Social media has become a popular tool for presenting your agenda or product thanks to the trend set by Barrack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 political campaigns where he employed the use of sites like FB and Twitter.

Social media sites provide “<a href="https://virtualphone.com/social-media-exploring-modern-global-networking-tools" target="_blank">A seamless communications network that has the power to cross cultural barriers and capture the attention </a>… more effectively than ever before.”

Entrepreneurs frequently use SM as an incredible FREE marketing tool. Personally, I use most of the SM platforms to entice readers to buy my books. It's a fantastic means for  promotion of products.

As a means for getting your message or product out there, social media is priceless.

<strong>HOWEVER, </strong>social media also comes with <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">red flags</span></strong>.

Stories about stories about social media gaffes by people and businesses are commonplace. The way you and/or your public relations team conducts itself on social media can have a lasting effect.

<a href="https://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/online-reputation-management-reputation-e1399499113531.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-5207" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/online-reputation-management-reputation-e1399499113531.jpg?w=240" alt="Online-Reputation-Management-Reputation-e1399499113531" width="240" height="300" /></a>If we use SM, we must guard our reputation as this Lakota American Indian proverb reminds us.

Our tracks on social media sites are embedded forever. No ocean waves can ever erase their presence.

So how do we do we guard our reputations when we don’t have an Emily Post etiquette book to guide us?

You can find 10 very specific tips to protect your web presence <a href="http://www.vocus.com/blog/10-vital-rules-to-manage-your-online-reputation/" target="_blank">here</a>

You also have to remember that management of your presence varies based on which social media sites you’re using -- Youtube, Google Plus, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Facebook.

Don’t mistake the different social medias platforms as being the same. Each site has its own personality and its own unique platform for various audiences. It’s important to learn the right etiquette for each individual site whether you’re posting for pleasure or business.

<a href="http://www.norulesjustwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SocialMediaEtiquette-2.png" target="_blank"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5208" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/socialmediaetiquette-2-lrg-version.png?w=40" alt="SocialMediaEtiquette-2 lrg version" width="40" height="300" /></a>Ivan Serrano, a business journalist and infographic specialist, has created this incredible pictorial guide to the most popular social media sites.

CJ Lyons shared Serrano's infographic on her site along with suggestions for guarding your reputation <a href="http://www.norulesjustwrite.com/social-media-etiquette-an-infographic/" target="_blank">here</a>

Vocus.com blog also posted an in depth guide to social media etiquette along with Serrano's infographic <a href="http://www.vocus.com/blog/infographic-a-pr-pros-guide-to-social-media-etiquette/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Click on the graphic to view a full-sized version of Serrano's infographic. You may have to click twice to get the enlarged version.

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