Whenever you enter a blog comment, tweet or post a LinkedIn update, you’ve created an online footprint that never really goes away. So a little forethought is always a good thing when it comes to your social networking activity. Otherwise, you could be “guilty until proven innocent” when it comes to how you’re perceived.
Lacking a strategy for using social networking tools.
I get a lot of queries from contacts and clients who want to get started using social media without a clear objective as to what their objectives are. The need for strategy is still important because without this, you may not be using your time effectively, not using the right social tools and may not get the best return on your investment of time. Before you get started, determine what you are trying to accomplish, who you are trying to reach and what you are trying to communicate.
It can’t be all about you.
Even though of course it’s all about you, it can never be all about you when it comes to the social universe. To go “out there” in the social space with the primary objective of promoting yourself you’d miss some of the larger benefits such as meeting others, developing relationships, building community, sharing expertise and letting things unfold naturally. By keeping your personal agenda secondary, your visibility and positive returns will grow organically.
Using poor etiquette and having inappropriate expectations
Just because social networking takes place online, the same rules of thumb apply when it comes to appropriate etiquette. Even though online mediums can feel very different it’s important to exercise the same good sense as in face to face connections. This means focusing on making connections and building rapport to avoid making the wrong impression and possibly damaging relationships you’re trying to create. Rushing what will happen organically can end up killing the effectiveness of the interaction.
What are the positive traits of Social Networking?
There’s never been a more powerful time to take advantage of social networking tools on so many levels:
Article comments
1 - Scott
I think social media gives you a chance to get your articles in front of people at the right time. I don't know how many times I've been chatting with someone online and had a post that answered a question they asked. If you get the right timing like that people are more likely to share it because they found more value in it.