We all grew up learning how to behave properly. Our parents told us not to put our elbows on the table, to hold the door open for an elderly person, not to talk with a mouth full of food, and many more rules. These rules were drilled into our heads so we knew how to behave.
Today, social media is a new place where the rules aren’t always known or followed. There are certain guidelines for conduct on social media platforms that you should follow so you don’t offend your friends.
Here are some of the online behavior that could get you unfriended.
Posting pictures of every meal
It’s great that you’re eating out. By all means, check in to the restaurant that you’re at, but don’t post a picture of every meal you’re eating. If you’re out for a special dinner at a fancy restaurant, then maybe a picture of how great your meal looks is appropriate. Otherwise, people on social media don’t care that you’re having a burger….again!
Tip: If you do take a picture of a beautiful meal, include a link to the restaurant’s website so your friends can visit and try that dish too.
Sending game requests
Do you love playing Candy Crush? Good for you….but most of your friends on social media aren’t interested in being invited to play. Don’t send those requests. Most of us don’t have time to play online games and if we do, we probably already have our own favorite.
Sharing your political point of view
Sure, social media is a great place to get the highlights of the day’s news, but most people aren’t interested in your political opinions. If you’re so passionate about your political point of view, perhaps starting a blog would be a better way for you to get your message out. Your political rants (either party!) aren’t going to change anyone’s opinion. You’re just going to get unfriended.
Being a bully
Social media is a platform for sharing your thoughts and opinions. But that doesn’t give you the right to be rude or a bully if someone has an opinion that’s different from your own. Engage in a healthy, adult discussion.
Too many selfies
Unless your last name is Kardashian, you should keep selfies to a minimum. They can be fun but pictures of you engaging with the world around you are more interesting!
#Hashtag overload
Hashtags in social media are a great way to tag a cause or topic or even to add some subtle context to a conversation. But you don’t need to hashtag every word in a sentence. #Hashtags are #great and #havetheirplace. Don’t over do it!