I love social media. Facebook, particularly, helps me keep in touch with not just friends and colleagues but with other communities. I belong to mom groups, neighborhood groups, activity groups, and school counselor groups. I really love being able to meet new people and share ideas with someone I may never have met otherwise.
Of course, there's always a downside to having so many people be a part of a group. Some of my pet peeves: asking questions that have already been asked (Can anyone recommend a pediatrician?), snarkiness and rudeness, and most of all 19,000 "Following" comments. So here are my top 5 Facebook etiquette tips and how to navigate them.
Of course, there's always a downside to having so many people be a part of a group. Some of my pet peeves: asking questions that have already been asked (Can anyone recommend a pediatrician?), snarkiness and rudeness, and most of all 19,000 "Following" comments. So here are my top 5 Facebook etiquette tips and how to navigate them.
1. Unfollow notifications if needed
Too many comments on a post you don't need to keep up with? Topic diverging from the original post? You can unfollow notifications. Just click on the small arrow in the right hand corner and select "turn off notifications." This also works in the mobile Facebook App.
2. Don't write "following" - turn on notifications
Please, for the love of all things good, please don't write "following" or put in those little eyeballs. This drives me bonkers. If you would like to keep up with a post but don't have anything to add to the conversation, turn on notifications. You'll be notified each time someone adds a comment without clogging up the conversation. This also works in the mobile Facebook App.
3. Search before asking
Especially in large groups, searching for your question is key to Group Facebook Etiquette. It may be that someone has already asked your question and received lots of helpful replies. Save yourself (and everyone else) the trouble, and search before asking! Unfortunately, you can't search on mobile (come on Facebook!).
4. Tag when replying
When you are replying to a thread that has a bunch of comments, people may stop checking back when notified of a new comment. If you have a follow up question or a compliment for someone who has posted above, make sure to tag them so they know you mentioned them. Once you have tagged them, their name will appear highlighted in blue. Most of the time, as you type someone's name, a menu will appear. Sometimes this doesn't happen (especially on mobile) - you can use an @ symbol to get Facebook to acknowledge the tag.
5. Be a community member
Be polite. Don't be rude. Remember whatever you put on the internet stays forever and can be shared multiple times without your consent or knowledge!
What are your Facebook group pet peeves and etiquette tips? Any I missed?
