The do’s and don’ts of using social media!

Do you have a social media account? Chances are if you are under the age of twenty five, your answer is a resounding yes! Most young people rely heavily on social media to help shape their opinions and are very active on all social media platforms.

How can this help small businesses?

Well if you own a small business, social media can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It pays to do the research so that you can avoid the pitfalls of using social media incorrectly.

Your digital first impressions

First impressions are important and lasting. Think of your social media accounts as your digital first impression. Therefore you need to ensure that when consumers access them they are impressed with the thought provoking posts and visually simulating graphics.

Do not leave your profile incomplete! Take a few minutes to thoughtfully fill out all your profile information – including contact information. This will project an image of professionalism and encourage more visitors to the page.

Do Post with care

Since what is posted becomes a representation of you and your business it is vital that you consider carefully before you share with your potential new customers.

Carelessly worded statements or thinly veiled attacks on your competitors can ruin your brand’s reputation or drive away new customers. So think before you type!

Do Post Regularly

Engaging regularly with the online community will help to boost views and keep customers coming back to check out fresh new content. Interacting with your audience is not all about posting your own content, businesses can also respond to comments made by customers on their page.

You can also repost comments made by your followers that you found interesting or relevant to a topic that you posted originally.

Don’t overdo it!

It is one thing to want to encourage customers to try your product or service, however it is quite another to flood your customers with unwanted advertisements and offers.

Nobody wants their social media feeds to be filled by a single account! So share but do so on a schedule so that customers know when to expect new content.

Do avoid poor grammar and spelling!

This is a pet peeve, I firmly believe that proofreading can save a lot of embarrassment in the long run! Some companies hire social media managers but if you are a one woman or man operation spend the time to ensure that your content is of high quality.

So what’s your take on the issue? How can companies ensure that they use social media in the best way? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: small businesses, social media