I’ve seen too many times where minor slip-ups in a social media campaign has caused major problems. Just because you’re behind a computer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be polite and treat someone like you would if your were face to face, so over the next few posts or so I’ll be sharing some social networking etiquette tips with you. These tips work because social networking is all about building community. Just like in the community you live in offline, the people who have credibility online are those who engage others and provide value for the community.

So here’s tip number one:

Share — Provide valuable information that people can use. When I am networking online, I offer great content for free, whether it be seminars, newsletters or even articles that I find that would be interesting for the community. You can’t expect to sell your products from a Twitter feed, but what you can do is engage your audience, find out what they’re interested in and build a relationship with them. It’s also a great opportunity for you to share your voice and let people get to know you. Let people into your world and give them some insight into who you are. If you’re going for a hike on Saturday, let people know. These types of things resonate with people and can help keep you connected to your target audience.