10 THINGS BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD NEVER POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA

I'm not here to reveal to you how to run your own online networking accounts. You can state what you need, share what you need, and "Like" and "Retweet" and "Offer" whatever posts you need. You can likewise do likewise on your business web-based social networking accounts … if, that is, you'd get a kick out of the chance to annoy individuals, lose clients, leave business, and enter chapter 11. Alright, that might be somewhat finished the-top — however it can happen and once in a while does. One errant Facebook post or Tweet and a business is in the news for all the wrong reasons and their notoriety is destroyed.

I’m about to give you my best recommendations — as a professional communicator for 20+ years, and a social media aficionado for the past decade — for things that you as a business owner should never post on social media.

But first, the Golden Rules of Social Media …

• Post on social media as if your grandma is reading.

• Just take a moment to think about that sweet old lady (and all the sweet old ladies with internet access). Would you be OK with her reading that stuff you’re about to post?

• The things you post can live forever on the internet — even if you delete it.

• People can take a screenshot of your post before you get the chance to remove it, and if it’s been up long enough, the various web archive sites might even capture your post for all eternity. Is that post going to be a proud part of your company’s reputation and legacy?

x

I go by two Golden Rules for social media posting. Each has been attributed to many people, but whoever said them isn’t what’s important here — their messages are:

And now …

As promised, my list of 10 things business owners should never post on social media.

1. No Politics

If we learned nothing else from 2016, we learned that a LOT of our country is polarized. With so many people on extreme ends of the political spectrum, alienating potential customers is more common than ever. But just because you disagree on politics doesn’t mean you can’t do business with each other.

2. No Religious Posts

Religion is a deeply personal thing, and while you might find strong support among others who share your faith, you probably wouldn’t start talking about religion in a face-to-face sales pitch (unless it was pitching a religious organization).

3. No Overly Silly Stuff

While silliness has its place and everybody adores a decent LOL via web-based networking media, there's a scarce difference between "here's a clever take a gander at our industry" and "here's a person passing gas to the tune of We Will Rock You." We all have distinctive tastes with regards to drama, and what's interesting to you may have a potential client unfollowing you, unfriending you, and searching out your opposition.

4. Nothing Too Personal

OK, the occasional happy news is fine. But your personal stuff belongs on your personal account. So, share a photo of your new baby or grandchild visiting you at your office, but draw the line at posting that pic of the big salad you had for lunch or that selfie of you with the giant beer at the 4th of July BBQ.

5. No Negative Posts About Customers/Clients

Keep it classy. Even if your business relationship is over (and it wasn’t amicable), it’s simply not worth making public statements or arguing online.

6. Too Much About You and Your Business and Your Products/Services

That’s a lot of “you” and “your” right there, which is more of a monologue and less of a conversation engaging with your friends and followers. (Which is, by and large, the point of social media.) So, break up all of those posts about you, you and you by sharing blogs from other industry leaders or big thinkers, news from industry websites and publications, etc.

7. Posts with Typos and Errors

Seriously, run a spellcheck. It takes like a minute. But remember that the spellcheck function doesn’t catch everything. For example, if you bear your soul and peak someone’s interest, you might realize that those two verbs I just used are the wrong words. (“Bare” and “pique” for you kids playing at home.) If you can’t re-read your post, find someone with “a good eye” and bribe them with coffee or snacks or free red markers to review it.

8. Scheduled Posts

While I understand them from a practical standpoint, I loathe scheduled posts — mostly because I’ve seen what can happen when they go wrong. (Spoiler Alert: It ain’t pretty.) You never know when a clever Tweet about your new organic weed killer product that you scheduled for Wednesday morning will go out right after Tuesday night’s news report that organic weed killers don’t work and are actually destroying the planet.

9. NSFW Posts

If it’s “Not Safe For Work”, it sure Isn’t safe for your business social media account.

10. Anything That Might Make You Look Unprofessional, Ignorant, or Insensitive.

This basically typifies the two Golden Rules above. Simply consider Grandma, and recollect that once you click Send or Share or Post or Tweet, it's out there — conceivably until the end of time. Your business online networking accounts should be considered important as your business itself.

So Finally, When Posting on Social Media …

Let common sense prevail. Treat your business social media accounts as important communications vehicles that can be just as essential to your sales and marketing efforts as any other media.