Though there is currently no Emily Post’s guide to social media—in large part because online norms are still forming—here are some basic principles of etiquette to make sure you’re effectively reaching your professional online audience and not annoying them!
Do Share:
- Your new blog posts with a link to the post
- Someone else’s blog post
- An article you’ve written
- An article from somewhere else
- A video demonstration
- A funny or controversial video
- Before/after photos of work you’ve done
- Humorous or inspiring photos
- Client success stories/case studies
- Free ebook
- Special report/white paper
- Upcoming event announcement
- Live reports from an event you are currently attending
- Book reviews/recommendations
- Recommended products/services
- Tips for doing something better
- How-to suggestions
- A series of related posts
- Recent media coverage you have received
- Inspirational advice (preferably your own—motivational quotes are overused online)
- Forward someone else’s update (with proper credit attribution)
- Breaking news alerts
- Leads for opportunities (media, clients, etc.)
- Requests for participation (guest posts on your blog, speaker for an event you’re hosting, etc.)
- Interesting photo from a recent event
- Teleseminar/webinar invitation
- Contest announcements
- Special sales, offers, and discounts (delivered sparingly)
- Request for audience feedback
- A compelling question you want answered
- Anything offered for free
- Insider tips that people won’t find anywhere else
- Your opinion on just about anything with target audience appeal
Do Not Share
- Information about when you’re heading out on vacation or other personal information that strangers could take advantage of. There have been reports of robberies conducted due to social media announcements like these, so be careful.
- Too much personal information about your family, birthdates, where your kids go to school, or other details that could be a target for identity thieves or creepy people. Social media is public, so be smart about what you share and don’t share.
- Negative or derogatory remarks about people or brands. Be careful about what you say as you could end up in a lawsuit; plus, it just doesn’t look very nice and can turn off your audience.
- Motivational quotes. Okay, this won’t break any laws, and it mostly falls under my list of personal pet peeves. Quotes are entirely overused on social media and don’t do anything to set your business apart or claim your authority in your field. Try to come up with more interesting content!
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