Seven Deadliest Sins of Social Networking. Make the most of online networking by avoiding these seven classic mistakes. One. Flooding your network with constant updates. One in six social media users admit to ‘oversharing.’ [1] Two in five Britons are getting bored of social media.’ [2] Don’t assume your followers want to know everything you are up to, constantly like and share other people’s comments and updates. Do aim for no more than a few carefully considered online updates a day, use your skills and expertise to help others out, use your control settings to manage what your community can see. Two. Not providing a profile picture on LinkedIn. Recruiters spend nineteen percent of the time they spend looking at your LinkedIn profile looking at your picture.[3] Your LinkedIn profile is eleven times more likely to be viewed if you have a picture.[4] Your profile picture is important for a number of reasons. It makes you real, and helps to build trust. If you have a common name, it helps people to find the
right Smith or Jones. It helps people identify you easily, if you meet up in person. Top Tip: Make sure the picture you do post is appropriate. Poolside holiday shots, pouting or posing with your pets may not be the best way to build your business profile online. Three. Not filling out a profile summary on Twitter and LinkedIn. You’re forty times more likely to turn up in a search if your online profile is complete. [5] Follow best practice: provide a skills summary of your current and past work experience, use terms that help fellow professionals and potential connections to find you, avoid corporate waffle and hackneyed terms - like motivated, passionate and creative. [6] Four. Focusing on the quantity, not quality of your connections. Twenty one point seven percent of LinkedIn users have between five hundred and nine hundred and ninety nine connections.[7] The average Twitter user has 126 followers.[8] Don’t just use LinkedIn, Twitter etc. to make as many contacts as possible. Make meaningful exchanges
with your connections, and add value to your network. Research potential connections, and any possible downsides to linking with them. Have a clear-out of your connections every now and then Five. Blowing your own trumpet too hard.Sixty eight percent of Facebook ‘friend’ deletions are due to bragging.[9] There’s a difference between being confident and credible, and sounding smug. Highlight some key achievements, but don’t talk too much about yourself. Social media expert Guy Kawasaki also says don’t call yourself a guru or an expert.[10] The best way to get yourself noticed for all the right reasons is through the quality of your posts. Six. Failing to get the basics right. Follow these simple steps: Check every online post before it goes live. Look for spelling or grammar errors. Test web links before you post. If your message is important, ask someone to give it a fresh pair of eyes. Seven. Lack of self censorship. The average Briton regrets seventeen things they have done online.[11] One in three people
have got in trouble with their boss over their social media posts. [12] Forty percent of hiring managers use social networks to check candidates. [13] Thirty percent of them have discounted candidates based on what they have found. [14] Avoid posting in haste, in anger or under the influence, sharing inappropriate comments or pictures. They will come back to haunt you. Talking about politics and religion or complaining about your company. And remember, check your privacy settings to control who can see what. Can’t resist a rant? Then keep these musings for your personal, not work, social media accounts. 

References:
[1] Alex Hamilton, ‘Top 15 Social Media ‘Regrets’ Include Drunken Rants and Soppy statuses’. Available at: http://www.itproportal.com/2015/01/02/top-15-social-media-regrets-include-drunken-rants-soppy-statuses/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[2]  YouGov, ‘Social Media Growing Up in UK’. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2012/02/17/social-media-growing-uk/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[3]  Vivian Giang, ‘This Heatmap Proves That Looks are the Most Important Thing on Your LinkedIn Profile’. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/should-you-include-a-picture-on-your-linkedin-profile-2012-5?IR=T (accessed 22 April 2015).
[4] By the Numbers: 120+ Amazing LinkedIn Statistics’. Available at: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/by-the-numbers-a-few-important-linkedin-stats/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[5] ‘SEO Social Media - Make Sure Your LinkedIn Profile is 100% Complete’. Available at: http://blog.brandyourself.com/online-reputation/online-reputation-management-online-reputation/seo-social-media-make-sure-your-linkedin-profile-is-100-percent-complete/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[6] http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/by-the-numbers-a-few-important-linkedin-stats/2/, http://blog.linkedin.com/2015/01/21/brand-you-year-how-to-brand-yourself-without-sounding-like-everyone-else/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[7] Aaron Elliott, ‘The Portrait of a LinkedIn User [infographic]’. Available at:http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/portrait-linkedin-user-2013-infographic (accessed 22 April 2015).
[8] Charles Arthur, ‘The Average Twitter User has 126 followers’. Available at:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2009/jun/29/twitter-users-average-api-traffic (accessed 22 April 2015).
[9]  Barbara E Hernandez, ‘Facebook Friends Turned Off By Bragging, Love’. Available at: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/press-here/Facebook-Friends-Turned-Off-By-Bragging-Love.html (accessed 22 April 2015).
[10] Guy Kawasaki, ‘How to Not Look Clueless on Social Media’. Available at: http://guykawasaki.com/how-to-not-look-clueless-on-social-media/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[11]  Alex Hamilton, ‘Top 15 Social Media ‘Regrets’ Include Drunken Rants and Soppy statuses’. Available at: http://www.itproportal.com/2015/01/02/top-15-social-media-regrets-include-drunken-rants-soppy-statuses/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[12]  Ibid.
[13] Erik Sherman, ‘1 in 10 Young Job Hunters Rejected Because of Their Social Media’. Available at: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/06/04/applicants-rejected-social-media-on-device-research/ (accessed 22 April 2015).
[14] Ibid.

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