In Internet culture, the 1% rule is a rule of thumb pertaining to participation in an internet community, stating that only 1% of the users of a website actively create new content, while the other 99% of the participants only lurk.

Shock, horror, you might be thinking and you could be right but it all depends on the type of website, how you are perceived, and your contribution to that community.

For example we all read quite a lot of content that isn't on social platforms, we read it and think 'I have a view on that' but because it isn't on a social platform we can't contribute, that is unless we create our story about it and share it with others on social platforms. 

Of course there are many lurkers, but I like lurkers, because they're showing an interest, of course they might not be ready to comment, or engage just yet, it could be they're simply trying to see if they can relate to me or my stories, maybe they've only just discovered who I am via their own connections, there's lots of reasons 'lurkers' don't put their digital head above the digital social media parapet.

Social media is designed to connect us with like minded people, yes it's used to connect with family and friends, but the growth and activity around LinkedIn suggest more of a collaborative mindset is in play, a habit we see more and more on places like TikTok and Instagram, where the best profiles actively encourage and generate engagement. 

One of the biggest collaborative platforms that came along long before Facebook et al, was YouTube, now this was/is a platform that gave virtually anyone a voice, somewhere other like minded people could collaborate and join in with the subject matter or conversation.

The downside of YouTube for me is having to wait for those 6 seconds to pass so I can skip the rest of that digital intrusion called an advert in order I can get to the content. 

And therein lies one of the key issues with brands who have simply moved their 'advertise, promote, and talk about me, me, me, me' thinking into the social media landscape.

Being social both offline and online is first and foremost about being social, I don't know about you but I certainly wouldn't dream of going into a social occasion, even a business one and immediately start pitching to people, if I did I would expect to be turfed out by all and sundry.

Social is about sharing similar, or opposing views, its about creating and joining in conversations, its about engaging with those around you, so if you want your 1% dial to move forwards, be more social, join in those conversations, start a few of your own, and do a lot less selling.