Social media has become an imperative business function in today’s digital world. It allows companies to create networks, market their business services or products and engage with their customers. Without a valuable social media presence, companies risk losing potential customers as 55% of consumers learn about brands on social media.
However, certain aspects of social media may not be suited to all businesses. It is important that a company understands the do’s and don’ts of social media to guarantee an informed, appropriate social media presence.
DON’T: Post too much
How often a business account posts on social media is dependent on factors such as the company’s industry, platforms utilised and their target audience. However, while posting often will earn customer engagement, oversharing will likely overwhelm and annoy your followers. It was found by HubSpot that Facebook profiles with fewer than 10,000 followers saw engagement per post decline by 50% if they posted more than once per day.
DO: Find a happy medium
The number of posts required to maintain engagement varies per platform. Posting accordingly will boost the social media presence of a business, raising awareness, encouraging engagement and increasing sales. It is suggested by RevLocal that:
- For Facebook: aim for 1 post a day or a total of 5 posts per week.
- For Twitter: a business could post every 20 minutes due to the high turnover rate of tweets, however 3-5 posts per day is a good middle ground.
- For Instagram: 1 main post as well as 1 story post per day is recommended.
- For LinkedIn: a minimum of 1 post a day but do not exceed 2 posts.
Due to limited posts, companies should ensure that content posted is valuable to them and their audience. To ensure a company posts appropriately, they should plan posts to be uploaded on a schedule.
DON’T: Try to cover all platforms
Focus on using the social media platforms suited to your industry, company and your target market. A professional law firm posting humorous content to TikTok would likely lose respect from customers and business partners.
Similarly, it is important that the particular platform is utilised in a way which suits the platform. For example, posting lengthy professional article abstracts to Twitter would not attract the same level of engagement that the same post would have received if posted on LinkedIn.
DO: Keep it current
Completed social media profiles with all current and relevant business information such as, website URL and contact information easily accessible demonstrates professionalism and avoids customer frustration. Keep it current and relevant.
DONT: Obsess over the numbers
While having a sizeable social media audience is helpful for a company, true value is found in the amount of engagement you are receiving and who from. It is important to recognise that a large following does not necessarily mean large engagement.
DO: Place value on the little things
While it may not seem very important, the abuse of hashtags, spelling mistakes and bad grammar can hurt your brand. The way a brand communicates online reflects the business itself. Therefore these somewhat small mistakes could cause consumers to perceive your company as careless and unprofessional.
DON’T: Interact negatively
Maintaining positive public relations is crucial to the success of a business with an online presence. Handling criticisms gracefully, refraining from posting political opinions and participating in friendly interactions with competitors online is key to upholding positive perceptions of your business.
DO: Be consistent
Ensure your company’s social media profiles have a consistent and authentic brand identity. All visuals, messaging, tone of voice, colours, fonts and layouts over time and across all social media platforms are consistent.
DON’T: Be repetitive
While it is important to remain consistent, overloading your social media audience with the same message constantly will most likely cause disinterest in your company.
With the latest top tips, you are now ready to go conquer the world of social media!
