Be social the right way...
Written by Paul Lowe Tuesday, 21 June 2011 09:05
Social Media. Everyone is doing it; everyone is telling you that you should do it. Is anyone telling you how you should do it?
Well how about how NOT to do it? Some people may tell you that how to do it and how not to do it is the same thing; they aren't.
Here is how not to use your company Twitter and Facebook page;
Constantly Sell
This is probably the fastest way to lose followers and fans. People will tolerate some sales messages but if you start to blast out sales orientated Tweets and posts like tomorrow is the end of the world, people will just switch off. Remember, using sites like Facebook and Twitter is for when people are in their ‘down' time. They want to interact not be sold to-be clever and engage with people instead. Talk to them!
Not being relevant
People who follow you on Twitter or are Fans of
you on Facebook don't really care if you have a new water cooler in the office. This is where it differs from having a personal Twitter or Facebook account. Tell them something that you think they need to know. Use industry news and sites like Linked In or Mashable to post something of value and give them a reason to come back for more.
Personal versus Professionalism
It may be Facebook and Twitter but your company should still maintain a level of professionalism. Find a balance between corporate tone and casual conversation. Keep posts work/industry related unless saying hello to new followers. Also, no text talk- you may only have 140 characters on Twitter but try to spell words so that people over sixteen can understand them.
These are the basic no no's; if you stay away from these then you won't go far wrong- just think about the content- is this interesting to your fans and followers? Ask yourself why they might be following you and most importantly; listen. If you do you will get a feel for what your fans and followers want.
Just remember; stay social!
follow us