Etiquette is Still an Important Word of Mouth Tool in Social Media

Your social etiquette for word of mouth marketing

Have you ever considered your social media marketing attitude? How do you interact with your audience? What type of content do you deliver? In what manner do you deliver that content? Etiquette is an essential ingredient to any social marketing campaign, and will determine how your audience perceives you on a professional scale. 

What does etiquette mean to your social media marketing strategy? Do you discuss matters politely with your audience? Does your content appropriately tie-in with your brand? Above all, is your content presented in a clear and understandable context?  

If you can say yes to those preceding questions, it basically affirms to your audience that your brand puts into practice the art of professionalism. The authenticity of your expertise in your field will become clear. This provides extra value for your network. 

Basics of Social Media Marketing Etiquette

Socially acceptable contents

Perhaps, one of the most effective ways to practice social media marketing etiquette is through your contents.  Try to keep your contents professional. Too often, social media marketing contents mask or even detract from the professional image you’re trying to portray.

The best place to start keeping your content professional is to focus specifically on the subject of your brand. The art of professionalism in the use of social media is easy to lose track of – especially since, now and then, we’re all inclined to share opinions that we consider important to us. While this is generally acceptable for a personal or private account, when it comes to your brand, it’s crucial that you stay focused on 100% professional topics. 

Basically, a social network is a place where you share the ethos of your brand with your audience. It’s not a place for you to vent your personal issues, beliefs, and otherwise be socially self-centered. 

No one likes to listen (read) to social whining, especially since that particular aspect is already in abundance on the net. [tweet this].

Instead, you have to present brand authenticity. 

Consider what stance on issues your brand has. All brands will and must have their own viewpoint. But, each viewpoint must be presented in such a way that it opens a door for discussion instead of discouraging views. Keep your material conversation worthy so that your audience will be open to discussion and better yet, share it by word of mouth with their own networks. 

Because social networks already contain a vast array of updates and news information, it is important to understand that it is not necessary to keep your audience constantly updated on every news-bite. Your brand must utilize news updates effectively. They are not your personal contents, so they should be used sparingly (such as when they are directly relatable to your brand’s contents). You can use news updates to make an effective point. 

Socially correct approach

Keep in mind that each social network has a unique audience, which will require a specific marketing approach. So, it is necessary to have a different etiquette for each social network. Your Twitter audience may appreciate short updates and tags while your Facebook audience would enjoy conversation and interaction. For each social platform, you must have a different approach. Basically, you are looking at this as a way of speaking effectively to your audience. 

While content may be generally the same, it’s all about your presentation. How you deliver your brand’s message will affect how your audience perceives you. Do you understand what the audience wants? You need to be able to deliver contents that they want to see in a context that they want to see it in.

Of course, context also includes the way you communicate. Everyone wants to demonstrate themselves to be experts in their field, but if no one else understands what they’re saying, that isn’t going to be an easy accomplishment. 

The main issue with this is that many professionals talk to others in the way that they would talk to themselves. Their expertise has given them detailed insight into their particular field. So, it’s easy for professionals to understand complex data and technical jargon. Unfortunately, the audience may not have this same level of knowledge. Because of this, the audience may not be able to understand the message. They may be dissuaded from reading further or even misinterpret the message. As an expert, it is essential that you speak to the audience, at THEIR level. Not only is this professional etiquette, it is the most effective way you can ensure that your message is clearly understood. 

One last issue is the fact that it is possible to become too personal with your brand. While it’s important that you develop a relationship with your audience, it should always remain professional, especially when first initiating your social media campaign.

The use of appropriate social etiquette will affect how well the audience responds to your social marketing strategies. By providing quality content in a manner that the audience will appreciate, you will ensure that your brand sets a high standard for social etiquette.