Popular Tags
Think about the rudest person you’ve ever met. Maybe that person is the guy who shouts into his cell phone in public, disregarding the people around him. Or the lady who thinks that her bags deserve a seat on the bus instead of you. Or the guy who bullies the waitress into free drinks because his order was wrong. Better yet, the athlete who pulls a fast one over the entire country by ingesting steroids to better his or her chances of winning.
All of those people are ones you wouldn’t want to hang out with offline, so why would you want to be one online? When it comes to interacting on the internet, using proper etiquette can help you build lasting relationships with your members, followers and friends. Follow the few simple rules listed below to get the most out of your social media efforts. And, who knows? If your grandma’s on Twitter (more likely than you’d think!), she might just be so proud of the tweeter you’ve turned into that she’ll bake you a fresh batch of cookies.
Talk WITH not at: You could be shouting your message loud and clear, just like the guy on his cell phone, but if you’re not listening to what others are saying, why should they listen to you?
Share the wealth: Of knowledge that is. Social media is all about give and take. You get back the efforts which you put forth. Don’t expect anyone to immediately take you seriously if you’re only asking for help, and not offering it to others. Share the bus seat and your knowledge.
Don’t be a bully: If you wouldn’t say it to a person’s face, don’t say it online. It can be easy to type hurtful things or slander companies and individuals online with the security of a computer screen in front of you. But keep in mind that most everything you say online can be linked back to your business or personal profiles and will possibly show up in searches. If you don’t want to look like an insecure “keyboard gangsta,” don’t be one.
Play fair: Posting content online means leaving your organization open to praise and criticism. By keeping only positive feedback and deleting the negative, you give the impression that your organization has something to hide, even if it doesn’t. Relationships are built on trust, and if you are hiding something, you shouldn’t be using social media in the first place. No one likes a cheater.
It might sound old-fashioned, but all of these rules really add up to the Golden Rule. Treat others how you want to be treated. If you’re social, willing to share, thoughtful, and most importantly honest, you can go far in the social media world and take your association with you.