Social Media: Keep It Professional

Recently I posted general tips on getting started with Twitter. The focus was on basics, such as having good content. Appropriate content, though, should be the main focus of all social media, not just Twitter.

A key here is putting some distance between your business and personal lives. How? By having distinct accounts for each.

I’m trying to persuade an organization I work with to activate its dormant Twitter account. Twitter can be used to promote business activities and inform the public of new offerings, such as recent Facebook posts or new newsletters.

Since this Twitter account is professional, I’m hoping to establish professional standards from the start. These standards should include some “Do’s” and a few “Don’ts.”

Do:

· Include announcements about new products or programs. Either include short announcements about them in Twitter or use Twitter to link to details posted elsewhere.

· Use social media to compliment people—especially volunteers—for their efforts on your behalf. If someone does a good job, tell the world about it.

· Keep people clued in on the public aspects of your organization. Most people could care less if you are reshuffling your board of directors, but they will care when new directors or officers are announced. What happens behind closed doors stays there.

· Social media is a great research tool. For example, you can use Twitter to ask people, “We are thinking about attending XYZ Trade Show. Any comments?”

· Keep the tone of all posts positive, upbeat and above all, professional. When one executive leaves the company, take this approach. “Thank-you, John Jane Doe for your years of service.” When the replacement arrives, promote the new person’s positive attributes.

Knowing what to avoid saying is just as important, if not more so. Do not:

· Criticize anyone about anything using a company site. If you must be negative, make your comments on your own private blog, Twitter account or SM site. For details, read “My Boss Is an Idiot” in my archives.

· Use company sites to discuss personal issues. People could care less that the head of a company just bought a new dress. They do care if the dress impacts their stock value.

· Put comments about politics and religion on your professional site unless they a direct bearing on your company. Odds are very good some potential customers will be offended.

· Obvious as it may seem, do not make trivial comments on your company SM sites. Using emoticons (“smiley faces”) is a big no-no.

My suggestion is to create a list of procedures and acceptable topics for your business sites. Make sure everyone who can post to company social media sites signs off on it, even if they disagree.