"I can't hear you."
Everyone remembers that classic scene from Top Gun with Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise. After a disagreement over his performance, he is seen on his motorcycle preparing to leave. He can't hear her due to the fact that he is revving his motorcycle.
In social media, in most regards we are doing the same thing. We are busy revving our own engines.
When we are retweeting our own links, promoting our own sites, and just not being involved in the conversation we are executing the classic example of revving our engine.
Sometimes you just have to shut the key off.
To get the most out of YOUR social media experience you should be engaging, asking/answering questions, and adding value to whatever community your in.
Here is a quick list of a few social media DO's:
- do answer/ask questions
- engage your community
- share links that add value to the entire community
- post a picture to all profiles (and yes people do want to see your shining face)
DON'T
- share your own links repetitively ( like five times an hour)
- be rude, disrespectful, or spammy
- use content that you didn't create and call it your own. (plagiarize)
- not bring value.
It's time to talk less and engage more. Let's use social media as a tool for us to use to interact not just to promote. I think by talking less and listening more, I think we will find that we can tune down the noise and get to the matter of building lasting relationships.
Guest post by Neal Hopps.