Social media might be a new and exciting landscape, ripe for exploration and testing but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t equip your enterprise with some ground rules to help smooth out the experience.
Rules shouldn’t restrict your social media activities.They should empower your team to deliver more positive results through creative strategies while ensuring everyone stays on-brand.
Here are 12 rules I try to adhere to when working on social media.
- Be Human: Even if you are representing a big brand, people like to do business with people they like, so show your face and don’t hide behind a corporate logo.
- Be Useful: The best marketing solves problems for your clients and prospective clients so always try and plan your activities around your clients’ needs.
- Be Responsive: Listen out for conversations and when you hear something relevant, never be afraid to join in.
- Be Timely: Conversations work best in real time so don’t leave your social media followers waiting for a reply.
- Be Engaging: Social media is more than just a broadcast channel, so plan for engagement. Ask questions, share ideas and encourage debate. Don’t preach or talk down to people.
- Be Honest: Own up to your mistakes and put them right.
- Be Polite: Thank people for their comments or input and share their insight with your wider community.
- Be Respectful: Respect other peoples’ opinions and never judge them. Listen carefully and think before you respond. Sometimes some things are best left unsaid.
- Be Generous: Share news, insight and deals. The more you share, the more you will get back.
- Be Funny: Take time to laugh at yourself and world around you but be careful to never be cruel.
- Be Creative: A picture is worth a 1,000 words. A video may be worth a million or more.
- Be Prolific: Social media gives your business a pulse. Stop and your clients may worry about your health.
To find out how Viralheat can help you maximize your ROI from social media, join us for a free product demonstration every Thursday at 1pm (PST), 10am (EST), 6pm (UK).
Photo credit: Jason Howie
