1.  Be positive in your opinions and your posts.  Don’t be controversial or argumentative. Never post images that will cause embarrassment or regret. Always be sure to have permission to use people’s images. Never speak negatively about a competitor.
2. Differentiate your business and family areas. Use a different profile or account for your personal connections. 
 3. Encourage and acknowledge feedback and monitor your pages daily and delete unwanted material. Create a section on your main profile detailing who you are seeking to befriend and ask that visitors abide by that information.  
 4. Offer information of value. Don't talk just about yourself and your company. Share educational posts you value. Refresh your page daily and learn to use the scheduling tool to save time.
 5. Know your friends and followers. Don't approach strangers and ask them to be friends with you just so you can then try to sell them on your products or services. You will quickly lose credibility and your so-called 'friends.'
 6. Direct traffic back to your webpage and learn to use hashtags and links. Pick a screen name that represents you and your company well.  
 7. Don't send out requests for birthdays, invitations to play games or other timewasters for those using the site. Don’t buy likes- better to build a reputation and followers will come.
 8.  Don't put anything on the Internet that you don't want your future boss, current client or potential clients to read. These things never go away and can always be traced back to you.
 9. Check out the people who want to follow you or be your friend. Your mother was right when she said that people will judge you by the company you keep. Don’t accept every friend request just to boost the numbers
  10. Never post when you're overly-tired, jet lagged, intoxicated, angry or upset. Compose your posts, updates or tweets in a word processing document so you can check grammar and spelling before you send them.
  
Refer to the EA’s Social Media Policy  http://www.equestrian.org.au/sites/default/files/Social%20Media%20Policy.pdf
Christine Johnson EA NCAS L2CE www.teamj.com.au email [email protected]
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