Social Media Etiquette: Are You In The Know?
It used to be that social media was a way to make connections with old friends and keep in touch with new ones. Now that social media has skyrocketed and become deeply ingrained into our culture, we use it for so much more. From seeking employment, keeping up with celebrities and finding mates; social media is our new best friend.
Look at a spattering of social media sites or tweets and you’ll soon find that some people are shockingly lacking in etiquette. For those that are wondering, here is the proper etiquette for the top three social media sites: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
The golden rule of Facebook is this: think before you post. It’s very easy to sit behind a computer screen and feel anonymous, however, please remember that the things you post on your wall, and the walls of your friends, will be seen by hundreds of users. If you wouldn’t stand up in front of 200 strangers and verbalize what you’re thinking, don’t post it.
Think about it before you post pictures. While it can be fun to post silly pictures of yourself and your friends, consider your friends’ feelings before you make a photo of them public. If you had that same goofy look on your face, would you want your photo splashed across the internet?
Friending and de-friending is a subject of much contention among Facebook users. Don’t feel as though you need to accept every friend request that comes your way and don’t feel as though you can never de-friend someone. Your page is your page and should be utilized exactly as you desire.
Keep your page clean. Think of your mother, grandmother and boss sitting down and looking at your wall together. Your wall is not a sounding board for every malady in your life, a place to spout off about your job or an avenue for gossip.
Twitter is a rapid response social media platform. So rapid, in fact, that many people find it very easy to tweet before they think. Here are top Twitter manners that everyone should practice:
- Use a recognizable handle: we all have favorite cartoons, television shows and songs, but try to keep your handle as close to your own name as possible.
- Don’t spam! Do not send auto DMs to people; nothing will turn them off of your feed faster.
- Introduce yourself: you wouldn’t, hopefully, join a conversation with a group of people without telling them who in the heck you are.
- Keep it important: no one cares what you had for breakfast or what your dog just did outside.
- Respond: if you’re going to respond to someone, do it in a timely manner.
- Be polite: if people retweet, thank them.
If you’re a member of LinkedIn, you know that it is a social platform for professionals. It should always be treated as such. Think of LinkedIn as your business card; what would you want it to say about you?
Make sure your LinkedIn profile picture is you. No one is here to see photos of your children or your pets; keep it professional. When creating your bio, be honest. You would hate for a past employer to correct your over-inflated bio publicly! In LinkedIn as with other social media sites, it is important that you introduce yourself to a new connection. In addition, try to make your URL memorable. If you’ve got a unique name, it’s quite easy. If you have a common name, however, try to use your name in combination with your city or your company’s name.
Sitting behind your computer pecking away on your keyboard is no longer anonymous. The advent of social media has thrust every person into the spotlight. Just make sure that when you’re on center stage, you aren’t embarrassing yourself!
Cathy Sanders is a web designer and content contributor for Top Web Design Schools, a site with details about design school opportunities and even a list of the top 10 online web design schools.
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