Before we start, let’s acknowledge the great existing lists of social media pet peeves. No need for me to reinvent the wheel, folks. Take these, for example:
This one went viral on Facebook (but I doubt it changed much…)
My Listable Life host, Nicole shares hers here.
And here’s a fun list devoted to Twitter.
And now a few additional no-no’s to add to the conversation:
1. Auto-replies. I know it seems like a nice gesture to thank me for subscribing or following you with one of the automatic reply features. However, even this “always say thank you” advocate has to draw the line somewhere and this is it. Two things wrong with auto replies are: 1) They are impersonal – a jerk spammer gets the same “thank you” that I do; and 2) The notice in my inbox telling me I’ve got a message gets me all excited for an actual interaction with you and then….then I’m just let down. The best “thank you” you can provide your network of contacts is genuine interaction
2. Hashtag Bombing. I think I just made up that term, but allow me to demonstrate what a hashtag bomb looks like:
#Today I went #shopping at #walmart and#bought #three #apples. They were #delicious. #ApplesForever
What are you going for here? Do you want a highly searchable tweet? Are you just not clear on how to use hashtags? Maybe your number sign key is just stuck. Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it wrong. Here’s some good guidance for using hashtags.
3. Not Responding. It’s called SOCIAL media and being social means interacting with people and interacting with people is a two-way street. Now, I’m guilty of failing to respond to each and every communication I receive, but I make every effort to interact with people when it’s clear they’re seeking interaction. If you’re pressed for time, a “Thanks everyone” will suffice provided you make an effort to interact more meaningfully at a later time.
4. Ignoring the direct message option. Not every communication is appropriate for a public Facebook or Twitter feed. Make use of direct messages for posts and tweets like:
“I’m sorry your husband was such a jerk to you. Want to chat?”
“We really need to talk about your drinking problem.”
“Did you tell your boss you’re quitting yet?”
“Let me know if you want a referral for that fungus you’re dealing with.”
“Have you left for your two week vacation while your burglar alarm is on the fritz yet”
5. Mystery Pinners. If you’re going to pin something to a Pinterest board, make sure the image links back to some sort of reference. Sure, I love that gorgeous dress you pinned too, but I’m going to be really annoyed when that image leads back to your Flickr account or the dreaded “user upload” with no caption or reference. It’s okay to pin your own photos, but give me a caption, a link, something that identifies the subject of your photo. More importantly, if you’re pinning someone else’s image, you should ALWAYS give credit to the source. No exceptions.
6. Okay, I know I said FIVE social media no-no’s but I have to add number 6 because I know I’m not alone AND this one really grinds my gears. Blogs that auto-play music. Go ahead and delete that little widget. When I visit your blog I’m already listening to Pandora and when I hear your John Mayer mix with my Gillian Welch, my ears bleed a little.
What’s missing from the list?
Join the Listable Life at Moments that Define Life.
