You’ve checked out the Investor Social Media sites. What’s next? Here are some tips on how to effectively message on investor sites. When sharing tips on social media sites, remember that the best build respect, trust and brand to get their word out.
Respecting other members. This needs no explanation and should be your core principle. It supersedes all the other tips listed below
Winning. If you put winning trades out only in hindsight, people will notice. While it is part of being transparent to take credit for winning trades, gloating or razzing others for their defeats is not acceptable.
Losing. If you disappear after a losing trade, people will also notice. That is why it is critical to message entries and exits and to come clean on a loss. Losing trades are a part of trading and there are few things the community respects more than those who follow up on them.
Adding Value. Make sure that the messages you post are valuable to a community that is market focused. Everyone is looking for an edge and the best ideas will relate to a specific asset, specific set up or trade you are making as well as subjects where you are knowledgeable. It could be an opinion, new information, a great link to a chart, news story or blog post.
Proper Tagging. Tagging your messages precisely makes sure that all the people who want to see it get to see it. So if you are posting or tweeting about a specific asset, be sure to tag it with the correct $TICKER.
Interacting. Being a part of an online community means interacting and not just talking at. The best members answer the good questions of others, ask questions, clarify and debate all while following the first rule listed above. In addition, if someone provides you with information that leads to a good trade, let them and the rest of the community know it.
Keep Explicit Self Promotion Off the Stream – If you come onto a web community and only promote your own products, the community will never come to know you or how good you are. Those who become the most popular are the ones who simply put the best ideas out there and who are transparent regarding their losses. They are accurately perceived as generous. It is a natural meritocracy and we call it social leverage. Those who only promote just get tuned out over time
Linking. Avoid linking to a home page or sign-in page. Link directly to the chart, article or valuable information. Do not link to the same post more than once. What to Leave Out. Ideas that do not have to do with markets, shout outs when there is no reference made, extended discussions of politics, and cheerleading stocks in general are discouraged
Vulgarity. Using vulgar language is not acceptable.
These rules are guidelines. They are a road map for the benefit of everyone using the sites and help create a community that will grow in richness of information.