[N]Etiquette: Social Media P’s and Q’s
You may be ready to jump into the Twitter stream, blogosphere, Facebook pond, or pursue any of the other given social media trend sites in existence. Before you go, be sure to check your strategy for the following list of socially approved behaviors. Failure to do so could have your brand shunned from the in crowd, and like all social circles (the ones in real life) – faux pas’ are hard to recover from.
Tip #1: Remember your mission: Stay true to yourself.
All too often companies embrace social media marketing and suddenly you’re looking around at other competitors or other companies offering similar services and this may prompt you to expand your core philosophy. This is a great move if you’re ready, but a disastrous one if you’re simply trying to “keep up with the Joneses”. We’ve also seen well-heeled companies with decades of stellar reputations approach social media with an all-to-hip message that reads: false and forced. Remember who you are. Be firm in your company’s services and values. Stick to what has made you successful.
Tip #2: Know what you’re getting yourself into.
Background research here is key. NetSearch Direct recommends reading up on the latest social media trends in an effort to arm yourself with as much knowledge beforehand as possible. Get acquainted with the lingo and website features before jumping in and making a glaring mistake. Find out if your competitors have an established presence and check out their profiles and latest activities. Learn how you can connect social media with your current website to round out your brand’s online image. It’s like learning which fork is the salad fork and which is for the entrée: not knowing the appropriate mannerisms and rules of engagement could leave your company covering up an embarrassing, and unnecessary, social media marketing gaffe.
Tip #3: Mingle!
Now’s the time to start building up your network, friends list, or followers depending on the platform you are using. Always start with people that you know, first and foremost. From there you can request that acquaintances set up invitations to exchange profile information, or make an introduction on your behalf. As in real life, the less degrees of separation between you and the person you’re trying to add into your network – the better. Approaching someone cold? Simply send them a personalized message indicating why you’re contacting them and how you think establishing a shared network together would be beneficial to you both. Don’t be afraid to mingle with the guests!
Tip #4: Brand image completion.
If your website is out-of-data and user-unfriendly your social media campaigns will suffer. The purpose of your social media marketing efforts will be to drive traffic to your website and generally inform the public of your brand’s existence. Without the proper support tools in place, like a current website (that is completely functional with relevant content and working links) or blog, your social marketing efforts will send a confused message to your network. They won’t understand why you are reaching out to them if there is no background information for them to turn to. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t wear flip flops with your tux would you?
Social media marketing is a profitable, worthwhile endeavor for any business. Like any solid marketing strategy the key to making it work lies in the approach. NetSearch Direct encourages businesses to form their social media marketing strategies carefully so as to make the best out of the new advertising medium. These social media marketing tips will have you on your best behavior while building your social media marketing network, and ensure that your moves are all “on the up and up”. If you should need any help managing your social media marketing campaign, or even formulating one, call us today at (804) 228-4400!