Facebook has been around since 2004. At the beginning, membership was limited to college students, and there seemed to be an “anything goes” mentality amongst its users. Seven years, and more than 600 million users later, what constitutes acceptable Facebook behavior has changed dramatically. Everyone is guilty of breaking Facebook etiquette rules once in a while, but for businesses, breaking the rules can mean losing brand loyalists.
What To Avoid
Awkward Self Promotion:
It is not just for e-mail anymore. Facebook users are now going out and slapping their brand on other Facebook pages and personal pages. This is a big no-no. It is obnoxious and will only turn people away from the brand being promoted. Yes, this too is considered spam.
Group Tag:
This is most common within Twitter. Businesses, for some reason, think it is useful to tag multiple users in a post that may read “Start following us on Twitter!” The users who were tagged will quickly select the “block” option and adios to your good reputation. The problem: there is nothing personal about this approach. Instead, Retweet something your target has said. This lets the user know that you are “real” and that their voice was heard. It’s personal and exciting for that user.
RealTime Recap:
Do not bully social media users into following your business. Instead, find the ways to make it personal. Not every strategy will work for every company, but in time, you’ll discover the one that works best for you. Don’t forget, even the underdog could be a potential customer, not just those with the most influence.
Interested in learning more RealTime Rules about social media marketing? Terra Spero will be running two interactive workshops at the upcoming Social Media Strategies Summit in Boston September 20-22
