Make a Good Impression

Tips to improve your social media etiquette

In any business setting — including the online space — there is a right way and a wrong way to conduct yourself. In fact, as social media becomes increasingly significant, your online etiquette will grow in importance. Every move you make online, both good and bad, can affect how your brand is perceived. Here are a few basic etiquette tips to consider when posting on social media sites, such as Facebook or LinkedIn:

• Have a balanced conversation. Put your customers' interests first. Post engaging content that adds value to your audience's social media relationship with your company. In other words, make sure the content is meaningful and helpful in some way. For example, if you own a bakery, rather than post a ranking of your favorite desserts, offer tips on how to bake moister cakes.
• Check your spelling and grammar. Clean and accurate spelling and grammar will reassure clients that your company is detail-oriented and polished. Edit and proof everything you write before it's posted. Even in word count-restrictive sites like Twitter, where posts must be 140 characters or less, refrain from using casual online slang, such as "lol" for "laugh out loud," or "4" for "for."
• Think before you type. A good rule of thumb when generating Web content is that if you wouldn't say it to somebody in person, don't say it online. Typed and spoken words can have equally positive or negative affects when it comes to branding your company — except that typed words last longer.
• Maintain brand consistency at all times. The spheres of professional and private lives are becoming increasingly entangled these days. Customers conducting online searches for you could easily stumble on embarrassing information you posted outside of your professional life. If you remain professional and conscientious online, you can solidify a positive brand image in your customers' minds.