Social Media Etiquette Rules to Increase Subscriber Loyalty

Modern social networks are no longer just a place for like-minded people to communicate, find extraordinary, creative ideas, and have fun. Today, for many, they have become a place for permanent earnings. This applies to representatives of a particular business, opinion leaders, and more. And how effectively your accounts will develop largely depends on the level of loyalty that you receive from your subscribers. And one of the most important points that everyone who works with an audience on social networks needs to consider is the rules of etiquette. Yes, such platforms have their own unspoken rules that should be taken into account before publishing material.

It is clear that you cannot allow rudeness, allow yourself to behave inappropriately, or ignore generally accepted rules of decency. The negative impact of all this on social networks increases many times over, due to the global reach of the audience. This means that any incorrectly spoken word, manifestation of aggression, lack of respect, and other oversights will be immediately noticed by a huge number of users. And you can be sure that their reaction can be extremely aggressive, which will ultimately negatively affect the overall development of your business on social networks.

Within the framework of this review, we will dwell in more detail on what network etiquette is as such and why it is so important for business representatives to observe it. We will highlight the key aspects characteristic of it. Here are the TOP 20 recommendations that will allow you to easily observe network etiquette in practice, receiving positive feedback from your subscribers and new account visitors.

What is etiquette in social networks?

Etiquette as such is a set of rules that people follow when observing decency in society. That is, this is how you should behave so that the environment and society where you communicate perceive you as a decent, worthy person. Etiquette in social networks, or, as it is often called, network etiquette, works on the same principle. However, it does not apply to direct communication, but to the work that is carried out on social networks, in particular on personal or business accounts. By the way, all the rules that we will talk about today also apply to instant messengers, video hosting sites and other similar platforms.

The essence of network etiquette is that all your activities on these platforms and on the Internet as a whole should be as respectful as possible towards the user audience. As an option, you should not share personal information, including video and photo content of your subscribers, if this is undesirable for them. Any assistance provided must be received with gratitude. There are many examples here and we will talk about them further.

Etiquette in social networks itself is what will allow you to maintain a decent reputation for your business or an individual, ensure loyalty from subscribers, increase the level of trust, and allow you to hold attention for a long period of time. As such, there are no prescribed rules of conduct in social networks today, that is, they are not mandatory for use. However, there are still a number of points that should not be neglected, so as not to harm your own name.

Why is it so important for a business to observe etiquette when working on social networks?

Whether your business will make a profit or a loss, attract new subscribers or push away old ones largely depends on how carefully you follow the unspoken rules of etiquette when managing your accounts on social networks. Here are just a few reasons why it is so important to understand the rules of interaction on the platforms and use them in practice:

• Formation of a decent reputation in the online space. You must show your audience that they are dealing with a decent, professional business. And what, if not impolite, competent communication with the audience will best contribute to this.
• Retaining the attention of regular customers and attracting new ones. Subscribers will trust information only from those sources whose reliability and professionalism they are confident in. And these feelings will be created by a well-thought-out and honestly earned reputation.
• Creating common standards for behavior on social networks for company employees or a team of specialists with whom you work. Thanks to this, all your activities on the platforms will be carried out as if from one person, which will ultimately increase recognition. This is especially important if you plan to launch work from several platforms simultaneously.
• The ability to avoid litigation related to inappropriate behavior on a social network, copyright protection, and user privacy. The rules of social etiquette also cover this aspect. And it can rightfully be called one of the most important.

Many of you have already heard about such a concept as viral content, designed to attract the attention of the user audience, to become viral. Yes, it can provide everyone's attention, but, alas, the majority of the reaction will be negative. This means that serious harm will be done to the reputation of your business and its subsequent development in social networks. Is it worth going to such extremes? Most likely, not. Today, there are many ways to attract and retain the attention of the user audience without any negativity.

