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Social Media is a fabulous thing, but it is also like opening up a can of worms. There are some things that you just need to avoid. Read on to find out about the 7 Deadly Sins of Social Media!
7 Deadly Sins of Social Media
#1 Mix Personal and Business Accounts
Business and personal accounts should be kept separate, and not just for your image, but also for your sanity! By keeping your business and personal accounts separate, you can build your buiness with relevant posts and tweets and protect your personal time and contacts. There are also added advantages of setting up business accounts, especially on Facebook where you can have unlimited likes (rather than a 5000 friend limit).
#2 Swearing
Just don’t do it! It makes you look unprofessional and rude. Yes, this includes on your personal profile as well. Your personal posts and tweets can still be found online and may remain in the Google cache. Your personal image is also important as you are the face of your business, so don’t swear.
#3 Posting from the Wrong Account
We’ve all done it! It is so easy to post from the wrong account, especially when you are using a social media management tool such as HootSuite or tweet deck. Check carefully before posting.
It is also very easy to post from your business account, instead of your personal one. If you mistakenly post the football results or a picture of your Sunday dinner to your business account, don’t worry too much! Remember that social media is social and people don’t mind seeing that. Of course, if you are following the golden rule (professional at all times), you shouldn’t ever post anything that will bring the reputation of yourself or business down.
#4 Getting Defensive
Don’t worry too much if you receive criticism via social media. Many people use social media as a place to vent, unfortunately. As we know, social media is not the place to air your dirty laundry. If someone complains about your business via Twitter, Facebook or another social platform, kindly send a message back thanking them for contacting you and ask them to inbox you their number so that you can help them to sort it out. Don’t get defensive on Facebook or Twitter, this will just make you look bad to the rest of your followers.
#5 Moaning
We all quite hate a moaning Minnie! Don’t use Facebook, Twitter or any other social media platform to vent. All you do is make yourself and all your business look extremely negative. Negativity isn’t attractive. It deters people. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all, and this includes social media as well!
#6 Political (and Religious) Arguments
If you are a politician, certain political behaviour on Facebook and other social media platforms may be appropriate. However, as a general rule, don’t let yourself or your business get involved in political or religious discussion which may end up turning into a heated argument! These arguments can become negative and negativity does not create a positive image for your business.
#7 Over promote
Now for the last of the 7 deadly sins of Social Media – constantly blowing your own Trumpeter (forgive the pun – my surname is Trumpeter!). Overly self-promoting will not get you very far. If you are using social media like a social media megaphone, you will find your accounts getting unfollowed. Interact, be nice and support others. Don’t just brag! As a general rule, 1 out of 10 posts or tweets should be promotional.
Share your Deadly Sins of Social Media Below!
We want to hear about your deadly sins of social media! Is there anything else that you think businesses should avoid? Have you had a social media mishap that you managed to resolve or learn from? Please comment below.
If you enjoyed this article you might also like to read about social media for kids and 5 of the dumbest social media blunders ever
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