Are you a Vaguebook poster?

One of the frequent mistakes I see on Facebook are brief and non-specific status updates. This status update technique is called Vaguebooking.  Here's a few examples of Vaguebook posts:


Things are falling apart.

Having a rough day. 


Most of the time the Vaguebook technique does not work. Most people are only taking a few minutes at a given point in the day to review what's going in with their Facebook friends. Most people will be cautious about stumbling into a potentially delicate matter with a flippant response. Buck up camper might be a light-hearted response to the rough day update above if the person simply had a couple of stressful encounters. However, if this person was referring to the fact that their dog had died, their house was currently on fire and that they had lost their winning ticket to the $1 million lottery, telling them to buck up is probably not going to help.With this in mind, many people will read your Vaguebook post without a comment to avoid a potential misstep .

If you feel the need to vent or release some steam with a Vaguebook post, consider the following:

• Make your vague update into something that people can Like. Don't say: Having a rough day. Instead try saying: Having a rough day and would like to fast-forward to Friday. Amen! Who wouldn't like to get to the end of the week? 
• Limit your vague posts. You don't want to become a regular Vaguebooker. Your friends might consider hiding your posts or simply skim right past them if you do this frequently.
• Be vague, but be different. Find a way to say something in an unusual way. Include an interesting picture with your vague post. Make your words rhyme. Say it in a funny way.

Facebook is an interactive forum. It's important to present yourself in a way that allows others to interact with you and your updates.This makes it more fun for you and your friends.