Anyone who has spent more than 15 minutes on Twitter these days knows that it can sometimes tend to be a volatile place to be social. The same can be said for virtually all on line platforms, but when it comes right down to it, we are all expected to conduct ourselves in a civilized and respectful manner. Social media is not the place to bully, chastise, vent, gaslight or spread hate. Here is a quickie refresher course on how to be How to be Humble and Kind Online.
How to be Humble and Kind Online
Be kind. Emotions and tone does NOT translate over the Web and since the person on the receiving end doesn’t see or hear your dry humor, it may possibly even seem hurtful. Just remember tone can be lost easily through typed words.
Filter Everything: If it’s something that you wouldn’t share in the company newsletter, or you know the Board of Directors wouldn’t approve (and would question) don’t place it on social platforms. This includes really obvious things like pornographic information, threatening/ obscene/defamatory links or comments, or anything that mentions illegal or discriminatory conduct. And even more subtle things like potentially offensive generalizations about a group of people can cause major problems in the long run.
Don’t over-promote. Basically don’t be a continuous commercial, a keyword stuffer, and fall into the all-about-me mentality. If your content reads like a press release or dry marketing facts, it will get ignored.
Turn the Other Cheek: You noticed someone being snappy, sarcastic or crude in response to your social media updates. Even if you feel your blood pressure rising, take a deep breath and literally walk away. The Internet is not the place to settle a dispute or get into an argument. If someone is truly being inappropriate, take the steps to block or unfollow them. Taking the high road and ignoring the offender is also a chance to show your followers and connections who the bigger person is.
Don’t Take What Isn’t Yours: If you didn’t write it, don’t claim it. The exception to that rule is sharing/citing a few words or a phrase is acceptable under fair use laws, but you still absolutely need to attribute the source. Also, if you intend to use more than a few words or phrases, it\’s best to err on the side of caution and ask the original author for permission to republish their words on your blog or newsletter.
Don’t Use All Caps: DID YOU KNOW USING ALL CAPS IS LIKE SHOUTING ONLINE?
Install Your Filter: The general rule of thumb is; if it’s inappropriate or unprofessional to say it in the off-line world-it has no place in the online world. Conduct yourself in a professional way always. Updates, tweets, and comments have a tendency to live on forever on the www.
Following proper social media etiquette is a key to being successful online and the Internet is a vast, wonderful, unforgiving place. Think about it and treat it like you would treat nature. When you leave, you want to make it a better place than when you came.
Valarie Budayr is the founder of the independent publishing house Audrey Press and co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden. She is also the co-founder of Multicultural Children\’s Book Day. Valarie is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and bringing back the joy of reading to young and old alike. You can find her doing that on her popular blog and website, Jump into a Book.
Noreen Wenjen has spent the last two decades of her successful career recognizing the importance of creating a nurturing environment for music students. With two filled-to-capacity piano instruction studios to her credit and a vast knowledge of marketing gleaned from working at two Fortune 500 companies, Wenjen is sharing her proven business tactics with other music teachers who are committed to establishing a successful music studio with longevity.
In her new book, Two-Year Waitlist: An Entrepreneurial Guide for Music Teachers, Wenjen shares her proven
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– Dr. Stewart Gordon, Professor of Keyboard Studies at the Thorton School of Music, University of Southern California
Learn more about the book and author HERE.
Connect with Noreen via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
