I’m currently writing a book, provisionally titled Seven Steps to Online Success. One of the chapters looks at using social media for business and I included twelve rules to keep businesses out of online purgatory.
On reviewing that chapter, the rules really apply to the web in general. So, with a little bit of editing, here are the 12 rules for using the web;
1. Show respect to everyone. Even people you find disturbing, you’ll quickly learn the Internet is mankind’s gift to the disturbed, deluded and downright deranged.
2. Listen. Once you’ve filtered out the crazies, you’ll find the collective intelligence of the web can be quite powerful.
3. Converse. The big currency in social media is conversation, by joining in with constructive comments you enhance your reputation.
4. Be constructive. Add value to the conversation
5. Positivity. The web rewards the positive more than the negative, by all means post critical comments, but it’s best to for your posts to be more positive than negative.
6. Be honest. Social media has a horrible way of catching people out, so don’t tell porkies.
7. Associate with the smart kids. You’re judged by the company you keep, just like in the school ground.
8. Don’t constantly plug your services. You’ll be branded a spammer and shunned.
9. Social media is not a numbers game. Don’t obsess about the number of Twitter followers or Facebook friends. Quality beats quantity every time.
10. Never post when drunk or emotional. You will regret it.
11. Step away. If you find a social media channel is taking up too much of your time or passion, take a break.
12. Learn. Use what you’ve learned.
Seven Steps to Online Success is due out in Australian bookstores in June. In the meantime, my new business Netsmarts is running workshops helping businesses use Google and News Limited’s free local search services to grow their business.