Networking Sites: How Many is Just Right?

Carey Bandler asked a very interesting question on LinkedIn over the weekend. You can read his entire inquiry here, but it basically boiled down to two questions: “how many business networking groups should I join?” and “should I remain a member of a group that makes privacy demands I’m uncomfortable with?”

Rather than advocate an arbitrary number of sites in my answer, I suggested that Carey “choose networking sites as he might purchase ads.” That is, do a bit of research to identify sites that efficiently reach the people he wants to connect with, constantly evaluate performance, and downselect to those best help him achieve his goals.

Does that sound overly Darwinian? Is it ethical? What’s the right way to responsibly engage with people, yet ensure that you use your valuable professional time most profitably?

Determining an answer to that thorny question should be one of our top priorities as we build our networks.

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