posts, press releases, articles and other elements that will drive traffic to your website. Your need to provide bigger, better, different content continually for the life of your website.
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