Social Media Etiquette: What's Inappropriate & How Much is Too Much??

I saw a question asked today about whether or not it is appropriate to post to another company's page in

hopes of attracting that page's fans. This brings up a very interesting point. I'd like to share my opinion on

this topic as it relates to social media as a whole and get yours as well.

I've spent years researching everything I could find on social media in hopes of further developing and

discovering practical applications for the market research industry. I now manage successful group and

company campaigns for several industry peers, so I'd like to share some of what I've learned along the

way. Whether your goal is education and awareness, new business development, recruitment, or

something else entirely, I believe that there's a way to accomplish a great deal through social media, but it

doesn't happen quickly or easily. I've often seen posts regarding what's considered appropriate, what's

considered annoying, and at the end of the day, I found that most of what I read was not only true but

common sense.

In regards to social media etiquette, posting any type of solicitation, whether you call it a "share" or not,

on another's page would typically be considered rude and could be considered an attempt to "leech" off of

another's fan base, which is typically very hard earned and developed over much time and relationship

building. I personally never do that unless I have specifically been given permission to do so or have a

reciprocating relationship. Another thing to consider is that even when you have been given permission to

post, it should be considered a privilege and not be abused. It is annoying to readers to see frequent

postings of the same thing, and there is a definite line between annoying and spam. This type of posting

actually harms the venue you've been given permission to post to, because you start to alienate that fan

base and limit, if not prohibit, further growth. That wouldn't be considered acceptable in daily life any

more than it is in virtual media. My advice in this regard is to be careful and above all, be considerate. If

you've built up a blog or group subscription, use the bulk notify options sparingly and never for

solicitation. Give your readers something: monthly or quarterly newsletters with original content, holiday

wishes, a coupon or sale especially for them, education, like whitepapers and e-books, all of these are

acceptable when used correctly. Remember that no one wants to be sold to. As a society, when we want to

buy, we go to the store, we don't typically expect it in our social groups where our main desires are

support from like-minded individuals, sharing of experiences and knowledge, and networking.

It's not easy to start from the beginning, and it can be very frustrating to find your niche and the level of

success you are reaching for, but whatever your goal, you must give it time. In a way, networking via

social media takes even more time, because though you can do it on a larger scale, relationships are still

relationships, and there has to be a solid foundation, which can be much harder to form across the

distance that technology inherently provides. In many ways, technology bridges gaps and makes us feel

closer in proximity to a global population, but that same mechanism also creates an impersonal distance

that can be very difficult to cross.

So, then, what's appropriate, and how do you get benefit out of these media while also being considerate?

If you can update a previous post or add a comment to a similar post as opposed to posting an entirely

new post, please do so. If you are posting your needs more often than once a week, depending on the

venue, it is probably too much. You also want to make sure that you are giving something to the page or

site that has offered to let you post. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you are giving at least as much

as you are gaining from posting or networking there. Remember, that venues like Facebook are

successful because not only do friends and fans see your posts, but popular posts end up on friends of

friends’ pages and so forth. It's all about quality, not quantity. Quantity often has the complete opposite

effect. This virtual "face time" and exposure is valuable and can be returned in a variety of ways. If

appropriate, offer to be a moderator, but only if you can truly devote the time. Many social media groups

and campaigns end up being short-lived because of the time and effort it takes to not only build but

maintain one. You can share experiences, ask or answer questions, post informative articles, give reviews

or comment on other posted content, "share" content, or offer your availability in your field of expertise.

All of these things add value to the community as a whole, and create an exponential return.

Bottom line, bring something to the table; don't just show up for dessert. Keeping content fresh is very

hard work, and in many cases, the best way to do that is to pitch in as a community, because we all have

something to offer.