Recently I gave a talk about what I like about being on Facebook. To help craft my talk, I queried both my Facebook friends and my LinkedIn connections as to what they liked about their Facebook experience. Here is the gist of my talk:

The main reason people join Facebook and stay on Facebook is to stay in touch with other people. Not only to stay in touch, but to strengthen the relationships with these people.

Since the cave days, we as a species have been social creatures. Facebook simply enables us to be more social with people we rarely see in person connect as well as those whom we see face to face.

There were three main uses of Facebook based on my survey results – to get news of family members and friends, to support each other, and to get practical information.

I joined Facebook in December 2008 as a way to stay in touch with my 8 nieces and nephews. Through Facebook, I am in the loop of their lives and don’t have to wait for their news to come from a phone call or Christmas letter.

Because of Facebook, I saw my niece’s engagement ring the day her boyfriend proposed and the photo of my nephew and his wife and new baby the day their daughter was born.

One survey respondent told me that he grew up as part of a close family of 13 cousins. Because of Facebook, he still knows what they all do for fun and about their children too.

Another shared that before Facebook, she always wondered what a lot of her friends or former high school classmates were up to. Now with so many on Facebook, she likes finding out how everyone is doing, what they’ve been up to, what’s happening at that particular moment

Besides knowing the news about the lives of people we care about, we also can use FB to know about the emotional turmoil that our loved ones may be going through.

One woman who responded pointed out that when people share about their difficulties and challenges, then she can provide them the support of encouraging words and a cyber hug.

Two years ago this month we learned our beloved golden retriever Ernie had a cancerous tumor in his lung. He lingered for nearly 6 weeks before he passed away. I found that periodically posting on Facebook about his status was a comfort to me, due to so many of my Facebook friends offering support. And some of these folks  were high school friends I hadn’t seen in years.

 

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Besides the emotional dynamics of Facebook, there are the practical dimensions as well.

Many respondents shared that they have gotten a wealth of helpful tips via postings on Facebook. It might be a new recipe that looks a lot more healthy than what they had planned for dinner, or a book or movie they might not otherwise have considered,

One person who responded related that he gets ideas for things to do with his family from what he sees other families doing in his friend’s Facebook postings.

So, the next time someone asks you about the value of Facebook, just share these points with them – how you can get news of family and friends, support them emotionally (and be supported yourself), and get practical tips. Thank goodness for Facebook!