I love Twitter! I spend time each week growing professional relationships and my business by connecting with others through Twitter.  I love the condensed character limit (I know…they are trying to scare me with increased limits), the quick nature of the information distribution, the searchable hashtags, and most importantly the ease at which you can meet new people.

Social media is all about the human interaction, the sharing of knowledge and information, and learning and collaborating with others.

If you are not careful (and let’s be honest, even when you are careful) you are bound to run into some scary monsters.

Tricks: The auto DM

Too many users take advantage of the ability to send automatic direct messages to followers. This tool is intended to enhance communication and allow users to send email-like messages back and forth.  The auto DM has muddied the waters and cluttered my message box.

Here are some of the types of auto DM’s that frighten me. (Don’t get me wrong…ALL auto DM’s are scary…but these give me nightmares).

1. Dracula notes – These are the DM’s that you get after following someone new. Instead of them asking a question to get to know you, these little creatures want more. They will start by asking you to do more. Download my free book (i.e. give me your email so I can send you mail there too), like my Facebook page, connect with me on LinkedIn, etc. Never satisfied with the human engagement, but simply looking to fill their own need for more.
2. Ghost notes – These messages ask you a question and often appear to be the beginning of a human to human (#H2H in the words of Bryan Kramer) interaction. But when you take the time to respond, you quickly learn that no one is on the other end. They were only a figment of your imagination.
3. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – This message is all about trying to seem authentic. It starts out with a greeting, short background on who they are and what they do, an ask and then they intentionally misspell something to make it seem more human and send a second message correcting their mistake. How do I know these aren’t real? Well…I got two of them today from different people. A little fishy if you ask me.

The scariest part of an automatic direct message isn’t the type of message as much as the fact that when you get many DM’s in a day you risk missing out on something that is genuine and requires your response.  Stop hiding and turn off the auto DM’s!

Horrors: Follow/Unfollow

Since social media is about human interaction, why do people continue to follow other accounts and immediately unfollow when you follow back?  Yep, that’s right…it’s about vanity. These monsters don’t care about building business or personal relationships, they are all about the numbers and making sure they have more followers than people they are following.

Scare tactics: Trolls

Twitter chats are a great way to engage in conversation on a specific topic with a group of people who also have an interest in the topic being discussed.  Too often there are people who swoop in and decide not to contribute with genuine conversation, but to instead pick a fight and simply be rude to other chatters. Usually the community will rally and kick this invasive troll to the curb, but is tends to ruin the positive flow of the discussion. Don’t be a troll!

Terrors: Fake news

Don’t be fooled by what you see online.  Not everything there is true. You need to be diligent, do your own research and make educated decisions about what to share and when. Be mindful that some people and articles are simply dressed up in a fancy new costume.

Be informed and don’t let the monsters ruin the relationships you are building online.

What is on my bookshelf?

Currently I am reading (again) “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek.  Although this book is more about leadership inspiring action, it is very appropriate in a marketer’s world.  Each day marketing professionals are tasked with inspiring their current and potential customers, brand advocates, stakeholders, and community. We need to stay grounded in why. Why are we putting this ad out on social media? Why will this information help my potential customers? Why will my community engage with this content?  Applying why to our jobs also make us more fulfilled employees, entrepreneurs and individuals. If you have read this book…what did you think? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

 

Author: Jennifer Radke

Jennifer Radke, CEO of NISM, is a dedicated, passionate and strategic business leader with 15+ years in sales and recruitment management, leadership, coaching, development and training. Most recently, she was the owner and chief strategist at Socially Inspired, a social media training and consulting company. In addition, she is an NISM-certified Social Media Strategist (SMS), serves on the board for Women Entrepreneurs of Minnesota and can be found speaking and presenting to job seekers and businesses alike, on how to better utilize social media in the workplace. Jennifer believes that lifelong learning is the key to continued growth and your networks are the best way to expose yourself to new opportunities.