Eight Secrets of Effective Online Networking

6. Keep it personal.

“People love having an actual person to connect to from an organization, and two-way communication is what makes social networks so successful,” HSUS’ Lewis says.

Each organization has its own approach to adding to its list of contacts, or “friending,” on social networks. Well-known blogger and social-media guru Robert Scoble accepts all friend requests, for example, while social-media expert and author Shel Israel prefers to establish a connection first by sending potential contacts a private message. Other organizations approve friends based on their personal, professional or organizational goals.