You sound silly, boring, sensible, funny, intelligent, fake, creative….do I want to connect with you?

Assessing whether to connect with someone takes a matter of seconds, generally not minutes. Someone doesn't sit there looking at your last three pages of updates, explore your blog and then write down a detailed list of pro's and con's. It takes seconds and they might not realise your actually someone to connect with. Be it using social networks for personal or business use, it’s all too easy to send the ‘wrong message’. Not doing yourself justice and people who you would enjoy connecting with deciding otherwise.

I’m not writing about shaping the message á la politician style, but it’s important to understand why your using a social network. Not signing up because a friend told you to and then jumping on the nearest meme wagon passing by. Also lying about activities, being fake or misleading is pointless.

Do – Say hello to new connections.

Don’t – Automate a welcome message with a link to your blog.

Social networks are full of a rich variety of people, people join for different reasons. Some want to make new connections, others catch up with old or even just use as a soap box. The reasons and ways in which social networks are being utilized are varied. Many a person on a social network hope you tell others about their blog posts, visit their sites, become members and purchase their goods. I don’t mind following such people if they are providing useful content or at least seem interesting.

Do – Use a mixture of services to share content with your connections.

Don’t – Ask your connections to tell others about your content.

How often has a conversation around a dinner table turned into a heated debate? In many households it being agreed what can’t be discussed at the dinner table as it can get out of hand. i.e. no politics or religion are favourites. So consider what your telling your social network connections. Just because they may not respond, doesn’t mean your not alienating or annoying others.

Alienating or annoying people leads me of pointless game updates. Inviting them to grow a virtual garden, become a vampire or sharing that you’ve done x, y or z in mafia wars is boring. Same as requiring a contact to install an application to find out an answer to a question. Many don’t care and people might begin to skip your content and not give it as much attention.

 It’s okay if you don’t have any unique or relevant updates to share with your connections. Sometimes not communicating is better than pestering or filling up someone’s data streams with nonsense.

Do – Tell others of news you think they would find interesting.

Don’t – Pester others with invites to install applications.

So hold on what about some amazing positive tips eh?! Here’s the thing I don’t hold all the answers and each individual should contribute in their unique way. From the person drawing on their coffee cup each lunchtime to the baker telling everyone when the fresh bread is out of the oven, the trucker taking us on their journey and everyone else providing unique individual content. There are all sorts of people out there, with skills, experiences, locations unique to them. Perhaps give a rethink to what you will share and how.

This post is only the tip of the iceberg and there is more relevant advice for handling yourself in the social networks. So stay tuned to this blog.

In the meantime make the most of social networks, be honest, don’t bore, don’t lie and enjoy the experience.

-

Author: Andrew Emmett www.andrewemmett.co.uk