Social Media Dos and Don’ts

This is just a short list of some social media pitfalls to avoid as well as practices you should consider.

DO:

• Fill out your whole profile. You want your audience to know about your business.
• Regularly update your page, including your profile and cover photos.
• Listen to your audience. They can share some valuable insights.
• Have relevant content.
• Promote other articles/products that say something about you. E.g., are you a late night food place in a college town? Have something witty to say during exam time!
• Be consistent across your social media profiles … in terms of message.
• Post regularly.

DON’T:

• Use the same posts and image across all your social media profiles. Your audience isn’t always the same, and the same formatting might not be optimal across the board.
• Use automated replies. While it may be nice to receive a reply, the auto messaging system ultimately feels very impersonal.
• Inundate your audience with updates. Being too chatty is as bad as not responding or going on hiatus. Make sure you’re keeping your interactions light and simple.
• Use bawdy or political humor. It just isn’t professional.
• Post at strange hours. It defeats the purpose if you post at hours purely for your own convenience. Schedule your messages to go out at times that your audience will be looking at their feeds.
• Rely on followers or likes as a metric. While being visible is one thing, it is far more important to have an engaged audience than a large one.

What is the number one tip we can share with you? DON’T FORGET TO TEST! Testing is at the heart of improving your social media presence. Find what works for you, and then keep an eye on it to make sure it continues working as you progress.