Facebook Etiquette for Page Owners
Now that Facebook page owners have been granted the freedom to use Facebook as their page identity, I think it is a perfect time to have a quick discussion about Facebook etiquette for page owners. Since the changes were rolled out I've watched as my Facebook page turned from a fun social forum into a bulletin board style free-for-all. Page owners seem to be giddy over their new power and eager to spread their brand to other people's audiences. For some, the temptation to promote their brand on other pages is simply irresistable. Its just too easy to pass up.
Time to excercise some restraint people! Remember all that talk way back when Facebook was a new concept, about how you should treat it like a cocktail party? If you wouldn't walk into the room and say "I'm Joe Schmoe and I sell houses, do you or anyone you know plan on buying a house in the next 60-90 days?" then you shouldn't say it on Facebook. Especially not on someone else's page. Spam is a stinky meat (?) and you better believe people can smell it a mile away. Unless, of course, you are one of the gifted few that can get people to believe you are Nigerian Royalty looking for a modest American to look after your riches.
Some may argue that you can avoid having spammers on your page by changing the wall settings to only display posts by you. I don't feel good about that though, as I like to encourage interaction from my page's fans. If you share my philosophy then you may just have to deal with the fact that spammers will try to spread their stink on your page. So, rather than worry about how to moderate them, lets talk about a few tips to avoid becoming a spammer yourself:
DON'T: Post a link and tell people to come 'Like' your page on someone else's page.
DO: Post a link relevant to the conversation or focus of that page's audience.
DON'T: Attempt to sell your goods or services directly on someone else's page.
DO: Share your positive feedback about the goods or services offered by that page's owner.
DON'T: Leave irrelevant comments on posts on someone else's page just to promote your brand.
DO: Add value to the conversations unfolding on other pages.
DON'T: Ridicule, insult, or otherwise instigate drama on someone else's page.
DO: If you have something nice to say, say it. Otherwise remove fingers from keyboard and walk away. There are some arguments worth having, but when they are publicly visible remember to use discretion.
DON'T: Hijack a comment thread on someone else's page.
DO: Let the page owner moderate the comments on their own page.
Any Do's & Don'ts to add? Or perhaps some foreign investments you want me to hold in my account?
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