Social Media Etiquette ~ What you need to know!
Oh My … Didn’t your Momma teach you any manners? That is what crosses my mind some days when I see how some people present themselves on Social Media.
Using social media as a marketing tool is just like any other business tool, you need to know what is appropriate and effective … and if you don’t take the time to learn then you may just end up being questioned about your manners.
Not only do you need to take this into consideration when using using social media to market your business but you also need to be very aware of what is appropriate when using social media in general. In today’s social media driven world you need to always remember that people are really watching your every move … and your social media profiles are a permanent record of those moves.
Here are some great things to consider when minding your manners online:
- Don’t ever post anything on Social Media that you wouldn’t want your mother to see …. and your boss, and your Pastor, and quite frankly anybody in the free world. Always remember there is nothing private about social media … if you post it be prepared for the entire world to have access to it. (yes I know there are privacy settings that can help with this … but let’s not be nieve … if someone wants to see it they will find a way)
- Don’t have private conversations in your public newsfeed. If you need to speak with someone about something personal do it through private messaging … or for crying out loud just pick up the phone and talk! (sorry just a little pet peeve of mine)
- Do not spam other people’s timelines … Business Pages or Personal Pages. The way to get your message and brand out there is not to ram it down people’s throats by posting your business offer on their page everyday. Doing that is very abrasive and pushy … and 90% of the time the post is just going to be deleted anyways. Now there are times when this is ok and that is only if the Page is actually set up for that purpose or the page owner asks you to share your business with their page. I actually have one Facebook Page where I invite self employed moms to share their business with the Fan Page here http://www.facebook.com/selfemployedmomsrock and you are more then welcome to share your business with everyone by posting a link on that page, this page is set up as a community just for that purpose. The other time it is ok to post your business link is when you are invited on days like Fan Page Friday … the page owner specifically asks you to share it with their community and that is a great time to get your links out there.
- Do not post mean or rude comments on other people’s pages. If you have a problem with someone be a grown up and discuss it with them in person or by private messaging. Being rude in everyday life is not ok … and the rules are the same on social media.
- Don’t air all your dirty laundry on your social media pages. And by all means don’t air other people’s dirty laundry!
- Be aware that everything you post on social media will be there forever. This is soooo important because in today’s digital world potential employers (and even colleges) are using your social media pages as a view into your credibility and integrity as a person … don’t let one crazy night in Vegas plastered all over Facebook be the reason you don’t get that new job you were applying for.
- When it comes to using social media for your business always remember to respond to people when they engage with you. Dont’ talk at people talk to them and be a part of the conversation.
- Remember to be yourself. Social Media is a tool to get to know people and build relationships. Be authentic when you do this .. because believe or not people really do want to get to know the real you … You are fabulous … and they deserve to know the REAL you!
- Give credit where credit is due. Everybody loves to share great content, great pictures, great quotes and so on … and in the fast pace of social media sharing sometimes this part tends to be left out. It is a great thing to share things you see that you love when other people post it … it’s one of the reasons I love social media so much … but just remember to give the right people credit if they created the content.
If you have any other social media etiquette rules you want to share I would love to hear them. Just post them in the comments below so we can all benefit from them. And if we haven’t connected on Facebook yet please stop by my page and say Hi … I would love to get to know you!
To Your Success!
Kate Wilber
The Marketing Momma
Kate Wilber is the founder and CEO of The Marketing Momma. She helps small business owners bring their brand online in an effective and affordable way. Specializing in WordPress Website Design and Social Media Marketing she thrives in working with other small business owners to bring their dream alive online using the top industry strategies for ultimate success! She has been working online full time since 2008 Read More