7 Tips on Building Web Credibility through Social Networking Sites

If you are talking about building an online presence, social networking is kind of a big deal. In fact, its such a big deal that professionals are using these sites to their advantage. Myspace, Facebook, Virb, Orkut, LinkedIn and many others all vie for your attention on the net. Endless lists of users and groups, all become readily accessible. If you manage to sift through all the garbage you could find a great tool that may just let you connect with others who share similar interests, and even end up making good business contacts, among other things.

If looking professional and standing out among the masses is something that interests you, keep reading. This article is written to be a guide that will help you get the most out of these sites in order to build your web credibility.

1. DO NOT USE ALL CAPS.

WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME!? Not just a social networking rule but a general rule to be aware of when typing. Web Etiquette is a big deal. It is almost universally known that when a paragraph of text is capitalized some form of yelling is taking place. This can be very awkward in a business setting and can really flare some tempers if taken the wrong way by the reader. Readability should also be taken into consideration. Not a big deal for a sentence or headline but when an entire paragraph is capitalized the general reader will read the first line, maybe get to the second, then give up and leave. If you want people to read what you have to say, make it easy to read, that�s half the battle.

2. Spelling counts!

If you’re 13 years old, in a spelling bee and having trouble spelling the word “onomatopoeia”, its forgivable. But if you consider yourself a professional in your industry, you have trouble spelling the word “mispelled” (the correct spelling is misspelled) then you have no business writing a blog. There is also a neat little tool called “spell check” if you have trouble spelling words.

3. Learn the proper use of words

This is sort of an offshoot of the spelling tip, but it’s valid enough to deserve its own number. Do you know that the word “its” and “it’s” are completely different words? One is possessive and one isn’t. Also think about the difference between “your” and “you’re”, “weather” and “whether”, and “affect” and “effect” . Watch out for correct tense. (Has, have, had). Proper use of grammar helps add to your credibility and value.

4. Keep your profile professional.

The way your profile looks says something about who you are. Pink, green and black profile pages aren’t too appealing. Keep your profile design simple and easy to read. Using the blinking glitter graphics that read “Sexy” and “Luscious” is not a great idea. Cater your pictures and content to best represent yourself well, nobody needs to see 87 pictures of “Fluffy” which take the better part of a day to scroll past. Having music in your profile is ok but choose wisely. Avoid using vulgarity and profanity. You don’t want to offend other members. Most people that hear profanity will immediately leave your page. Keep your content appropriate.

“Remember that kid who sent in his resume last Friday? Well, I went to his Myspace page, looks like he’s a big fan of Satan. Let’s never call him for an interview.”

Companies do check out potential employees Myspace profiles. If you must express yourself, then at least make your profile private.

5. Be relevant.

Sorry to break the news to you but no one cares what color collar you just bought “Fluffy.” Keep your content relevant to how you want to represent yourself. If you want to stand out as a football player, write about your achievements, the NFL, or your favorite college team. Keep your “About” section short, simple and to the point. Let other members know a little about who you are but don’t bore them to death.

6. Avoid unethical social networking practices

This means no stealing graphics/content, spamming, hacking profiles/accounts or posing as someone else. Copyright infringement is a big issue with artists and bloggers. If you like a graphic and would like it to be in your profile, don’t pull the old “right-click maneuver” by saving it and putting it on your profile. That is a copyright violation. Only the owner can copy, upload, display, distribute, publicly perform, and sell his or her content. This applies to graphics, articles and anything that is original content. If in doubt, don’t use it.

7. Make friends

Isn’t that the point of social networking? Seek out and find others with similar interests. Befriend them, “poke them”, whatever it takes to reach out and make that connection. To avoid being creepy, leave a nice comment, be personal, compliment them on something that looks like they take pride in on their profile. Soon you will find yourself building large network of friends who all share your interests.

Social networking is a powerful tool and with a few guidelines it can become a great experience instead of a misstep.