For businesses, social media advertising offers great opportunities. However, inappropriate behavior can damage your brand. Even in the “wild west” landscape of social media, there are unspoken rules that you should be aware of and follow.
The CONRIC team gives you what we consider to be the top social media faux pas that businesses make.
Don’t bully or insult people on your page
This should be your #1 rule. Even dissatisfied customers who go online and bash you should be met with respect and professionalism. It will look way worse for your business if you lose your cool over an internet troll.
Don’t share distasteful content
Jokes, memes and posts that talk disrespectfully about any race, gender, body size or sexuality are in this category. Sharing these on your business and personal pages can alienate and even offend your potential customer base. Like Disney, keep it clean and family friendly.
Don’t share “fake news”
One fast way to ruin your reputation is by sharing a story that is not based on any actual facts. Always research before you share and verify it with several trusted sources. If you do happen to share a “fake news” story, make sure it falls on April 1st for easy forgiveness.
Don’t leave your posts “messy”
Messy posts are just an eyesore. Overuse of hashtags, unnecessary tagging, long web links, and excessive business solicitations are the main offenses businesses make when posting on social media. These make your page look less personal, which could cause you to lose followers. Remember to make your grade school English teacher proud and check your grammar and punctuation before sending a post.
Don’t overshare – This can get spammy
When you launch a social media campaign, make sure to not overdo it. If you are sharing a piece of content over multiple platforms, make sure to tailor each post to fit the platform being used. Also, be careful when sharing your content to groups on Facebook and Linkedin: If you only share items and never interact, this can give you a bad reputation. Remember to give as much as you take, if not more.
DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPS
ARE YOU ANGRY? ARE YOU SHOUTING? PEOPLE DON’T LIKE WHEN YOU YELL AT THEM. Try not to do it.
Avoid being silent and secretive
The point of social media is to be social! Interact with your followers and be an open book to get the best possible reputation attached to your company. Be truthful and honest, and people will become loyal to your brand and possibly even promote it!
