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Social Media Manners
06/13/2008
In the online world of social networking it should be pretty clear that the same rules which govern our behavior in the real world also apply online. While it takes little more than a simple click to confirm someone as a 'friend' on one of the social media sites such as Facebook or Myspace, it is still necessary to do the work to develop a rapport with people. People join social networking sites for many different reasons. Those who are using these sites to generate leads and gain more customers need to be sensitive to the fact that not everyone on your friends list is as eager to click on your link as you are to send it to them.
There is a basic rule of thumb online and that is: people hate to be spammed. Yes, business people can monetize their social media presence, but they must find a way that is not spammy or offensive to their new online friends or they will be dropped quickly.
When asked about people’s pet peeves when it comes to social media, Carol Dickson-Carr, of Managing Personal Resources, Inc. in a Twitter.com post said, "Biggest peeve on FB is getting spammed the moment I accept a friend request! No courting, just spam right out of the gate!"
Here are some simple, common sense rules of etiquette to help you make the most of your online experience using social media:
• Be nice:
Take the time to build some kind of relationship with your friends
• Remember the Golden Rule:
Treat others in the way that you would like to be treated
• Read your friend's profile:
Find out what interests them and engage with them on topics that appeal to them
• Be Authentic:
Share from your heart and don’t try to be fake or to be all things to all people.
• Add value:
Contribute to the community by participating and sharing useful content.
Finally, don’t say things to people online that you would never say to them in person, build relationships and demonstrate a genuine interest in people before you market to them, and your social media experience should be rewarding and enjoyable.
Author Bio
Author, Tia Jones, is the Online Marketing & PR Specialist at Expansion Plus. In addition, Tia writes and contributes articles on Internet Marketing and Social Media. For more information on how businesses can use Social Media to improve their Internet Marketing Strategy visit http://www.expansionplus.com.
Technorati Tags: social media, social media marketing, social media training, social nework, social networking
