If you’re interested in connecting with me on a social network, I’m humbled and honored. Please do read this before you send your invitation or initiate the connection.

Matthew Wayne Selznick On Social Networking Sites

I’m on a variety of social networks as a matter of research and professional awareness. Practically speaking, however, I’m truly only active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus.

Matthew Wayne Selznick on Facebook

I maintain a personal Facebook page and several branded pages. Here’s how to decide whether you should “Friend” or “Like.”

  • Matthew Wayne Selznick Creates is for fans of my creative endeavors. If you want to connect with me because you enjoy my writing, my music, my videos, my podcasting, blogging, and so on, please Like this page.
  • MWS Media US is dedicated to news and updates about my creative services and publishing company, MWS Media. If you’re a fan, a client, or a potential client, it’s a great idea to Like that page.
  • The Indie Author Marketing Info Facebook page is a gateway to my LinkedIn community for independent self-published authors and service providers, Indie Author Marketing Info and the Indie Author Marketing Info website. If you’re a community member of Indie Author Marketing Info or would otherwise like to support that endeavor, please Like this page.
  • CMWS Designs is the Facebook, um, face for the merchandise periodically created by myself and Carmen Whitmer and released through CafePress. I’d be pleased if you Liked this page, but be aware that it’s very low-traffic.
  • My personal Facebook page is for people I actually know and consider friends to one degree or another. Friend me here if we have some kind of personal connection and we’re on good terms with one another… you know, friends. If our connection is tenuous, or it’s been a while since we’ve been in contact, send me a Facebook message explaining who the heck you are, too. If I don’t recognize you and we don’t have a personal connection I’m aware of, I will probably block the request. It’s nothing personal… it’s probably more appropriate that you Like one of my branded pages instead.

Facebook Ground Rules

My branded pages — Matthew Wayne Selznick Creates, the Indie Author Marketing Info Facebook page, the MWS Media Facebook page, and CMWS Designs — are promotional venues intended to both market products and services I provide and connect with clients, customers, and fans. Expect me to be selling and promoting to you on those pages — it’s what they’re for. By the same token, I will delete unsolicited promotional posts from others on those pages. Don’t self-promote on those pages without asking permission beforehand in a different channel.

My personal page on Facebook, while certainly a fun and, hopefully, entertaining place where discussion and discourse can take place, is ultimately my place. I may, on occasion, declare certain topics off limits or certain conversations closed. Please respect that. Similarly, my personal Facebook page is not your soapbox or megaphone. You probably have your own Facebook page for that. I will enforce these guidelines with a heavy hand.

Matthew Wayne Selznick On Twitter

I’ve been on Twitter since March of 2007, so I’ve had plenty of time to develop a user philosophy when it comes to that network. In a nutshell, I follow back when I see evidence that the person is using Twitter as a social human being.

If you use Twitter mostly to re-tweet, to post links, to promote the thing you’re selling, or as a quote wall, I will not follow you back. If your profile is incomplete, or locked so that I can’t see your tweets, I will not follow you.

If I do follow you and it’s obvious you use an auto-responder to direct message me with a promotional offer after I follow you back, it’s likely that I will un-follow you.

The bottom line with Twitter? I treat it like a giant cocktail party, with conversations flowing around the room I can dip into and join if I like. If you wear a sandwich board at the party, or worse, you send a robot in your place… I’m not interested in interacting with you there.

Matthew Wayne Selznick On LinkedIn

I use LinkedIn strictly as a professional networking tool. As a creative services provider, my skill set appeals to a wide variety of professionals, so I tend to accept almost any invitation to connect.

When I accept your invitation, I’ll send you a message asking why you thought to connect with me and how you’d like me to help you. I really love it when I receive an invitation that includes something other than the default LinkedIn automatically includes — show me you’re a person; tell me why you’re interested in developing a professional connection with me.

Matthew Wayne Selznick On Google Plus

I was an early adopter of Google Plus. While I’m not as active there as I am on other social networks, I do maintain several pages:

On Affiliate Links

I have affiliate marketing arrangements with several products and services I personally use, have used, or personally endorse. This means when you purchase a product or service through a link I provide on a social media network, I may receive a small commission. My commission does not change the price you pay for the product or service in any way.

Please note that in the case of Amazon.com and some other online retail outlets, I may receive a commission on anything you purchase after using my affiliate link. Therefore, my endorsement of Amazon.com and similar sites is for the service they provide and not necessarily for the products you might purchase through that service.

On Frequency and Appropriate Use

I check some social media networks just a few times a day and others just a few times a week. Please do not use our mutual social networks for time sensitive, high priority, or confidential communication.

E-Mail Frequency

I check e-mail three to four times a day.