Social Media Etiquette

One social media practice companies will not be able to manage their way out of is good manners.  The Internet has provided unfathomable opportunities to daily interact with hundreds of people we will never meet in person, but this isn't a license for sloppiness.  Etiquette is just as important, albeit somewhat different, online as it is offline, and no amount of social media flare will make up for inappropriate behavior.  Social media is social, after all.

The basics are - or should be - obvious: slandering or putting your competition down does not actually attract more customers to your business.  Typing things you are unwilling to say isn't going to help anyone get ahead.  Be truthful about what your business has to offer and don't lead people on simply because you want to get noticed online.  There are other ways to stand out in the social media hype, like following the Golden Rule, being respectful (you must give it to get it), and presenting as friendly and professional.

Perhaps the biggest social media usage mistakes businesses make is overusing it.  But constantly flooding your target audience with either requests for support and help, or information about your latest promotions and developments will wear your audience down.  Like the boy who cried wolf, customers and potential clients will start to tune you out.  Instead of always tweeting about your own business, contribute positively to another's profile or site.  Burying the competition with your own social media hype, or attempting to sabotage others only makes your business look bad.  Offer enough information on a consistent and expect-able basis to invite people to be interested, but don't bombard people or e-twist their arm to follow your blog, or retweet your posts.

Just like the current job market, the most significant way to build your business is to build actual (read: quality) relationships.  People, statistically, give more money, time and attention to an organization where they personally know an employee or manager because they can be more confident that their support is going to a good cause (and they can track it).  The easiest way to solidify relationships (on or off line) is transparency and approachability.  Contact information (phone and email) should be clearly accessible from every profile or webpage.  People don't trust who they can't reach.  Also, it doesn't hurt to give more than you expect to receive.  Customers stick around longer if they feel they are wanted.

Social media has made it seem like we are all interacting with computer screens rather than people, but social etiquette is just as important (and perhaps even more difficult) online as in real life.  A social media equivalent of "customer appreciation" wouldn't hurt every now and then, either.

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