Seeking behavior
Let's face it, most of us love our electronic devices. Why? Because they satisfy the urges we were born with. In the past we used our seeking behavior to provide food for our families. Now, we no longer need to seek out delicious fruits, nuts and berries, but the part of our brain that was wired for us to do so still needs, wants and desires stimulation.
Electronic media
Our electronic devices have bright colors that stimulate us, we can find information fast which soothes us and we can seek and find whatever we want at the tap of a finger.
This brings satisfaction. Addiction? No. Subliminal satisfaction? Yes. Simple satisfaction? Yes, yes. yes. Our phones and tablets give us more than simply watching television which is a passive habit. We engage with our Electronic Devices making this the perfect storm. Color, instant gratification, social contact and sound, all mixed up into one or two devices that make us very happy.
Unless we've wrapped our self-identity into electronic media
If you spend too much time thinking about and creating your digital presence and you are emotionally tied to the created identity, that can end up in depression and/or anxiety. If people don't 'like' us or 'share' our posts or 'tweet' our message our self-image descends into the toilet.
Online we present the most ideal image of ourselves possible. We share the trips we take, the clothes we bought, the latest book we wrote.
For those affected with even a mild case identity disorder just getting online can be stressful. When an individual looks at all the wonderful things happening to his/her friends, depression can get worse.
Then again, sharing ones depression and anxiety can get you hundreds of 'hits', 'likes' and 'shares' because we all have Depression And Anxiety. This is a good thing and can support the depression/anxiety sufferer in a very important way. But this is a two-edged sword. If no one comments, likes and/or shares your feelings, you can end up feeling more ostracized.
Emotion meets facts
As a writer who must market, I have to study social media and believe me, I have felt depressed, disliked and ignored. Not too long ago I had a birthday and when no one wished me a happy birthday on Facebook I felt terrible. It took a phone call from my daughter who informed me that the reason I hadn't received any good wishes was because I didn't have my birthday listed on Facebook which, of course, I immediately rectified.
Temporoparietal junction
Within the brain, the TPJ (theoretically) is the place where the decision to 'share' 'like' or 'comment' is activated. This takes the personal relationship out of the posting and replaces it with scientific reasoning which removes emotion and switches off the depression/anxiety interference.
You can use the TPJ to influence those who come into contact with your posts and/or tweets. Simply put, people will share what they believe in from people they trust, like and enjoy. If the post you put up satisfies an urge and your followers respect you and the post aligns with a personal belief then your followers will share it. Or at least they will think hard about sharing.
Easy-peasy.
Not so much. You have to create the perfect storm: Color, humor, social agreement, respect and trust all rolled into one post and that, my friend, is not so easy, but I am working on it. I did discover that simply asking a question gets me far more responses than anything I post. I have also found out that I enjoy interacting with people.
Probably a little too much. Most people don't like to have a one hour texting conversation unless they have social anxiety disorder that disappears when they are online.
Like me.
*cough cough*
#success #socialmedia #marketing
