1) Have Your Social Media Profiles Completed in Full
No one likes to get to a Twitter page only to find out that they haven’t taken the time to upload a photo to their account. Photos are a good start, having a name that is easily identified as being you and your business is a must, and take that extra 5 minutes to fill out all the “about you” information. First impressions are important and lasting. What do your social media profiles say about you?
2) Don’t Have Multiple Profiles
Just as hard as it is to try and live two separate lives, so it is to manage multiple profiles of yourself. This doesn’t mean that everything is all or nothing and you have to live your life as an open book. But it does mean that if you’re going to be on a particular network that you familiarize yourself with the security settings so you can know what you’re posting publicly and privately.
3) You Are What You Tweet…and Share
Just use good common sense. The internet is now the track record of your life. Don’t share something that you don’t want to be left as a representation of you. But don’t let this stop you from making yourself known on issues and things that matter. Having no voice pertaining to certain things that your business stands behind could be worse than a few people disagreeing with your own beliefs. Be proud of who you are and represent as a business, but make sure that you know what image you’re crafting as a result.
4) Use Automation Sparingly…Social is Still about Relationships
Automating certain aspects of your social media updating can be good for both continued social media engagement and for your own time of day. For example, OutboundEngine customers enjoy automated social media updates to their business pages about a dozen times a month. This keeps fresh content in front of their clients and frees up their time throughout the day. But with this, they’re still able to post on their own, tweet, share, and communicate with their audience, and encouraged to do so.
5) Don’t Try to be Everywhere All the Time
If you have a few free hours everyday, then by all means, try every social network out there. But let’s be realistic, that’s not the case. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two social networks for starters and go from there. Personally, I’d recommend building a personal profile on LinkedIn and a Facebook Business Page.
6) Be a Friend to Get a Friend
See someone ask a question on Twitter that you know the answer to? Send them a reply! Is one of your Facebook friends asking for a recommendation for a realtor? Recommend your friends Business Page. Did you write a helpful post on your blog? Ask for feedback from your LinkedIn network. Build connections online just how you would in person.
7) Don’t Be Needy
No one likes someone who is needy. Don’t ask your Twitter followers to “retweet this tweet please.” Don’t beg your Facebook friends to come “Like” your page. Get creative with things. You can still accomplish those tasks, but learn how to disguise them.
8) Be Wary of Spam (and Don’t Be Spammy)
Just because you get a follower on Twitter doesn’t mean they’re a real person. Do your homework. If they’re following 20,000 people and have zero followers, chances are they’re garbage. And please 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 go post the same self-promotional message in all of them, and then leave. That’s just rude!
9) Transparency is the Ultimate Form of Trustworthiness
Should you run into an issue that causes a flurry of activity on social media, the worst thing you can do is try and hide from the issue. Never delete comments, try and respond the best you can, and don’t become defensive. Work to resolve the issue and let those that cared about it online know when it is solved.
10) Have a Direction for Your Sharing, Don’t Be All Over the Place, and Build Consistency
Find a direction and stick to it. People don’t like having the rug pulled out from underneath them when it comes to what they are expecting. If you like sharing cool DIY things around the house and one day decide to share something unrelated, you’ll have some confused and upset followers.
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/social-media/social-media-etiquette-business-25-dos-donts-0960691#7MEyPyaVCgUqrPvC.99
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