So many rules, so many people telling us what to do, so why would we listen if the medium is so new and rules are written as we go? Well…..it’s not so new anymore and as Gary Vaynerchuk, AKA @garyvee mentions in his exclusive sxsw interview “It’s not Social Media anymore, it’s just Media“. Yesterday I decided to ask a random question on twitter “what are no-no’s of social media”? and after a lot of back and forth – this is the consensus:
Don’t be a Social Leech
No one likes blood sucking parasites! Don’t just take without giving back, make sure you reciprocate. Share your social capital.
Don’t be a Counterfeit Dud
People in Social Media read right through fakes – be yourself, be real!
Don’t take the insolent hard sale approach
Constant self-promotion will get you no where. Get to know people first and engage before guiding them to your website or asking for a favor.
Don’t forget Social Rules of interaction
Same rules that apply in real life, apply on-line. Use common sense. If you wouldn’t do something in real life, don’t do it on-line.
Don’t write anything you may regret later
That includes mentioning clients’ names, stories, and being contradicting (what you say will remain on-line forever).
Don’t Pontificate
No one likes to be preached at – your lectures may not even apply. What doesn’t work for you may work for someone else and vise-versa.
Don’t be a Robot
Be careful of automation. Some people use it successfully but the consensus is that automation is annoying.
Don’t be aloof
Engage people, be approachable and address the “social” aspect of social media.
Don’t just dive in without testing the water
Different Platforms have different unwritten rules of engagement – it’s not a bad idea to lurk first and figure out how things work
Don’t NOT drink mojitos
I just put this one in here to see if you were paying attention
Here are some random things to AVOID as shared on Twitter:
- “I’s” (avoid always talking about you)
- being mean and being a jerk (although this works well for some)
- self-promotion and hard sales
- blanket tweeting as opposed to sprinkle tweeting (this one made me crack up)
- adding contact details to everything you do
- taking trolls personally
- saying the same thing over and over again
- being selfish (return the favor)
- spam
- lie
- steal
- being redundant
- being boring
- being irresponsible
I think this whole thing can be summarized into 2 words: BE NICE!!
**thanks to everyone who played along yesterday and were so willing to give their opinions: @lindaAWI, @davidgibbons, @MonteCarloSS2k, @phxazlaura, @DonEads, @jgx, @LarisaBelliveau, @enthused, @RealtorMcVey, @mklopez, @Timmy79, @JimDuncan, @gopalo, @Ribeezie, @acummings, @jessicahorton, @mikeventura, @talktodiane, @boulderite **
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Consumerism, Geo-mapping columnist
Marketing columnist
Amen….except for the Mojitos part. : )
Don’t forget about sharing good stuff! Thanks so much for the link back to the awesome Gary Vaynerchuk interview. So glad I could do it and share with the masses. It was awesome!
I had an agent yell at me on Twitter for not capitalizing the R in the word realtor (whoops) and for not adding the (R) for “Registered” after it.
DON’T DO THAT EITHER! lol ;p
Hola Ines. All good, a better list than most – and I’ve read far, far too many. The only one I would qualify is the automation. If you offer something free, with no strings attached, it seems to be OK to auto-thank new followers.
I’m going to post this comment over at the Digg page, too.
It was my pleasure Ines to help, just hope people find our tips useful during their online networking!
that’s a lot of rules.
can i’s handle it?
i’s dont know.
bye bye
Ines,
I had a Mojito on Saturday night at a restaurant/bar called Caribbean Breeze in Arlington, VA — and for somewhere between 2 and 3 seconds, I thought of you.
Just thought you’d like to know.
BTW, let me know if you’re ever in the area and Mojitos are on me.
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Bob – of course YOU would say something about the mojito part.
Joshua – that’s just SO predictable and ridiculous at the same time.
Brian….just 2-3 seconds???
j/k thank you for the invite and I hope to take you up on that some day soon.
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Hey Derek – what you did with those interviews is awesome – even exposed a few people that I didn’t know about (thanks!!)
David – the thanking of new followers with automation is the number one controversial automation right now on Twitter. A lot of people will stop following you on the spot if you respond with an automated “thanks for following DM” – As with everything…..you need to test what works for you and different things work for different people.
Tim – I’m sure many will….they need to be said
Nicky Picky – don’t look at them as rules ok? (trouble maker!)
Ines, thanks for the suggestions. Do I get extra credit if I was drinking a Mojito as I was reading your post?
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ABSOLUTELY Al!!! major brownie points!
Great post!!…I just tweeted it on Twitter.
Thanks for sharing your insight. **no more social media faux pas any more**
Hola Ines! This is a great compiling of no-no’s for sure. Too bad that those who really should read these probably never will….sad. And because of that, we’ll continue to be bombarded by all their ’stuff’.
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@iconic88 – thanks for the retweet!
Ann – so true and so sad – most people reading here know how it goes…but I guess we have to keep trying
@Ines: so are mojitos the “secret sauce” to your blogging success? Just wonderin’…
On a serious note…my thoughts are: *Be Yourself*. It’s much easier that way (easier to connect, share, engage)…
Great read Ines – I know I’ve got to keep a close eye on my media pages to make sure my Navy buddies and my clients and friends don’t interact in the wrong lingo! Brings new meaning to the words “you just had to be there.” If you’re ever in Augusta, Mojitos are on me….
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Pablo, you can say mojitos are my “secret sauce” to social media success (wink wink)
**and yes….being yourself is the only way….it makes us real, it makes us approachable and vulnerable – which in this medium can be tough at times, but necessary**
LOL this is all hard for me because I am anti social
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yeah yeah T – whatever!
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Joe – as long as they interact with each other – they can do it in whatever lingo they want
And thanks for the offer on the mojitos (looking forward to it)
Shhhh….keep it secret.
If people are rude, mean and slow, let’em buy the rope, tie a noose, throw it over a tall tree limb, secure the no-noose end to an immovable objcect, gently slide the noose around their neck and…..
I don’t know…maybe this comment is a SM fauxpax.
I always enjoy your Rum laced point of views. Thanks
LOL @Ken – funny about the “rum laced point of views” – I was called a drunk at a local paper this week by anonymous cowards….I guess that also comes with the territory no?
Ines, Hear Ye, Hear Ye, any weasel who slams anyone anonymously should be slapped and shunned when found out….until then, most definately ignored. Dear ‘Wussies” please step forward and remove your hoods…..err….masks.
Rock on Ines…Clink-Cheers.
Ines, as a newby in SM I find your tips useful. I have made a few mistakes…but that’s how we learn. Actually I haven’t had a Mojito!
Thanks for sending me the link to the article. This is the one I was looking for.
Ines – your first mistake…..not ever having a Mojito….let’s correct that ok?
If we wouldn’t make mistakes, we wouldn’t be human – it’s how we correct those mistakes that makes us better people.