Social media is one of the most powerful tools to boost a brand’s reach and relatability. But, when you’re not careful, it can also hurt your reputation if there’s backlash from a post. It’s always important to remember that once something is posted online, it can quickly spread and live forever. Ensure that awareness is positive by following these tips to maintain social media etiquette for brands.
Your brand SHOULD
- Have a completed, professional social profile. Consumers question brands with incomplete profiles. Go through the processes of filling out all aspects of your social media page before beginning to post.
- Stay true to yourselves. Depending on what your business wants to convey, there are different tones you can use when posting on social media. Once you decide your brand identity, keep it consistent throughout all posts.
- Use hashtags… but be smart with them. Hashtags will help with engagement, but overusing them can lead to an unprofessional look. Make sure to use the right ones that relate to your post and limit them to only a few.
- Post regularly. To get the most from social media and stay connected with your following, there should be a common presence. A good rule would be to post at least once a week.
- Respond quickly. Most consumers want to hear a response within a 24-hour period. Designate someone to stay on top of social media and ensure your business replies in this time. Respond to positive comments in addition to complaints to emphasize the good experiences with your business.
- Give credit to sources when due. If your company uses content curation or is taking part in a trend, be sure to credit the deserving party. This is always a good rule of thumb when borrowing others’ ideas.
Your brand SHOULD NOT
- Use bots for replies. It’s meaningful for consumers to have a personable experience, which can’t be given through a bot. Most automatic replies are obvious and turn off customers, so keep the replies individualized by taking the time to respond with real people.
- Overuse humor. While you may post with the intent of being funny, it’s not always taken that way. Humor is highly objective. Stick to posts that are more relevant to your company and infuse humor delicately and appropriately.
- Be reactive to feedback. Instead of reacting, pause, think and respond. As a business, it’s essential that you maintain a professional tone. Reacting quickly and emotionally can reflect poorly on your company. Take the necessary time to draft a reply before posting it anywhere. Run it by another team member to be sure it’s on-brand and leading with professionalism.
- Be overly promotional. Social platforms are great places to promote your product, but spamming consumers can turn them away. Strategize a healthy mix of just-for-fun content, engaging content, and content that sells your brand or service. If you have an upcoming event or promotion, increase promotional content and explain it to customers with countdowns or other tactics. While social media is a great tool to sell, always do so with purpose and balance.
Following these social dos and don’ts will help your business hone its social media strategy. When in doubt, always remember to think before posting and uphold social media etiquette.
Want to learn more about how social media can boost your business? Explore the Brogan & Partners blog.
