When I go about my week, I have about 50 people that I interact with frequently.  From staff, clients, friends, and family – I am comfortable with that number.  Online, (today anyway) I have 178 connections on LinkedIn, 140 friends on Facebook, and 320 followers on Twitter.   Not huge numbers compared to some people.  I have seen users on LinkedIn with 500+ connections, Facebook friends with 500+ friends, and Tweeters with over 100,000 followers. 

I have 178 1st level connections.  But I am connected to over 2.8 million people!  How can that be?  First level connections are those people to whom I am directly connected.  These people can see my entire profile, but also have their own connections whom I may not know.  These people would be considered second level connections.  These second level connections may also be connected a third level of people I don’t know.  The 2.8 million people includes not only my first level, but second and third level connections as well.  People that are not first, second or third level contacts are ”outside of my network.” 

So, is it about Size or Quality?

Anthropologist, Robin Dunbar,  [Read more...]