“To blog or not to blog,” that has been the question on many minds these days. Have you jumped on the social media bandwagon? For those of you who have been trying to navigate this new digital scene, here are 13 Social Media Tips to help guide your efforts:
(Thank you to Insurance Journal for the inspiration for this post)
- Know Your Audience– Everyone can see what you post (including your boss, your mom and everyone else). Remember that what you post will be globally accessible now and forever (even after you delete it!).
- Be Respectful– Don’t criticize on social media sites. Discussing competitors gives them free publicity and as for criticizing clients, why would you “bite the hands that feed you”? Again, your posts can be viewed by everyone.
- Be Conversational- Write as you speak to real people in a professional situation. Avoid stuffy corporate language but also avoid slang that may make you sound less professional.
- Add Value- Social media is no different than other types of communication. It should help build business, solve problems or help others to better understand the products you offer.
- Spread the Good Word- When you have something good to say about your business, say it on multiple social media platforms.
- Honesty Is Your Best Policy- Never represent yourself or the firm in a false or misleading way.
- Stay in the Zone- Cover your areas of expertise, especially when referencing corporate products. If you are not an expert, make this fact clear to your readers.
- Avoid Offending Your Community- While posting your opinions can generate some healthy conversation, avoid controversial topics that could offend your audience or could escalate into a potentially volatile situation.
- When in Doubt, Don’t- If you have think twice about a post, this is a good sign that it should not be published.
- Observe Copyright Laws- Give credit when credit is due.
- Respect Confidentiality- Ask permission to repeat conversations and forward communications before posting.
- Follow Established Company Guidelines- Adhere to your company’s Code of Conduct, Privacy Policy and E-mail and Internet Usage Policies.
- Social Media is a Two-Way Street- To get support (or “follows” on Twitter, or “likes” on Facebook, or RSS subscribers on your blog etc.) you must give support. Spend some time giving other people credit for what a great job they are doing, comment on other blogs and soon you will find others doing the same for you.
It’s been said that blogging should be done once per day, do you agree? Other blog schedules were discussed on the site of our fellow blogger, Marcus Sheridan, at www.thesaleslion.com. For bloggers out there, how often do you post new content? Make a comment so we can start the debate!
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