Some things you should Never Do on Social Media
Social media is such a great medium to connect with your base and engage with new and potential clients. However, social medial tends to provide a safe haven to say and address issues that one wouldn't usually address. With that, there are certain dangers that loom to engaging on social media that may tarnish your business reputation.
If you want to prevent your brand from going viral for the wrong reasons, here are three things you should never do on social media:
1. Post about politics and/or religion
I'm sure you've been online lately and have seen a lot of political and religious driven posts that tends to - in one way or another - turn people off. It's important to understand your base, your clients and your potential clients in helping you to censure your posts regarding politics and religion.
You do not want to mistakenly offend someone that may hit your bottom line.
What’s more, because social media profiles are easy to access, you might want to encourage your team to create new “business-friendly” accounts if they post to your company’s pages. These “safe for work” profiles can prevent followers from stumbling upon something potentially offensive should they ever check out your team’s personal accounts.
2. Post only about your company
Social media offers a great platform to help you mix things up. You want to be cautious about only speaking about yourself and how great your company may be. Your followers want to engage with you on a different level and have an insight into your interests and your life.
You should hare insightful, newsworthy, or entertaining content from others in your industry or those outside your field who inspire you. Engage your followers with polls, Q&As, and other types of content that allow them to participate in the dialogue and provide their own feedback. You can also motivate them to return by offering special discounts and other special deals that are only available to your followers.
Ultimately, you should strive to use social media as a way to engage and interact with clients by offering them a taste of your operation’s unique culture and personality. Let the marketing mask drop for a while, and give clients a peek at what really happens behind the curtains.
3. Post without proofreading
We have all seen it - A business owner or major news outlet tweet or post something that is clearly has incorrect spelling. Take for instance the example of the U.S. Department of Education tweeting a quote regarding a major civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois but misspelling his name as "DeBois."
Not only did this reflect badly on the U.S. government, but it also had negative consequences for the person who holds the office of the Department of Education. Furthermore, the country was outraged as the African American community felt that this was just one additional step to offend the works of African Americans and their great works in this country.
In light of these potential pitfalls, you should meet with your Business Lawyer to conduct a risk-assessment of your social media strategy. We can ensure you are in full compliance with the latest laws, aren’t setting yourself up for costly lawsuits, and have the proper insurance coverage in place should something go wrong. Schedule an appointment today to learn more.
===========================================================
This article is a service of SL DeBarros Law Firm, LLC, a Business Lawyer. We offer a wide array of business legal services and can help you make the wisest business choices throughout life and in the event of your death. We also offer a Business Protection Planning Session or Business Audit for an ongoing business, which includes a review of all the legal, financial, and tax systems you need for your business. Call us today to schedule.
