Facebook – to add or not to add?

Do you share your Facebook details with clients and new business prospects or do you prefer to use linked-in for professional contacts?

My colleague Rebecca Caddy wrote a post a while ago about how she used Facebook. Becca comments: “I don’t want to be the only person not tagged in certain photos or be unable to write ranting statuses, just because I’m anxious about what others think. Because at the end of the day, that’s who I am. I see Facebook as very different to anything else because it’s such a cross section of all aspects of your personality, friendship groups, aspirations, history, etc. This is why I think it is completely acceptable to keep Facebook as separate from any other forms of social media applications you may use. And, I don’t think this means you’re leading different lives at all.”

Adam Lewis comments on his blog: “I nearly rejected an (Facebook) invitation from my younger cousin the other day as I felt this space was for my friends, not my family or work. For work, I like to use LinkedIn (though I haven’t updated it enough for my liking) and for family, I’d like to think they might ring me.”

I know a lot of people disagree over this issue, personally I use Facebook for my private life and a little bit of business but I make the decision on a person by person basis.

Do you think that everyone should add professional contacts as friends on Facebook?

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  tim hoang

  February 9th

  Hey Chris,
  It’s not like I’m getting smashed on drugs every weekend or a member of some racist group so I’m always happy to share pictures and events I’m going to with colleagues, friends or otherwise Facebook.
  I tend to decide on a person to person too but generally just accept anyone because I’m easy.

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  Jonathan Hirst

  February 9th

  I think Facebook and LinkedIn should be kept separate. I have seen some shocking typing on Facebook (by some PR people too…) and don’t feel that it reflects well on their professional standards if they are putting out that quality of info on a ‘professional’ networking site.(…says he madly spell-checking his post…)
  Jonathan

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  Chris Norton

  February 10th

  @timhoang thanks for the comment. I am the same but some people I do feel slightly uneasy letting them see my most private photos etc. My wife tends to think twice these days of putting shots of our little boy on there.
  @jonathan I know what you mean. I don’t think many PR professionals will begrudge you if you use Facebook for private stuff. However, I do have quite a lot of my collegaues and clients on Facebook. As I said before it’s really down to the individual.