In days of old, the general public were swayed by happy jingles and formidable announcers voice, which served as effective forms of advertising.

Traditional Forms of Advertising Going the Way of the Dodo
These days, however, traditional forms of advertising where one way messages are delivered to the public are proving less effective because people in general, are cynical and suspicious.

And rightly so.

Why should people be expected to buy things simply because the manufacturer purports the product to be good?

How d’you do?; What’s Old is New
The future of advertising is about authenticity and building relationships, and online marketing and social media facilitates this refocus. But interestingly enough, the principals that underpin social media etiquette are quite old. Plain simple common courtesy will serve you well in social media. And short cuts will only cost you in the long run. Some key things to keep in mind:

• No one likes a braggart – so while by all means share your news and product information, if that’s all you have to say, you’ll soon find yourself without an audience. Mix it up, take into account your target audience and engage

• Be the real thing – your audience will connect with you far better if you show personality.

Here are some general social media etiquette tips as well as tips specific to various social media sites.

Are you There Corporation? It’s me, the Consumer
Through social networks, such as twitter or blogs etc., you’re able to speak to and be heard directly by your target market. You’re also able to show more of a human side of your organization. Considering the vast majority of people on the internet are passive listeners, you may be actually only engaging with a handful of people, but you can be sure that many, many more people are listening and watching these interactions. And these people are forming opinions of you and the company you represent.

So no longer can rest on your laurels for simply having a website. If you don’t have a way for customers to engage on your website, then you’re missing out on an important opportunity to engage with people.

If we Bury Our Heads in the Sand, Maybe it’ll Go Away
Many companies are worried that if you open yourself up, you’ll allow negative feedback to be publicly broadcasted. However, social media tools are actually fantastic learning opportunities. By listening, not only will you discover areas to improve your business, but by moving swiftly and effectively to rectifying a problem, you stand to gain positive public coverage.

Further Resource:

• Slides from Kate Trgovac’s recent yoyomama social media workshop.

• Mashable.com should simply be your social media bible. From articles on how to attract and engage social media moms to how to make the most of facebook you’ll find everything here.
• And finally, Social Signal is a local company who really seem to have their finger on the pulse. Check out their ever entertaining and insightful blog, and their Dear SoSi - the Ann Landers for all your social media woes.

Still hesitating? Go on, dive right in, the water’s great.