There are no shortages of lists regarding Social Media best practices. And while some are good and some are bad, they are all just opinions.

Our industry is need of a standard – words from a definitive source and a higher power. So I ascended the mountain seeking wisdom and have returned with the digital equivalent of a pair of stone tablets in hand. And with my face aglow, my hair white and my tongue firmly placed in cheek, I now humbly present these Ten Commandants for the righteous use of Social Media for your business:

I. I am Social Media. While I’m regarded as the supreme marketing tool right now, thou shalt make sure to keep thine other media in the mix. Thou shalt even have other marketing tools before me.

II. Thou shalt not engage in tools and tactics without first creating thy strategy. Be not led into the temptation of beginning by creating thy Twitter account, Facebook fan page, LinkedIn profile, MySpace page, YouTube channel, Flicker account or blog. Without thy strategy and a clear path set before thee, thou shalt be condemned to wander aimlessly in a wilderness wrought with eternal peril.

III. Thou shalt not take the name of thy brand in vain. Thy brand is not thy logo, it is a covenant. Therefore, thou shalt strive to re-enforce thy brand because in the day that thou doest otherwise, thou shalt erode it.

IV. Remember the sanctity of the Social Media conversations and to keep them spam-free. Six ways shalt thou labour to execute thy Social Media strategy and do all thy work: to listen, to share, to mention, to retweet, to link, to add value to the dialogue. But the seventh way is to market, and thou shalt not market to the Social Media universe unless thou hast earned the honor. For in those first six ways thou shalt make thine own conversations be true and appreciated. But if thou shalt only participate in the seventh way, with claims of hundreds of followers or invitations to Mafia Wars, or promise of immoral images, thou shalt be cursed, and thou shalt surely be blocked and reported as spam.

V. Honour thy metrics and return on investment calculations. While not always accurate, thou hast still been provided them for guidance, discipline and direction. Follow them faithfully so that thou might prosper using the new tools Social Media hast given thee.

VI. Thou shalt not kill thy image by being less than authentic and transparent – or at least translucent.

VII. Thou shalt commit to consistency. Once thou hast begun, thou shall tweet, follow, blog, share, monitor, update and engage daily, even on the Sabbath if necessary.

VIII. Thou shalt not steal credibility by calling thyself an expert. Remember that thou art continually learning.

IX. Thou shalt not make exaggerated claims regarding thy success among thy neighbours. Be certain that thy false witness will be exposed.

X. Thou shalt not covet ownership of Social Media, but rather remember that, as a business thou art a welcome guest in your neighbour’s house. By being a good neighbor, thou shalt not act like an ox, nor be an ass.

(originally published at SoHoBizTube.com)