49 Random Observations On How To Be A Player In Social Media

1. Use your head shot as your avatar, not a logo..or a Mad Men cartoon likeness (even though Don Draper is hot)…

2. Comment on at least five blogs a day. And don’t you dare only say “Great post! Thanks for sharing!”

3. If you automate anything, you deserve a slow and painful death.

4. If you ever say “Nice to meet you, let’s be friends on Facebook too!” – I will kick your shins when I actually meet you…

5. Don’t say you are a “social media guru.” Just don’t.

6. In fact, the word “expert” ought not appear anywhere in your profiles.

7. I could give a damn if you are the “Mayor” of your own home…

8. Don’t retweet yourself.

9. Don’t stream your Twitter feed into LinkedIn.

10. #thereallylonghashtagsontwitteraresomewhatannoying.

11. Adding #fail to any tweet, is just, well, a total #fail.

12. Just because your DM message begins with “This is an automated message, but I really care about knowing you!” doesn’t mean I am going to like you.

13. I don’t take you seriously when your Twitter location is “Earth.” Although I kinda dig it when people put their flight’s seat number…

14. How in the bloody hell do you have time for Farmville and Mafia Wars?

15. I. Don’t. Have. A. Problem. Using. Periods. For. Exclamation. But. Others. Do.

16. When you share the work of others, be sure you cite the author. It’s kinda skuzzy to tweet a link to an article, only to find it belongs to someone else…

17. I really want to stab my eyes with pencils every damn time I see another quote from Einstein or Mark Twain…

17.5. …Instead, come up with your own words of wisdom to promote.

18. I am cool with mentioning political stuff…but don’t get all fussy when someone from the other side gives you lip and fights back.

19. It is nails on a chalkboard when you put “PLS RT” at the end of a tweet. At least it is for me. And maybe a couple of million other people…

19.5. And certainly don’t ask me to retweet a 137-character tweet… [this is why I don't own a weapon]

20. And don’t DM me and ask me to comment on your post. If I find it worthy, I will comment, RT, and sing your praises…

21. I’ve said this before, but any Tweet mentioning “Trump” is probably going to elicit a negative reaction…

22. Transparency is what makes this stuff great folks. Get with the program…

23. U don’t need 2 abbrv8 ur entire twt.

24, If I don’t “like” your Facebook page on Monday…it probably means I won’t “like” your damn page on Tuesday… Stop asking me…

25. I appreciate every #FollowFriday I get, but stacking a tweet with eight twitter handles doesn’t really move people to follow… #justsaying

26. I think #justsaying is overused…

27. I mean, really. Don’t ask me to recommend you on LinkedIn when we’ve never actually worked together…

28. Don’t broadcast your latest blog post over 39 different LinkedIn groups. This action may result in gunfire…

29. Hey, it is way cool to mention your latest post on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn…but if that’s ALL you do? You are doing it wrong.

30. Stop bitching about Facebook security protocols. When they start charging for access, then it is allowed.

31. Twitter Search, if done right, can change your life. Or at least your business.

32. I love how some A-listers are approachable, friendly, and helpful. And how some people, with 47 followers, act like prima donnas.

33. You don’t need to have a presence on EVERY social network. Engage where you have impact. Engage where your market is.

34. Friending you on Facebook is NOT permission to be added to your email database…

35. Don’t automate tweet distribution. When you tweet something, and I respond, and you get back to me three days later? That’s uncool.

36. When you send me a tweet, and I don’t know you, and you have 2 followers, and you ask me to click on a link? I will ignore you, with malice.

37. When people say they don’t care what you had for breakfast? They are lying. Secretly, they love knowing what their friends are up to…but they will NEVER admit it.

38. If you don’t know how to use Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to strike up conversations, you need to begin again.

39. If you invite me to be your connection on LinkedIn with the standard “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” — you are missing a huge opportunity…

40. If you are whining that you don’t have enough time to read blogs, you aren’t using your RSS feed correctly…

41. If you have a blog, and have turned off commenting? What’s the point? [this applies to everyone, except Seth...]

42. If you allow commenting, but aren’t responding to the comments you are getting? What’s the point?

43. Make it easy to share your content. If it is hard to share, I won’t share it.

44. Just because a celebrity friends you on Facebook, doesn’t mean they are your BFF…

45. If your PR agency has an intern doing your tweeting, disclose that.

46. A large number of Twitter followers, Facebook friends, or LinkedIn connections doesn’t make you better. It does allow you to shine a brighter light on others, but sadly, most don’t do that…

47. But yet, most people still battle “follower envy” and devote their time to building numbers instead of building connection.

48. Spend your time connecting with real people, get to know them. And spend time sharing the work of others. That’s what makes you a player in social media. #thatisall

49. …and I think #thatisall is overused too.

[with regards to the bad stuff here? i am guilty of some of them. this post is as much for me as it is for you. i promise to work on it!]

Any other observations to share? What did I miss?

[cartoon by @gapingvoid]

Tagged as: Blogging, Facebook, Foursquare, hashtags, LinkedIn, Mad Men, RSS, Seth Godin, Social Media, Twitter, Twitter Search