Looking to build a good reputation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? Follow these practical tips and you’ll be a top user in no time.
Be consistent — Social networks are like any other social environment; the people who show up the most often tend to be the most popular. Pick a time every day to devote to the social network(s) of your choice. It doesn’t need to be a lot of time; 15 minutes a day will suffice, but it’s important to show up on a regular basis. That way, people will know your account is active and be more likely to engage with you.
See what the top users are doing — Every social network has “super users”– users who are the most active and popular on the network. You can usually use third party applications to find these users. For instance, http://www.wefollow.com ranks Twitter users by follower counts within each category. Locate these users and take note of what they are doing differently from the less popular or effective users. For instance, on Twitter you often find top users posting links to interesting articles and websites. By replicating that behavior, you are likely to develop a good reputation on Twitter.
Provide value — If you really want to be loved on a social network, help people solve their problems. For instance, if one of your Facebook friends posts a status update about losing their job, you could provide that person with a couple of contacts who may have job opportunities for him or her, or, at the very least, you can offer some words of encouragement. And then just some general things that might be useful to many readers. For example, if you try a new restaurant or see a new movie, you might post your review. In short, find creative ways to provide your friends with fun and useful information and you will see your following increase.
