Mind Your Posts & Tweets: Social Media Charm School

Chew with your mouth closed, say please and thank you, call your mama...basic etiquette is a no-brainer. But when it comes to social media, do you know how to manage relationships without looking like a n00b?   

TKG put together a little advice column to help you get social without being that guy. In fact, we have already helped a few, shall we say “socially-stunted” YPs get a handle on social media…

My girlfriend says it’s over if I keep checking Facebook while we’re together.  I’m completely addicted to my iPhone. Help!

If a smartphone is coming between you and your significant other, your relationship may be a snoozefest in reality. In fact, you may be in a relationship with your phone. Your personal life aside, we have a bigger concern: are you checking your phone in meetings, with co-workers and clients, from the bathroom, etc.? Because that sort of behavior screams, “Wow, I could give a rat’s behind about all of you!” Save your phone-love for off-work hours…or you may find yourself in a relationship with the unemployment office.

I’m desperate to get exposure for my cat hair salon and day spa. I’m going to post a pic of some cats on Facebook and tag 50 of my friends. Good thinking, right?

Ugh. It’s called SPAM, people. If someone’s not actually in your photo, don’t tag them – it’ll annoy them and leave viewers wondering what their friend has to do with your cats. Not good for business.

My husband and I had a huge fight after I Facebooked about his vasectomy. My peeps want to be updated on every mundane and private aspect of my life, right?

First, sympathies to your hubby, both for his surgery and that he's married to you. Second, 95% of your Facebook friends DON'T want to hear about your husband’s lost manhood, nor the bag of frozen peas you have waiting for him. For those that do, send them a good old-fashioned email. It’s also super easy to create Yahoo! groups for friends/family. A good “posting” rule of thumb is to see if your status would pass muster with your most conservative Facebook friends. If not, don’t post!

I live a second life as a barfly and “tweet” about my crazy adventures. Is this why I’m not landing job interviews?

Social sites rank well in the search engines, and you can bet potential employers are going to Google you. They’ll pass if they see updates like, “Almost beer-thirty!”  Be sure to delete unflattering updates and/or restrict your privacy settings on social networks while you’re job hunting. Or better yet, clean up your act, ya lush!

Have a social media quandary? Email socialadvice@tkg.com…who knows, you may end up in our next column. Until then, tweet dreams!