Social Media has Changed the Definition of Friendship

put simply, you must RECIPROCATE. without this, nothing will happen for you. You can add as many friends as you want, spew out as many messages as possible, but people will just ignore you. Social media is about Establishing Relationships. This, first and foremost.

2. no more spam

bad behaviour is punished with a simple block or unfollow. Instant lifelong banishment. Goodbye to the spam of the email days; in social media YOU have control over what you see and what you don’t see. Big difference.

3. good stuff spreads. Fast.

this is like the word-of-mouth effect in the real world, except times 100. even 1000. Good stuff reaches ‘1 person’ they pass it onto 7, then 7 times 7, in a chain that ripples out in MINUTES. Stuff that is GOLD does rise to the top. Fast.

4. be real

doesn’t matter what social network you’re on, keep it real. People will appreciate this no end. Everyone is sick of reading advertising copy all over the web, show some humor, insanity, goofiness, or insight. Be different, be real. No-one is as boring as a newsreader. INJECT personality. everyone’s got it, just let it show :-)

5. pick your avatar carefully

doesn’t matter if it’s your real face, a cartoon character, a famous portrait, or just a logo, your Avatar says EVERYTHING. It’s the first point of contact, and the first thing that people will associate with you. Even more than your user name. It sums you up … in 90 by 90 pixels. Choose wisely.

6. log on daily

this sounds like a pure no-brainer, but I have come across people that use twitter maybe once a week. BIG NO NO! the web runs at Warp Speed! Like warp 9.9, doesn’t get much faster than that! If you really want to be in a Social Network, you have to be available, and commit something of yourself to it. It doesn’t have to be hours a day (although some people take this route), but a once-a-day checkin is the very minimum. Be active, be involved, be alive.

7. ask questions, and learn

social networks are evolving systems. Everyone has a piece of the puzzle, some individual insight based on their total experience. There’s HEAPS to learn. If someone seems to be doing it better than you, just ask. It’s very flattering when someone says: “how did you do that” … and in most cases, they will share some of their knowledge. It only empowers YOU to ask questions, doesn’t make you look dumb at all. Be humble, and open.

Social Media Mistakes That Will Lose you Friends

Ah, social media etiquette. Here are some examples of faux pas that may forfeit you friends, freak out your followers and cause your contacts to cringe:

• Auto-post the same quotes, links or messages on Twitter at intervals throughout the day–every day.
• Make a Friend request on Facebook where you are trying to sell the person in the friend request. *Cringe.*
• Send automated Direct Messages to all your new Twitter followers already trying to get them to your blog or sell them something. Fail.
• Place a long signature line with multiple links at the end of every message you leave on LinkedIn or Facebook.
• Follow people without having a Twitter bio, updates or pic.
• Use the name of your business instead of your real name for your personal Facebook profile (quick way to get banned–try Facebook Pages instead).
• Follow people on Twitter and if they haven’t followed you back within 30 minutes, unfollow them.
• Mass follow people and then unfollow them once they’ve followed back (some sort of sick Twitter numbers-boosting game).
• Curse up a storm on people’s Facebook walls.
• Social bookmark your own posts and content repeatedly.
• Choose a profile picture showing you doing a keg stand.
• Decide you’re too busy to interact on social sites but still want to claim you’re “on” them. Hence, you drop in every other week to plug your new product or service but do little to provide any real value.
• Decide you’re too busy or too “rock star” to respond to any Twitter @ replies and DMs directed to you.
• Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn from anyone and everyone who you have ever worked in the same building with.
• Constantly re-tweet complimentary @ replies you’ve received without at least adding a “thanks.”

So, am I perfect? Of course not. But this post was fun to compile. :) How are your social graces? Anything else you’d like to add to this list?

via Social Media Mistakes That Will Lose you Friends, by Christine

Additional links:

• The Ultimate Social Media Etiquette Handbook: The Most Egregious Sins on Social Media Sites, Exposed » techipedia | tamar weinberg
• Life in The Blue Nowhere, Samir Datar