Social Media Manners Matter
There is so much written about what TO do with Social Media,
there is so little written about what NOT to do. More than any other medium –
telephone, written letters, email – Social Media is incredibly risky. Whatever
you write can be broadcast worldwide, is archived forever, and can have an
impact well beyond the intended audience. Watch out for these pitfalls:
1) If you’re upset about something that was written, and you
know the person who wrote it, it is far more productive to pick up the phone and
ask them to retract than to engage in a public "flame war".
2) Don’t post pictures of yourself that could be embarassing
later on. (PR pros will tell you to use this test: if your mother or your
manager would approve, then it’s probably OK to post. It’s too easy to be
disqualified from jobs based on inappropriate Facebook pictures or comments.
3) Don’t ask others for recommendations on LinkedIn unless
you’re pretty sure that they will agree. If you’re unsure, pick up the phone and
have a conversation first.
4) Be careful of flooding your "friends" with Too Much
Information in your status updates. They’ll eventually tire of it… and
disconnect from you.
5) Don’t gossip about third parties (your boss, friends, etc) –
even if it is supposedly "private" they’ll eventually see it, and
you’ll be terribly embarrassed – or fired.
6) Social Media is really a connection to a person – not their
wallet. If you abuse your connection by always trying to sell your stuff, it
reflects poorly on you.
7) When you comment on others’ posts, remember that others
(their family, co-workers, boss, etc) may read them.
8) Likewise, be very careful about posting photos of other
people: they may not wish other people to see them in that photo.
9) If you quote someone else on your Blog, or if you refer to
something else on Twitter, acknowledge (or "Retweet") the source with
a link and their name. Otherwise it’s stealing.
10) Don’t forget that not everyone is on Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, and the myriad of other Social Networks. If you’re trying to reach out
to your community, don’t forget those who aren’t fully connected. Picking up the
phone, or jotting a quick note will make sure that everyone is included.
This Week’s Non-action Item: Social Media
manners DO matter: try to avoid these mistakes.
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Randall Craig
www.RandallCraig.com
www.PersonalBalanceSheet.com/news
