Social media experts agree to disagree about the proper forms of Tweetiquette and the proper way to interact.
Not just on Twitter but on any social network.
Sometimes, the mixed opinions are based on the individual's use: is it business, personal or both? Being that this article is focused around business networking and reaching a potential market and audience, I'm focusing on the business person engaging others on a social network.
Here's the short list of what you can do (and why) in order to ensure that I, as your potential client or customer, will unfollow or unfriend or just give you the boot.
1.
Update too much about your breakfast cereal.
Yes, I want you to appear human and want to know that there is a person behind the URL you keep sending me but really, how many times you eat corn flakes doesn't interest me.
2.
Send me the URL to your business site too many times.
Today's count was nineteen times! I like to know what your website is but please, if I haven't gone to it yet, I probably won't.
3.
Tweet and update your status too many times.
True enough, I want to surround myself with successful people and learn useful, insightful things but you can only retweet that teleconference you are hosting so much.
4.
Don't be truthful on your profile.
Please, do tell as to what your purpose is.
Why are you here? Is it personal? Business? Are you launching a site? If it is business, please don't misrepresent your intentions by updating your status to show you are watching Cops with your ex after your argument about the kids.
5.
Be selfish.
Tweet and update only things that pertain to you.
I'll perceive you as one sided and won't care what you have to say.
Why? Because this is social networking.
I want some kind of relationship with you, even if it is nothing but a familiarity with your name and company.
If all you do is show concern for yourself and promotion, why would I be interested in doing business with you? What is in it for me? 6.
Give me a product pitch in direct messaging.
I certainly don't mind being thanked for following or adding someone...
actually, it is thoughtful.
But please, don't pitch yourself or your product in the same sentence.
That's why I look at your profile before I follow you.
7.
Look at me as a number.
Yes, I bring your following and friend count up; however, if that is all I am to you, then we don't need any kind of relationship.
It goes back to quality vs.
quantity, count vs.
content.
8.
Confuse me with all your networks.
Twitter is different from Facebook is different from LinkedIn, etc.
I might be on one social network but not another.
You can use an auto-update application but please make your "post" generic, as I may not understand.
9.
Send ninety inspirational quotes.
Yes, I like them but there are websites that can provide that for me.
Give me something that is unique to YOU and that only YOU can contribute.
10.
Use my tweet or update as your own.
I love re-tweets, etc.
but can you let folks know it wasn't you? Must you really take credit for it? Isn't that stealing? We're all learning and listening to new information about social networking and how to use it properly.
Please, keep in mind that sometimes what you DON'T do is just as important as what you DO.
Quality over quantity counts for more than you might realize.
Don't make me unfollow you.
Keep me in your network so that I might learn from you, be inspired and perhaps make a purchase, become a client or a referrer to your services.
I found something interesting about you and your business, otherwise I wouldn't have started being in your network!