The Golden Rules of Social Media

We here at Ballywho Interactive are committed to educating everybody we come in contact with about the do’s and don’ts of social media networking. And we’re convinced that folks probably SHOULD be required to get a license before operating such dangerous vehicles as Twitter or MySpace. But until that happens, we offer this, our list of the 7 Golden Rules of Social Media, an attempt at creating commandments that every tweeter, blogger and active web traveler among us should commit to memory and follow.

• I will not allow my children to make a Facebook or Twitter page for my business.
You wouldn’t hand over your car keys to the eight-year-old, would you? Heck, most of us wouldn’t hand them over to the eight-year-old’s babysitter! Then why would you even consider letting your kid build your business web page or social media profile? Let kids be kids and you stick to managing your own business’s brand or let a professional marketer handle it for you.

• I will have a plan for how I will feed social media every day with RELEVANT content.
So you think you’re just going to pop out there for a few minutes every day and talk about this or that and then go about the rest of your daily business? WRONG. Have a roadmap in place as to how you’re going to introduce your business to the marketplace via social media and a loose but laid out plan of tentative topics you want to talk about and maybe even questions you want to pose to learn more about the community you’re reaching out to about your products or services. But most of all, make your content matter to the audience reading it and not just you.

• I will not use a platform or messaging that does not fit with my brand proposition.
Do you know where your customers are hanging out? Then that’s where you want to be. Don’t just assume if Facebook is the latest and greatest social media site that this is the destination for you. Take into account your own brand and your target audience, and it’s very possible that another social media site would be better suited for you.

• I will not be selfish or boring.
So you’d like people to come back to your blog or Facebook page again and again, right? Then don’t put them to sleep! Give folks something interesting to read. What do people in your target demographic seek online? Are you trying to reach moms? Find interesting articles, research or offers related to saving money for a household or to raising kids. Trying to tap into college-students? Look for helpful information about moving out or starting a new career. Provide meaningful, fun or insightful news your audience can use, and they will return for more.

• I will understand what social media can and can’t do for my business.
Know why you’re venturing into this world in the first place. You can certainly grow leads, nurture positive word of mouth and support growing your brand, but don’t confuse a little free publicity with your new advertising strategy. You can’t expect social media networking to replace all of your other marketing and promotional efforts. Be clear on the purpose of your content.

• I will not start and stop but stay engaged.
This is true of any long-term marketing strategy. Social media is about establishing a presence, creating a dialogue and taking part in the two-way conversation, not talking at the marketplace but talking WITH the marketplace. You’ve got to appear to your followers as someone who stays on top of things related to your field, your products and your community. The moment you shut down, folks will move on. If you don’t have the resources to keep up with it, find someone who can help you do this.

• I will think before I post.
Some of us can barely abide by the ‘think before you speak’ adage. You’d expect this would be easier, but it isn’t. We get emotional – excited, angry, anxious, stressed out, amused and shocked – and we cannot wait to share this with the world, and what do you know? This social media outlet is the perfect way to express that. EXCEPT when you’re a business owner. If this is your professional social media presence, you owe it to your brand, your company, your employees and in some cases your investors, to pull the reins a bit and consider what you’re writing before you hit send. Do you really want to risk losing potential business with a desirable segment of the marketplace just so you can share your opinion on last night’s mayoral race? Think before you post and stick to the subject of why you’re networking via social media in the first place. You’ll be coasting before you know it!