We talk a lot around here about business applications for social media and other online marketing tools but we still get questions about personal use of platforms like Facebook. That’s cool with us because the personal use of these systems is still greater than the business use.
Unfriending is a topic we often get asked about and our recommendation is to never do it.
You may want to unfriend someone because they post too much about their personal lives, their cats, their kids, their workout regimen or their politics but doing so leads to more drama in the real world than any you are dealing with just by seeing them in your timeline.
It’s true that when you unfriend someone on Facebook they do not get a notification that you have taken this action. What is also true is that they will notice they aren’t seeing your content in their newsfeed where they had seen it before and when they go to your profile they will see they can add you as a friend.
I’m not friends with this gentleman so the prompt is for me to add him.
This tells them you are no longer friends and could very well lead to a real world confrontation when you encounter them at work, at church, or at the family reunion. You have successfully created more drama in your real life than in your online life.
What you should do instead is go to their profile and click the ‘Following’ button. You will then be given the choice to unfollow them. This action allows you to remain Facebook friends, keeps their content out of your newsfeed, and keeps the uproar to a minimum.
My wife’s profile shows we are Friends and I can unfollow her if I am being silly.
I’ve unfollowed people, I have been unfollowed, and people have unfollowed you and you never knew it. Life goes on and everyone’s Facebook experience, and real life, is happier!
Have any other questions about your personal use of social media? Feel free to drop a line to us anytime!
