Week 10 (Social Media)---Social Media Etiquette

Intro to Social Media Etiquette

Social media is an insightful way for you to develop and deliver content to many different people. Not only is it a way for you to deliver content, but you can also interact with those who view this content. Whether its through comments that they leave on you posts or viewing some of the information that they share about your content. However, dealing with social media is no joke and requires that you have proper social media etiquette so that you don't make mistakes that could cost you or your company. There are some do's and dont's that are associated with social media and it is important that you learn them so that you can engage responsibly online. Here are 5 rules that are important to follow on social that can help lead you to a successful campaign:

1. Be Yourself. It is very important that when doing social media, you communicate your personality to your audience. Be genuine and express your personality because that is what will attract consumers. However, be aware of the things that you post because you are being monitored at all times. You have to be mindful of your audience and speak as if you are in public at all times. Most importantly, use your real identity so that others can recognize you.
2. Be Transparent. One thing that people fail to remember is that what you say and do on social media can be search or seen at anytime...its there forever!!! Therefore, its important to disclose information that'll be important for the public to know. That goes for whenever you're being paid or sponsored to represent a company, its courteous to disclose that information to the public.
3. Listen Frequently. Consider social media a two-way conversation by actively listening to what your viewers have to say. This includes monitoring your social media account on the regular, especially when being tagged or mentioned on one of your sites. Make sure that when you have conversations with others, you are paying attention to what they are saying so that you get the full message. This is the best way to fully understand what is going on with your audience.
4. Engage. Although we all know social media is here to share your personal interests or your company's presence, its important to use it to participate in conversations with your audience. If some of your followers feel that you content is just one-way, then they may lose interest. Sharing photos is a large part of engaging with your audience; however, be mindful of what pictures you share because you are always being monitored. Make sure to keep conversations flowing so that they don't just languish.
5. Be Respectful. When communicating with others, you have to be aware of what you say and how you say it because miscommunication can happen. Something that may seem okay to you can be seen as disrespectful to someone else. Now although you can't satisfy everyone, you must keep in mind everyone opinions. If there is situation where you say something you didn't mean...it is important that you retract the comment and apologize. When creating content it is important to thank the people who shared it along with giving credit to those who show you appreciation.