A

A report by Pew Research indicates that 65% of American adults and 76% of all online Americans have joined a social network. With so many people on social media, you’d be unwise to not capitalize on actively marketing your products and services on it.

Social media is a huge opportunity for any business to market its brand or to build a reputation. You can find new clients, grow your audience, and much more. That being said, you can’t just post whatever you want on social media. I mean, you can, but it wouldn’t be good for your brand. You ought to follow social media etiquette. 

As promised, here are five things you’ve got to make sure you do when you’re posting on social media.

Be Positive

There’s no benefit to fighting fire with fire. If you react angrily toward negative reviews or bite back at trolls then—contrary to what you might believe—it’s not a way to keep your dignity or showcase that you aren’t a pushover. Instead, it’s a great way to tarnish your reputation.

If your posts are the reason someone is having a worse day, it’ll do nothing but damage the reputation of your brand. So, keep your posts positive—be the sunny ray on a cloudy day. Make people happy to see your posts instead of being upset by them. 

Follow the Rules

No matter what social media platform you’re posting on, you must learn the rules. If you don’t, you can be sure to get kicked out. Memorize the most important group policies like the back of your hand (there shouldn’t be too many) and obey them. If you can, try to become an ally of the admins or creators.  

Social media is one of the best places to promote your products or services because they ensure your posts will get seen by the right audience. Don’t let yourself get restricted from accessing their usefulness. Establishing yourself in a group will be impossible if you break rules and get kicked out.

Maintain an Active Online Presence

Being active is important—whether it’s a Facebook group, Instagram group, Twitter account, etc. 

An active online presence builds brand awareness. It gets you seen. And people appreciate someone active; consistent posting helps to build discussions, keep the ball rolling, and more.

That’s not to mention that you’ve likely already gone through the work of creating an account. Think of how much time it took for you to find other accounts and people to follow. Don’t let all that effort go to waste.

Add Value

Don’t just promote your business. Nobody wants to be spammed with sales pitches. Add value by sharing relevant information that people can use or want to know. 

Has anything interesting happened in your industry recently? Were there any major events people should hear about? 

By establishing yourself as a person who provides value to the group, people will be much more receptive when you do post that sales pitch. They won’t think you’re just a random, annoying spammer. 

Keep the Future in Mind

Build a legacy for the future. Your posts and content are in a group until you delete it or an admin does. Don’t over-share or write something self-centered because people can find that whenever they want and use it against your brand. 

Think about the future implications before you make your next status update. Don’t put anything on the internet you wouldn’t want your current clients or potential clients to see.

How Are Your Social Media Manners?

Are you posting negative content? Are you breaking the rules in Facebook groups? Are you letting your social media presence gather dust? 

Are you spamming sales pitches rather than posting content that’s valuable to current clients and potential clients? Are you posting things you might not want people to see? 

If so, you’re letting social media be bad for your business when it has the potential to be an absolute asset for your business. Start practicing your manners and your social media presence will be great for your branding and image.