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Social Etiquette: 5 Best Practices

Posted by Casey Knox on 03/10/2010

When it comes to social etiquette in today’s world, some of you might be unconsciously stooping to subterfuge. Whether you are an old hand or new to social media, there are quite a few things to keep in mind to best utilize the social realm. As a social (media) butterfly, I feel that it is necessary to share the following best practices.

1. Avoid URL garbling: Instead of copying and pasting a url that is as aesthetically unpleasant as the famous Mary Poppin’s song, I use a url shrinking site. I want my message to be concise and to the point, not to mention it’s nice to know how many people clicked my link, right? This best practice can be applied to emails or social media status updates. Here are a few to check out: ow.ly, bit.ly

2. Make status updates findable: I use hashtags and keywords when I can. Some people have their own stylistic approach to their status updates. I’m not trying to cramp anyone’s style; I’m just trying to help brilliant updates get the attention they deserve! Look up content strategy—it’s the next big thing. In a recent blog post, social media rockstar Brian Solis, identifies social media as a component of content strategy. And feel free to incorporate the hash symbol into the update, i.e., Check out these #creative #resumes- http://bit.ly/Vs3iO

3. Plug in Media: In order for content to resonate, whether I am blogging or updating my Twitter or Facebook accounts, I tack on a photo, video, or sketch. This helps to bring life to the written voice. Examples: twitpic.com, ow.ly, youtube.com, Adobe Creative Suite. There are many tutorials out there for the creative, but software-challenged.

4. Leave your (digital) footprint: One of the best ways to engage in the conversation is to invest in reading other people’s blogs and leaving a comment. I think we would all be less than honest if we said we didn’t care how many followers, friends, or subscribers we have. We all secretly, or perhaps openly, want someone to comment on our blogs. If nothing else, for the sake of good manners, I read and leave thoughts on others people’s blogs and status updates. People will return the favor, and we can all grow and learn from each other. Sounds like social media utopia, huh?

5. Participate in #FollowFriday (aka #FF): This best practice is specific to Twitter. Every Friday, trendy tweeters send out a roll call of people they want to promote and encourage others to follow. I actually read through these when I can and pick up some really cool tweeters. I call this word-of-mouth marketing for the 21^st century. For some, Twitter is the voice of their company; however, even for your own personal brand’s sake, this is an excellent way to promote people and places. At the end of every #FollowFriday, gaining quality followers should take precedence over just increasing quantity.

Cheers ~ @caseymaeknox