Essential Social Media Etiquette

Essential Social Media Etiquette

The next instalment of our guide to social media etiquette.

Match the Content to the Network

Just because you’re on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and you find a really interesting or provoking article to share, doesn’t mean that it belongs on each network. You’ll learn in a short time what sort of things get shared on each network. The message you used on Facebook might need to be dressed up a little bit more when shared on LinkedIn. Keep the tone of each network in mind as well.

Don’t Automate Across Platforms

Twitter has a feature that allows you to share your tweets to Facebook, simultaneously. You can also tweet out your LinkedIn status updates as well. Stay away from this multi-channel messaging feature and you’ll be fine. Take the extra 30 seconds it takes and write an original message for each channel.

Engage in Constructive Introspection

Always ask yourself “does anyone care about this except me?” and you’ll really find out whether or not your social media posts are hitting the mark. Make sure you’re sharing things that your audience cares about.

Think Before Tagging

Tagging people in photos is a great way to expose you and your business to their friends. When they’re tagged in a photo posted by you, you’ll be shown to their network of friends. However, tags are searchable – if someone wants to be untagged, do it. Better yet, always check with someone before you tag them in a photo, or check them in with you on a social channel. On Facebook, respond to wall posts within 24 hours.

To avoid falling victim to “tagging”, you can adjust your settings so that anyone who tags you in a picture has to ask for permission first. Also, it’s smart to search links to your name from time to time so that you know what other people can see about you.

Are you an expert user of social media in your business?

Adapted from an article by Travis Balinas, business2community; and Heather Dugan, Huffington Post; and Patricia Rossi, courtesy of Barry Moltz, American Express