Talking on the phone with a passenger in the car is annoying and inconsiderate. Men should walk street-side of the sidewalk so women can safely side walk. Secondhand smoke kills, too. The common thread here is etiquette. Everyday etiquette evolves, which is why new recommendations for social graces are continually introduced. While it is common knowledge that it is impolite to chomp gum during a business meeting, some people new and old to social media remain clueless on proper conduct in the social media sphere.

Chris Brogan, a successful business man and author, outlined a number of do’s and don’ts with regards to social media that I found beneficial for the whole lot of us. Now, mind your manners.

Keep Conversation Classy

• You wouldn’t only talk about yourself at a dinner party, don’t do it on social media either. Comment on other company’s stuff, and even promote it.
• Being confident is good, but no one likes a big-headed brand. Don’t retweet praise, instead, show gratitude.
• You don’t have to comment on every single comment received. If you’re just saying “Thank you” to every comment it’s practically cyber litter.
• As a general rule of thumb, if you’re talking about someone you should link to them.
• Give credit where credit is due. If you end up retweeting something, make sure you acknowledge who found it first.

Promotion Tips

• If you expect retweets, don’t use all 140 characters. Leave room for people to personalize.
• Promotion should not be your only priority. Limit your promotional engagements.
• Be wary of over-selling. You need to provide value before you can expect favors.

Be Careful With Content

• Take into consideration the differences between social media platforms. Tweeting frequency is lenient, but Facebook posts that flood consumer’s news feed is not a good idea.
• If someone’s work inspires your own, like Brogan’s blog post for mine, attribute it and add personal flare.
• If you go on a hiatus, spare your audience the apology and just post something valuable.

For the record, social media etiquette always has exceptions. When it comes to social media marketing, there are no absolutes, and some people might disagree about what is considerate. I’m curious to learn what you believe to be polite social media behaviors.

About the author

Taylor Donohoo

Taylor is steered by the power of the pen. Having come from the prestigious creative track for copywriting at Brigham Young University, she understands the necessity for strategy, style and purpose. After graduation and taking a bite of the Big Apple while interning at Young & Rubicam, Taylor returned to Utah to craft and manage copy for us at PRMarketing.com. Aside from her wizardry with words, Taylor has a flare for fashion, and as a Floridian, is a sucker for the sun.