Miss Manners is the perfect person to turn to if you need help with a wedding invite list, but what about social media etiquette? While we can all acknowledge that social media is a largely narcissistic practice, there should be rules to keep people in line. There is a thin line between sharing and oversharing, just as there is a thin line between humorous and offensive. Know these. And live on the right side of the lines.
Here are a few of our suggestions business for social media etiquette:
1. Avoid oversharing.
Sharing your thoughts about a current trend on Twitter = great. Complaining about your office’s plumbing = not great.
2. Be respectful of others’ opinions.
Do not update your business’s status to anything that you wouldn’t say at a dinner table of mixed company. Avoid sweeping statements about politics and religion. You never know who on your fan list will take issue with it. It is perfectly fine, however, to ask your fans about their opinions on a certain policy or happening if it pertains to your business or area. Think of yourself as an aggregator of information (like the Census), and save your opinions for your more private platforms.
3. Be courteous to customers who are having trouble with your product or service.
Out of frustration (not being able to watch my beloved Longhorns), I sent out the following tweet:
And surprise. This was their response:
Granted, this doesn’t solve my problem immediately, but it’s nice to know that they care enough to write me back and fill out a form on my behalf.
4. Don’t get caught liking your own content.
Never, under any circumstances, “like” your own posts or photos. We assume that by putting it up, you’re insinuating that you like it, find it funny or are mortified. It should be clear to us which you mean.
5. Don’t fake reviews, likes or comments.
Don’t buy fake fans, generate fake reviews on social media sites and/or comments on your blog. It is easy to spot and makes you look… well, pathetic. Also, don’t be this guy on YouTube: “Like this if you eat spaghetti” when the video is about best practices for SEO.
