Social Media Etiquette - 10 Dos and Don'ts

A well-run social media account speaks volumes about your company. It shows that each part of your business structure is tended to, even your Instagram stories. In a society immersed in an online world, abiding by some social media etiquette for business indicates that your goals and values are being upheld. An unorganized account reveals disengaged management and a plate-too-full presentation.

As we move progressively toward more virtual impressions, having an appropriately presented account is imperative. Before submitting an inquiry, visiting a store, or purchasing a product, customers quickly search for a company on social media. This should provide them with a fairly accurate first impression and a good read on what to expect from your business. 

Followers should enjoy your page, take pleasure in your content, and be happy to support and engage with that content. This mindset helps to lay a foundation to recognize the importance of quality social media accounts. As employees receive a few etiquette rules during business hours, we have compiled our top 10 dos and don’ts of social media. These simple guidelines might just help improve your reach and engagement!

In preparing your social media content, do…

1. Keep your following small. (You never want to have more following than followers!)

   
   

   As a company or business profile, your account should not appear as a personal page. When following is limited, it offers a more targeted and niche area. This serves your business better, helping the algorithm determine who to put your content in front of and who you are as a business. It learns this by watching who you interact with. When interacting with those unrelated to your audience, it leads your algorithm to an empty audience.

2. Make a plan/strategy. Don’t post on a whim, unless it clearly fits the strategy pillars.

   
   

   This solidifies your brand and keeps your content inside of that brand. Create a content calendar, schedule your posts consistently, and keep your theme in mind. You don’t have to post daily to create a message! Consistency is key. Share meaningful content, and don’t post just to post. 

3. Analyze metrics monthly and adjust accordingly. 

   
   

   Rather than just guessing if your followers appreciate your content, take a look at your numbers. Through Facebook and Instagram, Meta for Business offers weekly, monthly and annual metrics on your accounts. This data is valuable to you as a content creator. See what kind of content had the greatest reach, and what fell flat. Analyze posting times, caption length and hashtags. If something does well for you, keep it up! Determine the common thread in content that doesn't reach and eliminate it. Be willing to adapt and change with the trends. That is social media for you. 

4. Be authentic. 

   
   

   No one wants to see the same kind of content each scroll! Tailor each piece to your business, what you stand for and what makes you unique. Many crave authenticity, and it is really what extends reach online. It tends to have a higher engagement rate, as it relates to people. If someone can connect to your content on a personal level, you have reached a goal that many strive after. 

5. Engage responsibly.

   
   

   A public argument is uncomfortable to witness. Reading back-and-forth comments online can be even worse. As a company, your interactions online, specifically through comments, brand your company's voice. Negative comments will be remembered sometimes before positive ones. Have an established business policy when it comes to social media interactions and keep professionalism at the top. 

6. Share high quality content.

   
   

   An empty graphic floating around Instagram does little good and creates clutter for you and your followers. Provide content your audience can engage with and content that is worth your time to create. Revisit your content pillars and draw from there. At Oak + Willow, we keep a running list of topics to cover. This helps avoid the feeling of not knowing what to share.

Once you have all of these in check, beware of these pitfalls.

7. Don’t use social captions straight from AI. 

   
   

   This is a touchy topic, but we would be remiss to not cover it. AI is a tool, not an end-all-be-all. As with any tool, it must be used properly. People are starting to pick up and know when a caption is AI-generated. This goes back to being authentic. You can’t be authentic if artificial intelligence created it for you no matter how intricate of a prompt you gave it to try to not sound like AI. Use it for idea generation, but not your job. You know your business best. 

8. Don’t use sloppy graphics. Develop a simple style, consistent with your brand guide.

   
   

   A straightforward approach to social media is always the best option. Make sure your photos and graphics blend together considering style and color. Inconsistency throws your brand’s image off. Planning in advance helps you visualize cohesion. 

9. Stay away from slang or improper punctuation. Use proper grammar and spell check, especially when names are involved.

   
   

   A typo screams carelessness. It also just looks bad. With all the spell check and grammar resources around, there is almost zero excuse for a misspelled word. Slang or trendy language can be a gain or a loss for your business. If appropriate in context, and if it fits in your brand personality, slang could be implemented. As a rule of thumb however, most companies avoid it.

10. Don't overshare.

    
    

    The last thing a company wants is a decrease in online engagement. If consumers are weary of seeing your name come across their screen, a quick fix is to remove them from their feed. Be cautious of being over present on social media. Tying back to consistency, make sure your content is sustainable for your audience. 

While these 10 tips are not a guarantee for success, we believe implementing them can improve your online reach. 

Already have these checked off? You are on the right track. 

Struggling to keep up? Let Oak + Willow Creatives help. We enjoy partnering with our clients to grow their businesses from the roots up.