I’m one of those annoying people on LinkedIn who responds to every comment left on their posts.

I’m also one of those annoying people who sends a ‘hello’ message to every new connection I make (after the connection has been made, I should just point out).

Why do I do those things? Because it feels natural for me to do them.

Why are those things seemingly ‘annoying everyone’, then? Because a minority of people on LinkedIn comment regularly to say that it is. And I can’t possibly argue with that, can I?

Everyone’s got a right to be annoyed by stuff – and Christ knows there’s plenty of stuff to choose from on social media – but I wrote this blog because I’m more than a little bit pissed off that something that I’d class as just being a decent human being is so openly shot down and mocked. It’s a bit shit, really.

Harsh as I can be on here in some ways, I always make a point of responding to people if they interact or connect with me. I like to make people feel welcome within a conversation. And, I like it when both of those things then go on to be reciprocated. It’s who I am, and it’s what makes me feel good. Social media plays a big part in affecting mental health, so I like that I can choose which way that goes – for me and for the people I interact with.

You could even say (in fact, it’s already been said) that comment replies and ‘hello’ messages are a waste of time, but to be honest, it’s just marketing, and anything you do in your marketing could be a waste of time… you just won’t know how time-effective it’s been until after the event.

So, does my strategy of alleged annoyance in responding to all comments and sending messages to each new LinkedIn connection waste my time? Or does it pay off for me?

I’ll tell you. It pays off for me. Absolutely, it does.

How? Because it shows my values and it kick-starts (or continues) a relationship. Don’t we all want to work with people we actually like?

So, why would I stop what I’m doing, just because somebody else scoffs at it being a waste of time, and therefore prefers to spend their own precious time tearing down the work of others, rather than creating or building up their own instead?

When it comes to LinkedIn – or social media in general – there are loads of things you probably should or shouldn’t do to get the most out of the platform (and there are some bloody brilliant trainers who can help you with that), but at least in some part, what you do and don’t do should really come down to your own judgement and if you’re comfortable with the practice. It has to feel right for you.

If you’re just in this for business, then do what the experts tell you, without question. They know their stuff, and if people have given them money in the past to train them and it’s delivered real results, brilliant. I think if I was in this purely for business, that’s what I’d do.

I’m not, though. I kind of just like being here, as well.

I’m a freelancer, so in the absence of colleagues in an office environment, the people I interact with online are my people to chat to, get support from, and develop relationships with.

I’m a writer, so in the absence of having a book published, this is how I get to showcase my style and ability on a large stage in the quest for feedback, ideas and hopeful adoration.

I’m a nice person, so in the absence of needing a strategy for getting the most out of LinkedIn, I’d just like to enjoy being there. There’s far fewer selfies and salad pics than on the other platforms.

If something doesn’t feel right to me, I won’t do it. If something goes against how I’d creatively and individually want to express myself, I won’t do it. If something takes my time, but in the bigger picture, it pays me back in abundance because people get to see me as a nice-ish person who cares about having a connection, I certainly will do it.

Do I get a bit tired every now and then when I see how many comments on my posts I need to reply to? Yes, of course I do. But then I remember that its a sign that I’m doing quite well and that people want to engage with my writing – which is a big fucking deal when the taxman has you listed as a professional writer.

Maybe, just maybe, people interact with me because I show I’m up for a conversation. If I don’t take an interest now in those who take an interest in me, why would they ever want to work with me or buy from me in the future?

I believe that the way people behave online tells you a lot about what they’d be like in real life.

So fuck off.

Just kidding.

Of course, I don’t always have massive success on LinkedIn… The four men who ditched me on LinkedIn during the cold winter of 2018/19

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