Every so often, you hear about a person who has lost a job because of something he or she said on social media. Businesses must also be careful of what they post on social media because it can not only hurt their reputation, but it can also get them into legal trouble. Social media comes with many benefits and is fairly easy to use for increasing sales and expanding your reach once you learn the basics. Here are three tips that will get you started on the right foot.
Engaging with People
Social media is about engaging with people whether you’re a personal or business account. People don’t want to follow business accounts that don’t post entertaining or helpful content. Today’s consumers expect to receive customer service from official company social media accounts as well. You should stay on top of tweets and comments related to problems they’re having with your product or service. Responding to customer concerns can improve how your business is perceived. Remember to keep your engagements with customers polite and professional. You don’t want to accidentally offend them or others observing the conversation.
Be Careful with What You Share
In the case of a lawsuit, attorneys will often turn to social media accounts to determine the veracity of claims and extent of damages. Don’t post anything that’s even mildly racist, sexist, discriminatory, or offensive. You should also avoid complaining about customers on social media. Although it seems obvious, you shouldn’t talk about something that’s a crime either. Some people have joked about hit-and-runs and bombs only to end up in trouble with law enforcement and losing their jobs.
Understand the Platform’s Culture
You must take a different approach with each platform to engage well with other users. Instagram is centered around beautiful photos. If you choose Instagram as one of the social media networks you use, then make sure the pictures you upload are of good quality to capture attention. LinkedIn is a social media network for business professionals, so your tone won’t be casual there like it is on Facebook and Twitter. There is unsaid etiquette for using social media platforms, such as not using irrelevant hashtags and not spamming your followers. Posting too frequently is considered spamming. Research how to use each platform you want to use, and you will most likely do just fine.
Social media is an excellent tool for expanding reach and increasing conversions. However, there’s a learning curve for each social media network because each has its unique style and culture. What remains true across all platforms is you should never post anything about illegal activity or content that’s offensive.
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