Marketing and branding

Social media: Etiquette 101

Close-up of iPhone screen with social media apps

We’ve covered why your company should have social media and all the benefits it provides … but how should your company handle the various social media networks?

Many companies jump in and start playing because social media doesn’t come with any real instructions. And without guidelines and a serious strategy in place, disaster is just a click away. It’s extremely important to remember that what you, or your employees, post on social media is out there because the internet never forgets. And once you post something, you can just about guarantee that more people than those you are connected/friends with will see it … all it takes is a friend liking it or sharing it. The part about “what you say can and will be held against you” is entirely true for social media … not just the law. Your future clients, prospective employees, vendors and potential trade partners are watching.

And it’s not just about what you post or what is posted on your company page anymore. With so many companies supporting employees bringing their own devices, it’s even more important than ever before to create a clear social media policy for employees. Your employees are all representatives of your brand and in business, perception is everything. To protect yourself and your company from a major social media misstep, create a policy that clearly states what you expect from your employees when it comes to social media use.

Besides monitoring what is put out there on social media by your employees, representing your brand across multiple social media platforms can be quite easy as long as your business has a secure image and set of ideals laid out. On multiple platforms, you can have cover photos and profile pictures and it is important to use the same design concept in each cover photo and use the same logo for each profile picture to have complete brand cohesiveness.

Next step? Ensuring that your brands’ voice is heard throughout the details of the page, as well as in the specific posts that you make on your platforms. Start by establishing a “voice” that clearly defines who you are and the culture of your company as it will serve as your online personality. Having a cohesive social content strategy is also extremely important. By taking a step back and deciding how, what, when and how often you want to post is a crucial step. You never want to bombard followers with post after post or promotion after promotion. Using various types of content and dispersing them throughout the week or month is key to keeping your followers consistently aware of your company but not overwhelming them.

It never hurts to ask your followers questions and find out their opinions. Social media is for engaging so why not engage with those you are connected with? Talking at your followers rather than talking to them/with them is the quickest way to lose them.

With an array of social networks out there and more popping up all the time, it’s hard to decide which networks your brand should be present … you have to think strategically and find the best fit to represent your company and brand. Some companies think they have to be present on all of them in order to be successful, but it’s important to realize that not every platform is right for a construction business specifically.

Once you select networks, your social strategy and how to represent your brand online, you will be well on your way to a successful and positive social environment for your audience.

About The Author

Buildertrend svg with white background

Buildertrend Staff

Want to contribute to our blog?

We believe in building a community for construction – sharing is a big part of that. If you have industry expertise or a story to tell, your voice can reach thousands here.