Should I cold message people on social media?

There are two things called cold messaging, and they deserve opposite answers. The copy-paste pitch blasted to strangers? Skip it. It burns your reputation, gets you restricted by platforms, and converts almost nobody, people smell it in one line. But personal outreach after real interaction? Different animal entirely. Someone comments on your post, you reply, then message: "Appreciated your comment, what got you interested in this topic?" That is a human conversation, not a pitch. The rule that keeps you safe: message the way you would want to be messaged. Lead with curiosity, not a link. And if a platform's rules say no, the answer is no.