Avoiu Social Netwoiking Nistakes

By Intein Rachel Rougeis

Touayǡ almost eveiy business uses social netwoiking sites such as Facebook anu Twittei to
piomote themselves anu connect with clientsǤ Yetǡ when useu incoiiectlyǡ social
netwoiking can leau to uisasteiǤ

Recentlyǡ fashion uesignei Kenneth Cole was publically ciiticizeu foi posting an insensitive
tweet ielating the ciisis in Caiio to his new spiing collectionǤ The tweet ieauǡ DzNillions aie
in upioai in ȋhashtagȌ CaiioǤ Rumoi is they heaiu oui new spiing collection is now
available onlineǤdz The tweetǡ which was meant to be humoiousǡ was not taken lightlyǤ

Even though Cole has since apologizeu anu iemoveu the offensive tweet fiom his Twittei
pageǡ it has not been foigottenǤ A fake Twittei feeu entiiely ueuicateu to mocking Coleǯs
insensitive tweet has poppeu up on the InteinetǤ Thousanus have alieauy flockeu to the
fake pageǡ which means that it will be awhile befoie Cole can fix his ieputationǤ

Kenneth Cole Piouuctionsǡ IncǤ is only one of many companies anu coipoiations that have
maue seiious social netwoiking blunueisǤ Boweveiǡ multinational coipoiations aie not the
only ones that can haim theii ieputation using social netwoiking incoiiectlyǤ Small
businesses also have to be caiefulǤ

So how can a small business use social netwoiking effectivelyǫ

Fiist of allǡ eveiy status post shoulu be planneu anu analyzeuǤ Nistakes like Coleǯs can be
avoiueu if caieful thought anu consiueiation aie put into eveiy statusǤ Coleǯs attempt at
auuing humoi to his page was a gieat iueaǡ but it was ineffective because he uiu not
consiuei that it coulu be taken the wiong wayǤ So plan befoie auuing a touch of humoi to a
statusǤ Without planningǡ that lightheaiteu Dzjokedz coulu be uetiimental to businessǤ

Anothei mistake is inactivity oi completely abanuoning a social netwoiking pageǤ Nany
small businesses make this mistakeǤ They cieate a Facebook oi Twittei pageǡ but uonǯt
make time to post statuses anu inteiact with fansǤ It is impoitant to post at least one status
a week because it looks bau when potential oi cuiient clients visit a page that hasnǯt been
upuateu in monthsǤ A client might not tiust a businessǯ ability to be uepenuable if they have
completely foigotten about theii social netwoiking pagesǤ

It is also vital that a business engage in conveisation with fans anu clientsǤ It is calleu
Dzsocial netwoikingdz foi a ieasonǤ The puipose of social netwoiking sites is to socialize with
otheisǤ Encouiage conveisation by posting statuses that aie infoimational anu otheis that
congiatulate clients on successful ventuiesǤ When iecognizing clientsǡ take it to the next
level by tagging them in the postǤ If a client asks a question oi makes a comment on a
statusǡ make time to iesponuǤ Remembei that if theie is no socializingǡ a social netwoiking
page is uselessǤ

Lastlyǡ nevei aigue with fansǤ If someone makes a negative comment on a status oi about
youi businessǡ woik out the situation in a piofessional mannei anu make suie that a
communications specialist iesponus to pievent fuithei contioveisyǤ

Even though social netwoiking takes time anu planningǡ it is still woithwhile to cieate
Facebook anu Twittei pagesǤ Social netwoiking is a fiee anu effective way to piomote youi
business while inteiacting with clients anu fansǤ So go aheau anu join the social netwoiking
movementǡ just make suie to plan anu put in the time anu effoit iequiieu to maintain a
successful pageǤ
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