Social media etiquette 101

Sometimes social media managers forget how big an audience they cater to. To keep your team on the same page, follow these 8 rules for proper engagement.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

People often voice their qualms with brands on social media.

For big brands and influential users, it’s not wise to broadcast too much online. Public perception changes rapidly; a few tweets can shift it drastically.

Organizations with large followings should know the dos and don’ts of handling recurring situations online, but many exhibit poor etiquette.

Whether one person or a digital team runs your social media, for successful sharing, follow these rules:

1. Create content for your audience.

Gear your content to an audience to turn posts into interesting conversations. RELATED: Tell compelling stories and take your story directly to your audience.

Don’t spam your followers with irrelevant content. If you’re unsure what to post, conduct a subscriber poll, do a Twitter chat or send direct messages to know for whom you’re posting.

2. Avoid offensive content.

This should be a no-brainer, but organizations still miss the mark.

Before hitting “share,” always ask, “Would people be offended?”

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.