The Do's and Don'ts of Posting to Social Media

There is a new "wild west" in marketing and like it or not, it's social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat... these are just a few of the ever-developing platforms on which businesses and their clients engage. Many small businesses don't have the resources to hire a dedicated staff member to handle all of their social media accounts, but with an increasing population of consumers who hope to limit phone calls and face-to-face interaction, managing your social media brand is more important than ever before. Here are some tips to help you leverage your social presence.

• DO NOT! be afraid to show some personality

  …but keep it professional and in line with your brand. Build brand loyalty and humanize your business with fun and engaging posts... even if they're not directly related to your business or product, engaging with your followers will help them know who you are as a company.

• DO! check grammar and punctuation.

  While you may not manage your personal Facebook with a rigorous eye for detail, your customers will notice if your business page confuses "its" with "it's"... and your business's credibility will pay the price.

• DO NOT! forget the hyperlinks!

  Test them before you post, and embed the links wherever possible. Nobody wants to see a link that is 50 characters long.

• DO! post regularly

  …and often, across a variety of social media platforms. Consistency is key to generating — and maintaining — a solid following. More followers means more exposure which ULTIMATELY means more sales.

• DO NOT! post irrelevant content

  …just for the sake of posting something. There may not always be something newsworthy happening at your business, but find a way to engage with your customers… perhaps you can solicit suggestions on a favorite product or post links to relevant articles related to your industry.

• DO! take the time to understand the purpose of each social media platform.

  Choose the best ones for you. YouTube might be perfect for your business if you're selling professional audio equipment, but if you're a wedding planner, maybe Pinterest is the better choice. Not every business needs to have a presence on every social platform, but being on two to four different sites can cover a lot of ground while still being manageable.

• DO NOT! have someone posting on your behalf who doesn't understand your product and brand identity.

  Just because someone knows how to use Twitter doesn't mean that he or she knows how to leverage it to promote your business. Don’t let interns run your social media accounts unless they are fully capable of representing your "voice" as a company.

• DO! monitor your accounts daily or even hourly if possible.

  Social media provides a great opportunity to offer exemplary customer service, so respond quickly to customers' messages.

• DO NOT! delete complaints or argue online with negative comments or reviews.

  This is a big one, and it's tempting to want to defend your brand when it's under attack in such a public forum. Instead of getting scrappy online, engage with negative comments publicly and use them as opportunities to showcase your excellent customer service.

Whether you view social media marketing as a necessary evil or an exciting new frontier, it's the new norm. Use it to your advantage and watch your customer base grow. Happy posting!