11 Dos and don’ts on social media etiquette for businesses

Oversharing and spamming on social media. We'e seen it and have been guilty of it at some point as well. These are social media etiquettes we all know (but sometimes fail to follow). Personal accounts aside, businesses also should maintain certain etiquette in their social media presence.

Social media etiquette refers to both the spoken and unspoken set of social conventional rules of personal and business behavior online. It dictates how people conduct themselves on social media so they remain respectful and respectable.

Bad social media etiquette on your personal account will probably leave you with posts that make your future self cringe. But for businesses, it could affect their brand reputation and can deter customers from returning.

That’s why we’ll provide you with the best dos and don’ts to maintain proper social media etiquette for your business and why it's important.

Why is social media etiquette important?

With an increasingly vigilant internet population, a single mistake on social media can make or break a business.

Outlining proper social media etiquette in your social media policy will help you:

Protect against legal and security issues: If your industry has stringent privacy and compliance laws, your system will keep you on the right side of the regulations.Protect against privacy risks: Social media etiquette outlines what’s acceptable to share and what isn’t. This helps prevent privacy violations for your business and for others.Empower staff: When your employees know how to share content safely online, they can represent and advocate for your organization, without harming your reputation.Defend your brand: Social media etiquette ensures that everyone who interacts with your brand on social media will see a respectable, professional business.

1. Understand Each Platform’s Best Practices

Most social media etiquette principles are relevant across all platforms. But there are also best practices that are specific to each platform, such as:

Don't use your Twitter character count to ask for Retweets; share valuable content and followers will Retweet organicallyKnow when and to whom you should send a LinkedIn connect requestDon't post too frequently and flood your Instagram feed

Make sure you read up on the best practices of each platform, such as Facebook or Instagram, to understand platform-specific etiquette and expectations.

2. Don’t Be Overly Promotional

People may follow your brand on social media to learn more about your products or services. But that doesn’t mean you should constantly share advertisements or promotional content. According to the Sprout Social Index™, consumers are most likely to favor brands on social that prioritize the originality of their content.

Use the right blend of entertaining, educational and promotional content to keep your audience engaged. For example, Zoom's Twitter feed has a healthy mix of informative and educational content, new feature updates and promotional posts.

How virtual will the future be? We asked 7,689 people across 10 countries for their preference between virtual, hybrid, or in-person life and work activities. Here's what they said: https://t.co/3TydV5KVCU pic.twitter.com/GqIsXma0oK

— Zoom (@Zoom) May 10, 2021