The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media

Social media comes with its own set of "rules," just like anything else. There are some things that are encouraged and accepted in the social media world, and others that are more frowned upon and discouraged. Most of these are obvious, but I'm here to help sort those out. Following these guidelines will help your social media strategy (and general social media use) be successful, and make people want to follow you.

Here are my do's and don'ts for an effective social media strategy! These can be applied to blogging, too!


DO...

Be consistent in posting. You can't post for several days in a row, and then disappear for a week or two, and then start posting again, and then disappear...you get the idea. Posting fresh content on a consistent schedule is one of the hugest ways to build your audience. If you keep coming back, they will too.

Develop your voice and stick to it. Again with the consistency thing. Once you've got your voice down to a science (or an art), own it in your content.

Respond to readers who leave comments on your posts. It shows that you care about what they have to say. It's also a nice way to thank them for reading your content. Keep the conversation going, even after the post is finished. Two-way communication is where magic happens!

Be proactive and explore your options. When/if you do join a new social network, promote it on your existing accounts so your audience (and competitors) will know where to find you. If it's something you're really excited about, promote it a lot.


DON'T...

Leave your readers/audience hanging. This is related to consistency and responding to comments on your posts. No one likes a one-sided conversation. Be an active part of the conversation YOU facilitated!

Be rude or short-tempered. Whether you're creating and posting content, or reading and commenting on someone else's content, be polite, and if you have to disagree, do so calmly. The kindergarten rule of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," applies here, too.

Leave no way for your audience to connect with you. This is mainly for bloggers. One of my biggest pet peeves is when bloggers turn off their comments, or leave no way for me to contact them on social media or via email. What's the point of blogging if you can't connect with your readers?

Make obscure references that only a small portion of your audience will understand. Keep it simple and relevant to your audience's needs. If they feel alienated at any time, your chances of bringing them back go down significantly. Don't do that.


What would you add to these dos and don'ts of social media?