Jan. 28--Regular readers of So Social know how often I stress the importance of being personal in your tweets, Facebook posts and everything else. It's important because it puts the "social" in social media.
Anything else is selfish. Selfish social media.
But how much is too much and how do you find the balance? That's not so easy to answer. But here's what I can tell you for sure: Social media isn't only about you.
I am friends with a few people on Facebook who post only about themselves. I think I keep them as friends because I'm hoping they'll figure it out and make some adjustments.
I'd be a terrible social media columnist if I didn't provide a few tips to avoid going this route. Honestly, it's pretty simple.
Use a modified 'rule of thirds':This rule provides an easy way to mix up your content and separate it into thirds -- one-third of your posts focus on you, one-third focus on content from other people and one-third focus on making conversation. Maybe it doesn't fit your needs. But take a step back and look at a month's worth of tweets and posts. Is there anything you can do differently to increase engagement and interest?
Social media is like blogging, but it's not a blog:Some blogs are personal. Some are created with community in mind. If you want to talk only about yourself, start a blog. Tweeting and sharing things that only you understand gets old really fast.
Please don't like your own posts:For the love of everything, you shouldn't do this anyhow. It's just creepy. Some of the same people I mentioned in my earlier example like their own content, and I'm pretty sure I know why: To push it up higher in the News Feed. That's what happens when you like something, and while Facebook should create a way around this, it hasn't.
It's your party and you can cry if you want to: (Good luck getting that song out of your head.) Who am I to tell you what to post? You can't even, right? I get it. It's not up to me. But your friends may be trying to spare your feelings, so believe me, I have your best interests in mind. Just as you wouldn't (hopefully) walk into a party and shout "LOOK AT ME!" you should remember that good social media means engaging. You're more likely to enjoy the party if you mingle and introduce yourself to other partygoers. You should do the same online.
While we're on the subject of me telling you what to post, I heard some feedback about my recent column regarding bad language. Younger readers thought I had no right to insert my beliefs into their social media, while older ones thought it was important to reiterate that there's no need for it. I respect your right to disagree, and I understand. But if you're looking for a job, don't count on your future employer agreeing with you. If you think that person won't scour your social media accounts to find out more about you, you're mistaken.
You get to choose the message you send and the style you want to convey. Just remember: Social media isn't only about you.
Have questions about social media? Tweet them to @scottkleinberg with hashtag #SoSocial. He might use yours in a future column.
