3 Potential Pitfalls of Social Networking

There are a ton of benefits that can be enjoyed by one and all from social networking. It doesn't take an advanced degree to see that this is a type of networking that can be extremely beneficial for anyone that is looking to get ahead in their online marketing endeavors. At the same time, there are a few potential pitfalls you should be aware of and avoid whenever possible. If you avoid these fairly common social networking pitfalls you should enjoy a lucrative and enriching experience on a personal and professional level.

1) Failing to utilize the “about me” section of your social networking page. This is your introduction, your opportunity to make the little sales pitch and show your audience to your little corner of the web by linking to your own websites. Failing to use this is like inviting people to your home but refusing to open the door when they knock. You've peeked their interest enough that they are checking out your profile. Make sure that you use this opportunity to keep their interest. Don't be boring and stale. Do, make them want to click on your links and learn more about what you have to say. Give them a glimpse of who you are but make them click to get the full picture. Don't sell them on what you have to offer. Make them want to find out without making the hard sell.

2) Another pitfall is failing to deliver anything worth reading. Social networking is a great way to broadcast blog and lens updates, article marketing efforts, and even new websites you've created. However, if you never do any of these things, social networking is just chit chatting and a fairly unproductive waste of time—professionally. It's nice to have a personal escape but when you are using social networking for business you need to make every minute matter.

3) The final pitfall is the most common. Doing nothing or doing too little. Far too often Internet marketers set out to change the world with their social networking prowess only to join dozens of social networking platforms and never do anything more than a “Hello World” post and create a screen name. This is not enough effort to matter and means you've simply wasted the time it took to create the social networking account and few, if any, real results will come about as a result of these efforts.

It can be a delicate balance when learning the ropes of social networking. Some prefer to err on the side of providing too little information while others go the route of becoming open books. There are few ways to use social networking that are absolutely wrong or right for everyone in every situation. However, avoiding these 3 pitfalls can provide a greater probability of social networking success for the sake of your online business. The real question to ask is whether or not you are ready to get busy with your own social networking efforts.