Social Media Etiquette for Small Businesses

Social Media Etiquette for Small Businesses

Learning the best social media etiquette for business owners is almost as hard as getting started with social media in the first place! Here we make a start with a guide. Further articles will follow on an occasional basis.

1. Complete your social media profiles

Pick your profile photo carefully and use the same photo on all social media sites for professionalism and continuity of your brand. Remember to fill in the “About You” information. An account with missing information and a greyed-out avatar indicates half-hearted involvement.

2. Be selective

Rather than try to be everywhere at once, choose two or three networks on which to focus – perhaps a LinkedIn professional profile and a Facebook business page. Don’t have multiple profiles – aim for consistency.

3. Avoid Poor Grammar and Spelling

Always check grammar and spelling. “It’s” does not equal “its,” and “your” is an entirely different word than the contraction “you’re.” Never write in capital letters – it makes you look angry.

4. Spamming and being spammed

Just because you get a follower on Twitter doesn’t mean they’re a real person. If they’re following 20,000 people and have no followers, they are suspect. Don’t click on any links they might send to you. On the other side of that coin, don’t join 20 groups on LinkedIn and post the same self-promotional message in all of them, and then leave.

5. Don’t Be Needy

Don’t ask your Twitter followers to “retweet this tweet, please.” Don’t beg your Facebook friends to come and “Like” your page. Get creative – you can still accomplish those tasks, but learn how to disguise them.

6. Be Generous and Give Credit When Credit is Due

This is especially true on Twitter. Nobody likes it when you steal a good update. Take the time to find their Twitter handle and mention them in a tweet. Send “thank you” tweets to people whose work you enjoy. You’ll make some great connections.

Are you using social media in an effective way?

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