Social media manners? Don't ignore them
By Kukil Bora, SiliconIndia   |   Thursday, 13 January 2011, 12:52 IST
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Social media manners? Don't ignore them
Bangalore: "I m feeeeling sooo saad :(", "I love Tom Cruise", "Looking for the best insurance policy? Contact me" - If you have ever updated your status on Facebook, Twitter or any social media site like this, you are not in the right track in terms of following manners in social media platforms. Yes, social networking sites are open and friendly, but there are and have to be certain etiquette that need to be followed by those who have an online presence. Of course, the manners you follow define you. Below are five vital social media manners that will help you avoid being a social media jerk. Constant self-promotion is a big no no Writing about yourself in a regular basis while updating your status may irritate others. And surely it won't be helpful for you in creating a good impression. No doubt how effective social media can be as a powerful marketing tool, but constant twitting about how great your company is, will not going to help you always. Above all, social media is about building relationships, rests come last. Avoid posting useless information and photos As the network of people over social media sites is growing, so is the constant chatter of people posting useless information. Many a times, people tend to post embarrassing moments and remarks that reflect badly on the sender and debase any future messages they may send out. If you are in Twitter, decide whom to follow and what to tweet. Don't auto-follow. Don't auto-tweet. Social media is about genuine conversation, not auto generated conversation. While uploading photos of others, it's always better to ask for permission. The photos you upload should not hurt other's sentiment. Adding people to boost your number? Don't do that Engagement is the true measure of social media success. But it doesn't mean that you add people blindly. Most of the time people don't like to see "friend requests" from someone they don't know. While on Twitter, keep your followers as a matter of choice. Adding as many people as you find will harm you more than doing good. "Please" and "Thank You" - They really work When you are sending any request to somebody, do send a personal note in a polite manner that includes information about why you have made the request. If the receiver is somebody who doesn't know you, tell him or her who you are. In case any people help you out, do thank them. It will help to strengthen your networking. It's always good for you to be gracious. You may have come across some rude comments at times, and you would definitely love to lash out at those. But you must resist that temptation, if you don't, it will only bring you down to the same level. Quite often people do not intend for the comment to be rude, so be cool and try to maintain a professional and open demeanor. Venting your emotions publicly Avoid expressing your emotions on social networking sites as they are open and public. The impression your emotions can leave on people could be negative and long lasting and sometimes lead to unwanted consequences. Recently, a public school teacher in U.S. lost her job, when she got angry with her students and posted it in her facebook wall. Obviously, you don't want to be in such a situation.

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