Startup Guides > 3 Social Media Tips For Business Owners

Unintentional gaffes and mistakes on social networking sites can happen to the best of us. There are some very good lessons business owners can glean from common social media mistakes and apply to their own marketing efforts. Here are 3 of those lessons and tips:

1) Make it known to employees that social media is not just for fun.

That's not to say no one can have fun with social media. But owners and their employees should be aware that what they socialize is a reflection on your brand. Even a 280-character post can ruin a company's reputation and significantly decrease sales in a day, if the post goes viral.

2) Have an HR plan for dealing with social media mishaps.

A business owner might not fire an employee for a minor misstep on social media, but they should know what qualifies as a major mistake and the consequences employees could face if they make one. Any guidelines in place for governing employee interactions with co-workers or customers should be extended to the online world.


3) Act quickly to repair the situation online.

Don't wait too long before apologizing or addressing the issue online after the mistake is made. Reaction to social media fallout is measured in minutes, not weeks. That's internet time! So, own up to any problem, show remorse and tell everyone what you plan to do or have already done.

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