Parts I and II of “Not Your Kid’s Facebook” were behind-the-scenes suggestions on setting up your account and figuring out your account. Now it’s time for the fun part.
· Facebook is more than “I had cereal for breakfast.” I always hear that argument from people in my age range who haven’t signed up for an account for whatever the reason. People DO sometimes post what they’re eating or cooking (yum!) but it’s not that different from sharing the same information during a water cooler conversation (and don’t even pretend you never done that). Admittedly, I have seen a few posts that are way TMI (too much information), but I’ve also celebrated new babies, graduations, weddings, promotions, and other happy news. I’ve been touched by memorial tributes for people I loved and comforted by kind words from unexpected sources.
· Check your facts before reposting a link or status. Remember all the email blasts about some dreaded virus that turned out to be a hoax? People have learned to go to Snopes.com to check their facts before spamming their entire address book. Facebook users are still learning that lesson. It’s usually some post about privacy settings and most of the time it’s not entirely correct so do a quick google search to verify (or ask your favorite techie) before you paste it on your wall.
· Write captions and tag people in your pics. I’ve taken the time to click on your album; give me some context and tell me who the people are! Yes, it takes a bit of extra time, but it’s worth the effort. I’m careful to use only first names of children and don’t post at all unless I see that their parents have posted pics first. It’s just the right thing to do.
· Chime in every so often. Don’t feel obligated to comment on every status, every posting, every link (please DON’T!), but a quick “like” (looks like “thumbs up”) on somebody’s status or picture doesn’t take long and it’s like a wave across cyberspace. Seeing comments on my posts, sometimes from totally unexpected sources, usually makes me smile so I like to return the favor, hoping they’ll smile, too.
· Don’t obsess over status updates. It’s a conversation, not a dissertation, and you don’t have to post every moment of your day (again, please DON’T). Dan Zarella, a self-described social media scientist (whatever that means), answered five questions about Facebook marketing in a blog post. His advice? Post every other day. I, self-described social media geezer, decree that a post can be a status, a comment, a like and it counts…hey, it’s my blog and I can do what I want.
· Don’t put anything on FB you don’t mind seeing on the front page of USA TODAY (insert media outlet of choice here). Remember, if it goes on your wall, all of your friends (and perhaps others, depending on your privacy setting) are going to see it. If you want it to be one-to-one, use the message option. Even then, remember that anything you write down anywhere—email, letter, sticky note—isn’t really private, so act accordingly. Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way in eighth grade when a mean girl posted my sappy note to my boyfriend on the lunchroom bulletin board…awkward!
This is my completely unofficial take for Facebook, at least for now. What are your tips, tricks and quirks with all things Facebook?
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