Personal etiquettes are some of the most efficacious traits in humans. Everyone loves a well-mannered, well-behaved person. Tying personal etiquette in a social scenario is another glaring trait that immediately makes a good impression. But in this ever-dynamic world, just personal or social etiquette isn’t enough. As we interact with all sorts of different people through the internet, it became irrevocably important to maintain the said etiquette on social media platforms as well. Here are some important social media etiquettes to make positive impressions in every sphere.
What are Social Media Etiquettes?
Social media etiquettes are a set of unsaid rules that a person should follow that are representative of social norms and being humane. Traits like benevolence, sincerity, care, and respect aren’t something that a person is born with. Rather different social institutions starting from the family help to incorporate these values which reflect and make up the social etiquette.
These same etiquettes from real life also need to be reflected on online behavior. The connected nature of today’s world means more communication happens through digital channels than face to face. Following a set of precedence and rules definitely helps to make a positive impression, be it on personal interactions or brand image.
Essential Social Media Etiquette Tips for Business Accounts
Understand the Atmosphere
Everything follows a distinct time and place in social life. Similarly, there are atmospheric differences in social media. Be it about the people you interact with or the target client base of a service or product. It is important to assess what works with whom and when.
For example, understand the economic and social demography of the associating and prospective client. Cater posts and engagements centering their ideas so that it becomes easier to relate with the brand or product. The key here is to be relatable and likable to build the ultimate partnership.
Avoid Automation in Certain Cases
In recent times, chatbots have become very popular as a means of communication automation. A client might knock on a business and they are taken through steps of self-navigation by chatbots. While this is certainly efficient, it is leaving a frustrating image for the prospective client. Why?
Simply because there is a lack of human interaction. A one-to-one conversation helps to better propagate the brand image as well as answer personal queries which a preprogrammed chatbot simply can’t do.
Engage at the Earliest
We all love efficiency, especially when at the receiving end of any product or service. As a social media etiquette, brands and businesses need to understand that prospective clients will knock when they want to know something or are simply curious. It’s important to engage the customer at the earliest before the interest wanes.
Sure enough, it is not always possible to answer everyone right away. Try to delegate the tasks or set up a different team just for answering customer queries.
Respect the Competition
Remember the time when a popular Bangladeshi burger joint, Chillox wrote a heartfelt friendship day wish to their competitor Mad chef? The post became an instant hit and the social media was buzzing with the sweet banter between the two competing brands. It worked because the banter wasn’t about throwing dirt. Rather a fun engagement for the customer of both the brands all the while maintaining respect and acknowledging each other as a popular food place.
This is another key aspect, always make sure that you as a brand aren’t undermining the competition as it will only downgrade the image of your own business.
Separate Engagements
Many people who are starting out in a business often tend to manage business profiles and personal profiles from the same device. This often leads to miscommunication, cross-posting, and other embarrassing affairs.
It’s highly recommended to separate the business profile from the personal one. The best approach would be to use a different device altogether.
Keep the Followings Relevant
A common social media tactic to increase followers is through going on a following spree. These types of tactics work for a short while but in the long run, it does more harm than benefit.
Firstly, it doesn’t add any value to the stream the business might be following. It will clog up the homepage with all sorts of random things that are not relevant to the business whatsoever. Secondly, prospective clients might second guess a business if its followings are all over the place.
Being Straightforward
Hashtags are a handy little way of getting more reach and engagement on different posts. But sometimes businesses tend to go overboard with the hashtags. You will find all sorts of different tags that aren’t directly relevant to the product or the service yet they are attached on a scheduled basis. It not only looks odd but also makes the caption clumsy.
Avoid using too many hashtags and preferably limit to 2 to 3 per post.
Reign in the Humor
Humor is a great way of engaging prospective clients on social media platforms. A funny video or a cheeky post is sure to get the attention of the customer and something that will get them talking and tagging. But one thing to keep in mind is that the line between humor and indecency is very thin. And businesses often inadvertently end up crossing that line which often backfires resulting in lost image and revenue.
Make sure to be funny in a way that is universally accepted without targeting anything specifically.
Be Honest
This is the last and most universal of all etiquettes – just be honest. Whether it’s a product or a service, there might be limitations or shortcomings. Never fear to mention them. Be honest about the flaws and accept them. If you point out the drawback of the product yourself, more often than not, the client will stick on for honesty.
Final Words
It’s difficult to summarize the little things and etiquettes in a short article. In reality, social media etiquette rules for business are somewhat representative and similar to the existing social etiquettes and best practices. As a brand practitioner, it is on you to make headway through poise and grace.
Source: United News of Bangladesh