“Etiquette means behaving yourself a little better than is absolutely essential.” – Will Cuppy

There was a time when most of us thought etiquette was using the right fork for the right dish. Of course, we know better now! We know that etiquette is more about behaving politely to others, even if they don’t do the same. And since a good deal of our interpersonal communication happens on social media these days for both business and fun, maintaining good etiquette on social media platforms is the need of the hour. There’s even a new term for etiquette on the internet – Netiquette!

If you’re a blogger or entrepreneur, you know how important it is to have a good and active presence on social media. Etiquette plays an important role here, but many aren’t sure about what the new rules are. If you’re confused, here is the complete lowdown on the do’s and don’ts of social media etiquette, so read on! In this two part part post, we’ll focus on the do’s and don’ts of social media, and while we are at it, let’s start with the do’s!

Social Media Etiquette – Know the do’s !

Reply to questions

This is very important; people follow you in order to stay in touch with you and your brand, so you need to honor that. Try your best to reply within a short while of seeing the query. If you need more time or are awaiting information from elsewhere, say so.

Use private messaging where applicable

Not everything needs to be discussed on your wall. If there is something that may not be relevant to your other followers, take the discussion offline or to a more private place. If you need to say something specific to someone, avoid doing it on their wall where everyone else can see it.

Think before posting

Okay, this is a little tricky. We know that you can’t please everyone, but you don’t have to be determined to offend everyone either! Just go over your content and make sure you’re not being insensitive or hurtful. A little care on your part can save a lot of trouble later.

Customize feed for platform

Yes, they’re all social media, but not all platforms are the same. To begin with, each one has different restrictions regarding images and character count. Then there’s the kind of reach. A post that works on Facebook need not necessarily work for LinkedIn.

Check grammar and spelling

This really is one of those obvious things that shouldn’t have to be said, but here we are, saying it! Now matter how good your intentions are, bad grammar and spelling mistakes are a real turn off and can ruin the whole show for you.

Be consistent

It isn’t fun for your followers when you post something very good and then go MIA for a month only to turn up and repeat the cycle. As in everything, small but consistent efforts are what count and bring in loyal followers. It keeps your brand in people’s primary memory and they associate it with being an active brand.

Be interactive

It’s not enough to be active, you need to keep your social media interactive as well. There’s nothing quite as boring as a one sided conversation, and a page that just keeps spouting content without any audience feedback feels that way.

Give credit where due

This is a golden rule to be followed in all your dealings, but more so for social media. This is especially true of images, which many just copy and paste without so much as a how do you do! If you’re sharing a link, do mention where you got it in the first place and remember to praise the content creator, not just the messenger.

Complete your profile

It doesn’t bode well for your business when someone visits your profile only to find incomplete information. It’s off-putting as well as plain lazy. Make sure the profile page is up to date with your latest information, along with a pleasant and accurate description of your brand.

Be authentic

Your followers follow you for a reason; because you’re you and your personality comes through in your brand. There’s nothing wrong with upgrading your page, but it shouldn’t be a blatant copy of another popular page. It’s very easy to spot when someone isn’t being genuine, and it’s not pleasant.

It’s not really a long list, just basic common sense!! Most of these are what you would do in real life as well, so it can’t be too difficult to practice it online as well! Right? Follow these simple steps to get your social media etiquette right!

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