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Social Media Marketing Etiquette: 9 more Quick Tips

With social media marketing, you can connect with business associates quickly and creatively. But this communication mode is not without risk! A thoughtless post has the potential to offend customers/business partners and damage relationships rather than build them. However, by following a few ground rules, you can be confident your comments and posts are appropriate and reflect well on your brand.

Check Your Messages for Grammar and Spelling

Your co-workers and business partners evaluate your communication skills, so don’t send a message until you check it for grammar and spelling. This is easily done if you prepare your social marketing messages in a Word document before making them public. Alternatively, have a co-worker check your text for errors – an extra pair of eyes can sometimes make all the difference.

Consider the Possibility that Your Message Might Offend Someone

Before you send a post, consider who has access to your profile and if it will matter to you that you shared this information with a certain person or business. If you cringe at the thought of your boss, client or employee reading and sharing your message, it’s best to delete the message.

Don’t be needy

Refrain from asking Twitter followers to retweet a tweet, or Facebook friends to share your posts. Just like any relationship, social media marketing works both ways, so you should be providing value to your followers rather than constantly asking for favours. If your social media post is valuable enough (e.g. offers a free download or free advice), why not encourage your followers to tag friends who might also find the content valuable?

Share the Observations of Others

A key benefit of social media marketing is that it grants immediate access to a diverse group of people willing to share their expertise. So share the posts and tweets of others, rather than limiting your content to your own commentary. In the process, give credit where credit is due by including their network handle and name in your message. Also, by sending a ‘thank you’ to those whose work you enjoy, you might create a valuable connection.

Ask Before Tagging

Because a photo is a flattering one of you, doesn’t mean it’s an equally flattering of others. So be considerate and don’t post photos and tag friends if the photos are ones the other subjects are unlikely to share with others. Always ask permission before sharing others’ photos as well.

Don’t Use the Automated Direct Message Tool – Ever

Have you ever received an automated message that was completely irrelevant to you? When you receive a message like this, it certainly doesn’t make you feel special or want to connect with that person. If you have something to say, take the time to reach out to people individually; as their business type and relationship to you will likely be different each time.

Be Transparent

If an issue arises that leads to a burst of activity on social platforms, don’t delete the comments and become defensive. Instead, post a thoughtful and informative response and work diligently to resolve the issue. When a solution is reached, post that information online.

Engage with your Readers

Encourage your readers to respond to your comments and posts by asking or answering a question and sharing relevant links. When they do so, reciprocate by ‘liking’ their posts or commenting back.

Social media marketing offers a way to quickly and creatively connect with business partners who can be hard to reach. Unfortunately, these social media platforms also provide opportunities to offend others in a variety of ways. But you can avoid this and other faux pas by adhering to a few simple rules of social marketing etiquette. If you choose to market on social media, give these points some thought when you’re posting or scheduling – it will make all the difference to showcasing your business professionalism.

Get in touch with our Marketing Team

If you need help mapping out a social media content strategy that addresses each of the above points, send us a message! Our social media marketing services are completely customisable and can be tailored to target the social media platforms that should work most effectively for your business.

Whether you need assistance managing social media profiles, developing a set of guidelines, or overall social media management, we would love to tailor a solution for you!

Get in touch with the friendly team here, or submit a form below.