Social Networking for Business - 9 Tips for Managing Your Brand and Reputation
Many businesses are recognizing the potential of social networks to market their products and services.
They can be an effective way to reach new customers and keep existing customers engaged.
Small businesses especially, can engage their local markets very effectively.
But just as social networking has the ability to increase awareness for your products, it can also it multiply your mistakes quickly.
Businesses must be thoughtful, careful and deliberate in their use of social media if they want to avoid mistakes and manage their reputations well.
Following these guidelines will help your business establish and maintain a good reputation while using social networking: 1.
Post new messages from your business account or persona, not from your personal account or individual persona.
A separate account or persona for your business will allow you to be yourself with your friends and help you to be more professional with you potential customers.
2.
If you want to sell products and services to people regardless of their political viewpoints, don't express yours.
3.
Do not be crude or rude! Why risk alienating anyone? Be very careful with attempts at humor.
Words on a page, or in an email, cannot convey inflection, body language or facial expressions.
4.
Do not post to Facebook or Twitter several times a day.
You can post to Twitter a little more often than Facebook but, be considerate or your posts will only be annoying.
5.
If you do not have a blog, start one.
Blog articles' longer form gives you a better ability to clarify the value of your products and services.
A blog will also give you more opportunities to connect with customers on other social networks.
6.
Keep posts professional and on subject.
Your customers will appreciate getting the information they would expect from you.
7.
Do use multiple channels of social networking but, be careful and do not cross business and personal lines between channels.
Start and maintain each channel professionally.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and blogging each have unique individual strengths but, when used together in a well planned social media marketing campaign, they can become a powerful advertising strategy.
If your professionalism slips on any of them, it may be noticed by your customers that use the others.
8.
Study how successful businesses similar to yours use social media.
If they are using it effectively, they are most likely using several channels in a well orchestrated strategy.
9.
Engage with your customers.
Answer comments and questions.
Be social! After all, it is what your customers expect.
Many business experts believe the opportunity to engage with customers is the real power of social media.
Many of your potential customers will likely have more experience with social networking than you.
They will immediately compare your marketing methods and messages with those of other businesses and judge yours accordingly.
Be professional.
Well designed and executed social media marketing campaigns will improve your website's search rankings and bring you more customers.
They can be an effective way to reach new customers and keep existing customers engaged.
Small businesses especially, can engage their local markets very effectively.
But just as social networking has the ability to increase awareness for your products, it can also it multiply your mistakes quickly.
Businesses must be thoughtful, careful and deliberate in their use of social media if they want to avoid mistakes and manage their reputations well.
Following these guidelines will help your business establish and maintain a good reputation while using social networking: 1.
Post new messages from your business account or persona, not from your personal account or individual persona.
A separate account or persona for your business will allow you to be yourself with your friends and help you to be more professional with you potential customers.
2.
If you want to sell products and services to people regardless of their political viewpoints, don't express yours.
3.
Do not be crude or rude! Why risk alienating anyone? Be very careful with attempts at humor.
Words on a page, or in an email, cannot convey inflection, body language or facial expressions.
4.
Do not post to Facebook or Twitter several times a day.
You can post to Twitter a little more often than Facebook but, be considerate or your posts will only be annoying.
5.
If you do not have a blog, start one.
Blog articles' longer form gives you a better ability to clarify the value of your products and services.
A blog will also give you more opportunities to connect with customers on other social networks.
6.
Keep posts professional and on subject.
Your customers will appreciate getting the information they would expect from you.
7.
Do use multiple channels of social networking but, be careful and do not cross business and personal lines between channels.
Start and maintain each channel professionally.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and blogging each have unique individual strengths but, when used together in a well planned social media marketing campaign, they can become a powerful advertising strategy.
If your professionalism slips on any of them, it may be noticed by your customers that use the others.
8.
Study how successful businesses similar to yours use social media.
If they are using it effectively, they are most likely using several channels in a well orchestrated strategy.
9.
Engage with your customers.
Answer comments and questions.
Be social! After all, it is what your customers expect.
Many business experts believe the opportunity to engage with customers is the real power of social media.
Many of your potential customers will likely have more experience with social networking than you.
They will immediately compare your marketing methods and messages with those of other businesses and judge yours accordingly.
Be professional.
Well designed and executed social media marketing campaigns will improve your website's search rankings and bring you more customers.
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