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Can you imagine a stranger barging into your home during a family meal, then sitting down to help themselves? No invitation, no conversation, just a rude imposition on your home and family. Hard as it may be to envision, such a scenario plays itself out over and over (and over) across the Internet every day.

Social networks like digg, facebook and reddit develop around common interests as Internet communities. Common interest and community are the guiding principles. Members get to know each other, exchange ideas, help each other and lasting friendships can and do develop over time. It goes beyond rude to sign up for one of these sites, ignore the membership and immediately begin promoting yourself and your articles.

Members of these networks are more than happy to help, to promote the efforts of fellow members, but their hackles rise like an angry dog when strangers butt in. Members consider strangers that enter their domain touting their wares to be spammers and rightly so. Spammers will be shown the door.

Social networking can bring Helium new outside links, new members, increase readership and benefit our Helium community in countless, positive ways. But all the goodwill we spread throughout the Internet community can be ruined by the actions of the few Helium members who out of eagerness or naked greed impose themselves on other communities without considering their actions and consequences.

When you sign-up for a social network or a specialized forum, become a good citizen and learn the rules before you do anything else. Take the time to fit in as a valued member of the network or forum. Join the conversation as a listener first, then contribute and help. Search out and link to interesting Internet sites that will be appreciated. Avoid promoting yourself, your articles or even Helium itself until you establish yourself as a trusted member of the community.

When you can help, do it. You gain far more by helping others first. Help for the sake of helping has it's own rewards. When the community sees you as a respected member, you won't have to volunteer, they'll ask. If a community member seeks advice on a topic you've written about, by all means, tell them. Give them the link(s) to your articles and they'll thank you for your concern.

Instead of a stranger elbowing your way unannounced, you become a welcome, respected voice in the community. Now imagine ringing a friend's doorbell and receiving a warm greeting, and an invitation to sit down and join the meal. It's your choice. Act wisely.

Learn more about this author, John McDevitt.
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