Here are some simple guidelines to keep you and your club in the right on Social Media

• Be completely transparent about who you are and your professional role.
• Never pretend to be someone you’re not.
• If you make a comment that relates to your business/organization, be sure to disclose that you work/volunteer for Kin Canada. It can be as simple as saying, “I volunteer for Kin Canada, and I …”
• Don’t talk trash about brands/people.
• Don’t talk negatively about competitors/other organizations.
• Know when to disengage. Don’t feed the trolls.
• Never say anything online you wouldn’t say to someone’s face, or you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the newspaper attributed to you.
• Understand the way people use each social network, and the etiquette for each network, before you begin using it for business.
• Share a lot of information that is useful to your community, and they will accept a little bit of your own promotional messages. Some people call this the 80/20 rule.
• Avoid potentially controversial or divisive topics like politics or religion. Don’t use language that people might find offensive.
• Don’t discuss anything you wouldn’t talk about with a customer at a business/formal dinner.
• Don’t post photos that portray you in an unprofessional light.
• Thank someone for following, but don’t DM them selling
• Resist the urge to Tweet too much
• Use #hastags appropriately
• Write professionally
• Be timely
• Address issues/inquiries privately
• Warn followers if you are going to Tweet a lot – live Tweet

 

See more ideas in the Communications Corner

Check out last week’s tip – Partner with a High School, College or University