Social Media Etiquette Should Define Not Defame Your Brand

What are your social media etiquette rules?

Do you have them for your community and the media’s you engage with them on?

The 2012 Presidential election really opened my eyes to how important it is to create rules and content boundaries and how to use settings to control and enforce them. It was during those months that people, who were “my friends and connections” really showed some colors I did not care for. It was up to me to control and filter it and determine who I wanted on my sites and what content I would allow.

Here are 5 etiquette rules I do NOT allow

1. Profanity does not make anyone stand out or make their point have more impact to me. People who choose to use profanity in an inappropriate way are out. A clever, witty, dry comment rules over profanity any day.
2. Hate-ism or Misanthropy is the general hatred, mistrust or disdain of the human species or human nature. Spewing blatant hate says far more about the person than the group they disdain and doesn’t articulate intelligence in any way.
3. Antisemitism is a mindset in general that is particularly troubling and can apply to any ethnic group. It creates  bad energy and karma.
4. Negativism is fatiguing. We  don’t always like things but show some acceptance and try to find the silver lining.
5. Stop the Sales Spam with using my Facebook page to sell and sending me spam sales letters through LinkedIn, please.

Here are 5 etiquette rules I ALWAYS encourage

1. Diversity and points of view that are intelligent, informative and thoughtful.
2. Tolerance and kindness for people’s diversity no matter what color, creed or nationality they are.
3. Ethnic and generational inclusiveness that blends all our ages and stages in life.
4. Appropriate humor that makes me smile and shows your “sense” of humor.
5. An optimism and hope that no matter what, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that your experiences can benefit others.

Social Media allows us a public way to connect, share information, educate and inspire. Sadly, it is often used with bad and even evil intent and for the wrong reasons.

Set your rules and boundaries and use your social media to define your brand not defame it.

What are your social media etiquette rules?

Author:

Deborah Shane is Top 100 Small Business Champion 2012, Career Author, branding/media strategist, writer and speaker. She hosts her Toolbox Blog and a popular weekly Business Radio Show that has over 205K downloads! She is a regular contributor toSmallBizTrends.com, Monster, Blogher, PersonalBrandingBlog.com, Forbes.com. Her book Career Transition-make the shift is #1 paperback and #2 kindle in Career Transition ona Amazon.com. Deborah delivers smart ideas and solutions, which make her a popular go-to resource for CNN, CBS, Fox and Forbes.