Much like having food stuck in your teeth can unknowingly embarrass you, doing these five things on social media could have you blushing with embarrassment. It’s time to bust out the digital floss and clean up potentially humiliating habits with these simple tips.
Unprofessional Email
You may have set up your social media accounts eons ago, but your once-prized email address may no longer evoke the appropriate emotions. For example, would you want to do business with someone who still uses surfergirl1996@aol.com as a primary form of contact? Unprofessional email accounts can still be great for filing junk messages and intercepting chain mail, but you need to create a new email address for your professional profiles. Whenever possible, we recommend using an email that incorporates your full name.
Out of Date Profile
That picture you took 20 years ago may be incredibly flattering, but it doesn’t mean it’s an accurate representation of who you are now. Even worse, your out-of-date profile picture may be the tip of the iceberg; while it may be the most visible faux pas, what’s underneath the surface of your profile could be much worse. A bio you set up in college likely doesn’t reflect your modern mature self. Your professional image has inevitably changed, and you may now have a much deeper appreciation for proper grammar and punctuation. Remember, your profile is one of the first things your new followers will look at, so make sure it appropriately represents you.
Posting in Spurts
“The more the merrier” isn’t a philosophy you should incorporate into your social media management. Avoid spamming your followers with spurts of several posts by instead scheduling out your content for peak times; this will help extend your content shelf life and prevent fans from unfollowing you out of annoyance.
Over-Sharing
What happens on your personal profile might not necessarily stay on your personal profile. No matter what channel you’re posting on, think about how that content could reflect upon your company. Clients don’t need to know about your personal triumphs and tragedies, so avoid posting about unprofessional topics altogether.
Talking Smack Online
Whether it’s complaining about a client or badmouthing the competition, ultimately, you will always be the one who looks foolish for talking “smack” online. Even if someone else starts it first, your business will always look better when you take the high road.
To learn how to effectively run social media for your business, sign up for our next Social Media Bootcamp!
