5 Social Media Tips from Mom

As I was brainstorming on things to blog about that are happening in the wonderful world of public relations, I came across this article, titled 5 Social Media Tips from Mom. This article was posted on a a web site called Ragan's PR Daily and was written by a man named Bill Lublin who is the CEO of the Social Media Marketing Institute. The article pointed out that social media guru's seem to be popping up everywhere constantly. Not that this is a bad thing, but he wrote about a few rules that are basic, but they work. He also said that these rules are rules our mother's have taught us. I found these to be very interesting.

The first one is, Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back. It is one thing to be confident, however it is something completely different to be arrogant, especially through social media. Constantly talking about yourself does not make you important, it can actully do the complete opposite. It would be better to be great enough so other people can do that talking for you.

The second rule is, if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Lublin pointed out that everyone is entitled to an opinion, whether it is positive or negative. Through the use of social media, people should feel they can voice their opinion without being ridiculed or attacked. It is also important to remember if you are going to make a negative comment, attack the idea, not the author, writer or person.

The third rule is one I truly agreed with, if you dont' do it NOW, then when wll you do it? As an avid procrastintor, this rule stuck with me and is defintely one my mom has told me before. Lublin points out that some people procrastinte so much they actually end up putting of procrastinating. This could greatly affect one's social media presence and in a bad way, so as difficult as it is for some people, an effect should be made to get things done.

The forth rule is, I don't care what "everyone" is doing. In this rule, Lublin states that, "don't be a slave to social proof." He said that people need to make choices based on their own needs, skills, talents and do whatever fits into one's schedule. To have a social media presence, you need to go with your strengths to be the most effective. What could be the most effective for you is not always what the majority of people do.

The last rule is 5, Now, say you’re sorry—and mean it! Being transparent when using social media is crucial. If you make a mistake do not try to hide it. Correct it, but be open about the correction. This will make you more credible in the future and can also be used as an effective tool when creating a social media presence.

I thought these rules were interesting and helpful. Lublin makes a good point through these rules. They are simple, yet could be extremely effective. I hope you found them to be thought-provoking as well.