We’ve talked a lot about social media throughout our blogs, but we’ve never really discussed WHAT a business should and should not post on their social media accounts. While it doesn’t seem like a difficult issue, we’ve seen a number of accounts post inappropriate content and want to offer our audience a simple rundown of dos and don’ts for social media posts.
What Should a Business Post on Social Media?
There are so many potential quality posts that can be shared by all businesses! From blogs to company culture, here’s what a business should be posting:
- Blog Posts – if the business is in the habit of writing blogs for the website, this is the top item to share to social media. Not only does it show the company’s authority and expertise, but it can help followers educate themselves on topics the company has mastery in.
- Business Culture and BTS – not only is it a great idea to share what the company does, but also how it does it! From company outings to theme days to day-to-day happenings in the office, show your audience how the business culture affects the company! Behind-the-scenes posts connect the business to your followers on a personal level without getting too personal, so go ahead and post about that office mascot!
- Industry News and Curated Content – from sharing what else is happening within the industry to specifically branded and curated content about the industry, you can never go wrong with posts that speak directly to the business at hand.
- Q&A Posts – ever get questions about the business or how things are done? Post about it! Use Q&A posts to help educate your audience and attract new followers!
- Product and Company Videos – this is another tool to help educate the audience, whether it’s about a specific product or a general “get to know” the company video. Don’t forget that videos are the best way to communicate and tend to get more interaction on social media than just a text post.
- Reviews and Testimonials – show your audience why you are a great company! Share those awesome reviews and positive testimonials to let others see what the experiences have been for your customers.
- Quick Tips – this is especially good for service-oriented businesses or anything related to your business niche. We often post for #techtiptuesday offering our audience the chance to gain some insight on best practices for the tech industry.
- Audience posts – did someone tag the business? Share it! Not only does that spread the joy of that user, but it connects the business to the audience on a more personal level. Be sure to credit that creator though!
What Should a Business NEVER Post on Social Media?
Some things are better left unsaid, or at least unsaid on social media business accounts. Of course, many of these should be common knowledge, but it is easy to make mistakes if someone is hastily posting. Here is a list of no-nos for social media posts:
- Religious or Political Opinions – unless the business is a church or political group, these two types of posts should never be shared on a business account. Think of the business as Switzerland and remain as neutral as possible by never commenting on religion or politics.
- Negative Commentary – whether it’s about customers or the competition, negative Nancy’s are also a no-no. This just brings a cloud over the business that is unnecessary.
- Never-ending Self-Promotion – now this is just a turn-off. The entire basis of social media is promotion of the business, so it’s not a great idea to only post bragging commentary. Mix it up and know when too much is too much.
- Misinformation – stick to the facts and make sure it’s double checked! Posting incorrect business hours, location info, or services offered is only going to annoy your audience. If they can’t trust what is shared, how can they trust the business?
- Inappropriate posts – when is it ever appropriate to share unprofessional or personal content on a business account? Or NSFW jokes and memes? It’s not, so don’t even try. Keep those for your personal accounts!
- Other creator’s content without attribution – if you didn’t create the content, don’t post it – or at the very least share the post with the attributing information and link.
One last helpful tip is to create a content calendar! If you have posts planned days ahead there is always plenty of time for review and revision before a post goes live.
We hope this helps clear up what a business should and should not post on social media. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your marketing strategy, contact us today!
