Now before we start, let me just say that this comes mostly from my own “Social Mis~Steps”. I am sure this list is nowhere complete and that there are lessons yet to be learned. I am working on practicing all of these myself and it was very eye opening how much I was breaking the rules while I was researching for this post.

So let`s take a few minutes to cover some of the Cardinal Do`s and Do not`s of Social Media.

In the 1st installment we will cover Facebook.

Facebook:

There are some very basic rules to follow when using Facebook. They are universal no matter if you are there for business or pleasure.

• Give more than you receive. Ask yourself if you are an energy sucker or an energy giver. There are times when we have to reach out to others to learn something new or ask an opinion, but if you are not providing something of value to those you are seeking from, you can soon wear out your welcome.
• Add value to others. Find a way to make a difference for someone. Find ways to add value on a topic, or share a worthy cause, join other peoples causes, share something you have learned that might benefit someone else. If you give value out, you are likely to receive value in return.
• Listen. We were given 2 ears and one mouth for a reason. I suggest that you really listen to a topic or conversation by “following the thread” before you dive in and share your valuable opinion. Especially if it is someone or something you are not familiar with. Ask questions about things you are unclear of before diving in the deep end.
• Respect others. This should be a given. If you see someone being rude or out of line or if someone posts something you might not agree with, don`t waste your positive energy on “rebuking” that person, especially in public. If you see something you don`t agree with, you have 3 choices…. ignore it by respecting that they have their opinion and are free to express it within the guidelines of Facebook , report them or un-friend them. We all have the right to our opinion and I hope that we can all respect that right and if not, at least respectfully agree to disagree.
• Don`t blow up your entire friend list. Be more aware of who does and does not play games such as Farmtown, MafiaWars, BeJeweled Blitz, Fishtank or whatever. Rule of thumb here… if you invite them and they don`t respond, don`t keep sending them stuff a million times a day! There may be a reason they didn`t respond…. like ….they didn`t want to participate!
• Don`t Steal Friends of Friends. If you are interested in getting to know some one who is a friend of a friend, ask permission or at least let them know you are going to introduce yourself. But it really goes much farther into building relationships and “Tribes” if you actually have an introduction or a referral from another friend.
• BE Social. This is SOCIAL MEDIA after all.

Here are a few more suggestions to really help you to make the most out of your Social Tribes.

• If someone comments on something you post, thank them! Comment back on something they post! Be genuine though.
• If your going to comment… take the time to actually comment and not just say “great post”.
• If someone posts something really cool, share it using the SHARE VIA link. Why do we want all the credit for it? Share the love and the credit when it is due. It will come back to you.
• When you “friend request” someone you don1t know, tell them why you want to be their friend. Give them a reason to want to be friends with you!
• DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT immediately send a direct message or post on your new “friends” wall… anything that even remotely looks like your business opportunity. Get to know them. Build a real relationship. People don`t business with Opportunities…. they do business with people… why would they want to business with you? Set yourself apart by practicing the above mentioned actions. If you are worthy of Leading, people will follow.
• Tag your friends ONLY when there is a valid reason to tag them. Don`t tag “leaders” with big followings just to try to get more exposure for your info. Trust me… if you are putting out something of value…. it gets around.

And last but not least….

• Be Genuine. People only care how much you know, when they know how much you care.

Tomorrow we will cover Social Media Etiquette 101 for Twitter. Hope to see you there.

Live Full Out & On Purpose!

P.S . Here are some other very important rules on Facebook from my dear friend Buzzy Boxer. He is an expert on the subject. Hope you enjoy!