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Most know the huge potential for traffic that social networks offer and that they also have other benefits such as building back links, brand or name recognition and increasing your blog or websites’ popularity. While many know of the potential of social networking, many also utilize them the wrong way.

A common strategy among social network spammers marketers is to join a network, build a minimal profile (or a fake profile), acquire as many “friends” as possible and then proceed to Twitter, poke, spam the bulletins and walls, and give gifts until they have alienated nearly all of the members and branded themselves as a nuisance, or gotten banned from the network. It’s just social media spam and it’s rampant. Using social networks to intentionally manipulate and misrepresent might yield some short-term gain, but will do long-term damage to your brand. Any gains soon disappear as members or the network administrators catch on to your game.

It’s rare that I get a message from Netscape, StumbleUpon, MyBlogLog, Entrecard and other networks that isn’t a pitch for something without so much as an introduction. This isn’t a very effective way to use social networking sites for the long term benefit of your company or brand. While there are no well defined social networking rules, using common sense will go a long way in using social media to your benefit.

Me no spammy the networks?

No … you no spammy the networks. The way that you participate in social networks can make or break your personal brand. A better way to use social networks is to open up lines of communication with people, establish and build relationships, and get people to notice you. Here are a few tips on establishing your personal brand on social networks.

  • Avoid the temptation to clutter up your profile and build a consistent brand across all of the social networks that you use. People will begin to recognize your brand if they see it often enough.
  • Update your profiles often and let people know what you are up to. Keep people interested in what you have to say or what you’re doing.
  • Build relationships with contacts. Know your audience and respect their boundaries.
  • Make a positive contribution to the community and you’ll have more influence over the community.

There is an enormous potential for marketers to build their brand and reputation using social networking if you participate in the community intelligently and are a good social media citizen. When used correctly, members will associate your name and your brand in a positive light and remember you when it counts. Knowing how to use the medium, and just as importantly, how not to use it will go a long way to make social networking work for you to build your brand and name recognition.