Seven Social Media Tips You Cannot Afford To Ignore

  • 1 min read


If you have been using social media for more than a couple months, you’ve seen professionals who could use an etiquette refresher course. Interestingly enough, many of the offenders you have observed are extremely professional and kind in the “real world.” What accounts for the discrepancy between their in-person and online personas? They don’t understand that the rules of engagement online are exactly the same as those in person.

Seven Social Media Etiquette Tips

  1. Have a visible profile photo. I know what you’re thinking— “I have a private profile, I don’t want everyone to be able to find me!” The problem with that thinking is that private profiles make using social media for business much less effective in general. Would you let someone knocking at your door wearing a ski mask into your home? Exactly! No one wants a friend request from a faceless person either.
  2. Make relationships versus focusing on sales. No one wants to be friends with a billboard. Build your online reputation as an expert and influencer in your field. Focus on being helpful first and then make sure that your profiles are clear and concise. This way, when connections impressed with your information review your profile, they’ll have a clear understanding of your area of expertise or offerings, and may contact you with opportunities or business needs.
  3. Send customized notes with connection requests. Do you like robocalls? How often are you appreciative of receiving tthem? Standard connection request messages are robocalls for social media. Don’t. Do. It.
  4. Talk about others and give resources more than you mention yourself. One of the best ways to build a following on social media is to demonstrate your expertise by sharing resources outside of those you offer. Tagging those organizations/people mentioned in  your posts are a great way to build partnerships and get others talking about you too!
  5. Acknowledge positive mentions with comments, not just likes. If someone takes the time to create a 200 word post gushing about you online, you can certainly take ten seconds to comment, “Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate you.” Could you imagine offering someone an amazing introduction to a room full of your friends and the ingrate simply offers an upward nod to acknowledge your words? Likes are basically nods. They mean that someone agrees or has simply read something. Neither encourages future long posts of praise.
  6. On Facebook, keep your timeline open to comments/posts. Imagine being invited into a friends home and then being politely informed that you, nor any of the other guests, may introduce a topic of discussion. You may only comment on those topics introduced by the host. Closing a timeline to posts is the exact same thing.
  7. Don’t sit on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity to pitch yourself or your business. It’s no secret that the majority of social media users are lurkers and that’s fine. However, it’s always interesting to see those social media connections who never engage in conversation until they observe  an opportunity to plug their business or themselves. In fact, sometimes they don’t even wait until 
Picture of Crystal Washington

Crystal Washington

Crystal Washington is a social media marketing strategist, speaker, co-founder of Socialtunities—a social media instruction brand that trains Gen Ys-Boomers on the strategic use of social media, and the author of The Social Media WHY: A Busy Professional’s Practical Guide to Using Social Media. She is hired by corporations and associations around the globe to provide keynotes, workshops, and webinars.

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

Quote of the day by Mother Teresa: The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved — and psychology says the people most vulnerable to this aren’t those who live alone, but those who’ve never learned to be emotionally honest

Quote of the day by Mother Teresa: The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved — and psychology says the people most vulnerable to this aren’t those who live alone, but those who’ve never learned to be emotionally honest

Global English Editing
People who reach their 60s with no close friends often display these 8 subtle patterns that most people would never notice — and psychology says it’s rarely about likability and almost always about emotional architecture built decades earlier

People who reach their 60s with no close friends often display these 8 subtle patterns that most people would never notice — and psychology says it’s rarely about likability and almost always about emotional architecture built decades earlier

Global English Editing
I’m 65 and I finally understand why my grandfather used to sit on the porch for hours doing absolutely nothing — it wasn’t boredom or loneliness, it was the kind of inner peace you only get when you stop filling every silence with distraction

I’m 65 and I finally understand why my grandfather used to sit on the porch for hours doing absolutely nothing — it wasn’t boredom or loneliness, it was the kind of inner peace you only get when you stop filling every silence with distraction

Global English Editing
If you want to feel financially secure in retirement without working yourself back to death, say goodbye to these money habits

If you want to feel financially secure in retirement without working yourself back to death, say goodbye to these money habits

Global English Editing
Adults who were never asked what they wanted for dinner as children, what they thought about anything, or how their day was often grow into people who apologize before stating a preference and treat their own opinions like inconveniences

Adults who were never asked what they wanted for dinner as children, what they thought about anything, or how their day was often grow into people who apologize before stating a preference and treat their own opinions like inconveniences

Global English Editing
The conversation changed when she said ‘I’m fine’ and he, for the first time in thirty years, said ‘No, you’re not.’

The conversation changed when she said ‘I’m fine’ and he, for the first time in thirty years, said ‘No, you’re not.’

Global English Editing
Load more
CATEGORIES
Explore