For something that hasn’t been around for that long, social media sure has a lot of rules. If you’re new to the social media scene, I’m sure you’ve gotten a lot of advice from the “veterans” who have been tweeting, sharing, and posting for years. And if you’re not a newbie, you probably have your own collection of best practices that you follow. I’m guilty of passing on my own advice in the social media arena (as you’ll see below). It’s just human nature, isn’t it?
These five articles were all published in the last week, so you can see how common it is to point out mistakes and outline suggestions. Most of them make complete sense to me, though. And if you want to be a good citizen of the web, these posts should at least get a peek (and be bookmarked if you’re a frequent offender).
Don’t Do These Things…
This is my article, and it may seem like I’m being bossy, but I’m not. These are observations I’ve (and others) have made that outline some things you should avoid doing if you want to grow your community, especially where your business is concerned. Wouldn’t you agree?
Read more on About.com Small Business: What Not to Do When Using Social Media for Business
…Or This One
Does your brand have a presence on social networks? Do you manage your clients’ brands online? This post by Mitch Joel will give you something to think about while driving home the all-powerful message that “real interactions between real human beings” is really the point.
Read more on Six Pixels of Separation: The Biggest Mistake Brands Make When It Comes To Social Media
FAIL
These videos are stupid. They’re funny. They’re over-the-top. But they are also worth watching if you need a quick chuckle, or a reminder that it’s probably not a good idea to talk about your Facebook page to the guy next to you at the urinal.
Watch the Videos on North Social: Fan Page Fail
The Rules
Now that you know what not to do, here’s a look at what you should be doing. Rajesh Setty lays out seven rules you may want to incorporate into your social media activities.
Read more on OPEN Forum: 7 More Unwritten Rules Of Social Media
Mind Your Manners
This isn’t rocket science; it’s common sense. And sometimes, behind the wall of anonymity that is the web, people lose their minds. In case you’ve ever fallen into this trap, Adam Gottlieb has a few very good reminders on how you should be behaving in order to attract, not scare people away.
Read more on Famous Bloggers: What Social Media Etiquette Is… and Isn’t