Principles on which network etiquette is built

Etiquette in social networks includes a number of key principles. By following them, you can ensure respectful and effective communication in your personal profile, thematic communities, channels belonging to businesses, etc. Here, it is worth highlighting 4 key aspects:

1. Friendliness, respectful attitude. In this case, we are talking about the fact that all participants who will be present in the communication should behave as correctly, politely, respectfully treat other people's opinions, respect the interests of others. It is important to avoid humiliating and offensive statements, categoricalness.
2. Clarity and expressiveness of the presentation of thoughts. All posts, comments that will be posted in your accounts should carry a clear and understandable message to everyone. There should be no secrecy, ambiguity, overly complex phrases and anything that can make a person perceive the information presented incorrectly.
3. Objectivity and constructiveness of the material, its presentation. That is, all participants in online communities, subscribers of personal accounts should avoid provocations and conflicts in communication. All decisions and thoughts that they will express should be filled with constructivism. If personal opinions are expressed, then try to argue them so that all this does not look like empty words.
4. Caring for the privacy of subscribers and the protection of their personal data. This means that you do not have the right to disclose any information about people who visit your page, leave comments, reviews there. It also implies a ban on disseminating false information about subscribers and competitors.

These are the basic rules that are recommended to be followed by everyone who works with social networks, instant messengers and other platforms. That is, by following them, you will be able to create the most pleasant and comfortable atmosphere in your profile, avoid misunderstandings and conflicts. Thanks to this, the interaction between participants and your business will be more effective, which will certainly be reflected in an increase in sales and, accordingly, income.

All these key principles can be broken down into additional recommendations. We have made a selection of 20 such solutions that can become the basis of etiquette in social networks. They should be used by everyone who would like to establish the most effective and friendly interaction with their audience, present themselves in the most favorable light, show not only their professionalism, but also humanity, respect, and concern for others.

TOP 20 rules of good manners in social networks

To set up the most friendly, correct communication within your social network profiles, use the following recommendations. They can rightfully be attributed to social etiquette:

1. Show kindness and responsiveness to each user. If you analyze all the materials that are freely available today and related to the topic of social network management, you can find a huge amount of information on direct account management. But here it is important not to forget about the very essence of social networks: communication with a live audience. That is, this is the place where people primarily interact with each other, find common interests, draw ideas for inspiration and even business development. And this means that one of the most important rules of social etiquette is to focus as much attention as possible on a living person, on his interests, preferences, understanding of intentions and the most loyal attitude, effective solution of emerging problems. That is, the user and his interests should be a priority for you. Absolutely everyone makes mistakes. And this is normal, there is nothing reprehensible or criminal about it. This means that such mistakes should be treated with the utmost loyalty. Pointing out guilt, publishing revealing posts - this is absolutely not what everyone who would like to work within the framework of social etiquette and gain a loyal audience should do.
2. Identify a number of current problems that you would like to try to solve in your social networks. This is what will allow you to attract a user audience, show them that you are aware of certain events and would like to provide all possible assistance. Thanks to this, clients and subscribers will begin to treat you more loyally. But it is important not to be tactless here. It is also advisable to avoid expressing your own opinion, especially if it is quite categorical. Otherwise, you simply risk alienating your audience.
3. Focus on forming a positive image. Above we talked about the fact that a number of marketers, striving to attract as much attention as possible to a particular business, rely on flashy, provocative content, which very often has nothing to do with reality. And this is what can seriously damage the image. Therefore, it is better to avoid this. It is optimal to make your brand a source of inspiration for subscribers, a place where they will find positive, pleasant emotions for themselves. In this case, you should refuse any statements, comments that can hurt the feelings of your subscribers, upset them. By and large, good manners are a reflection of strategic thinking. Social etiquette improves understanding between both parties, automatically implying that each of them will get what they want: you, as representatives of the business, loyal customers, and your subscribers - interesting material for them.
4. When working with a user audience, be sure to take into account the platform through which you have established this interaction. Content that is relevant for one platform may be completely inappropriate for another. For example, Instagram is primarily entertainment content. This means that you can allow yourself appropriate humor and casual communication here. In contrast, LinkedIn specializes in business communication, which means that the focus here is on professionalism and respectability. Imagine that you have prepared a post for Instagram and launched it on Facebook. Will it look appropriate here? Most likely not, since these platforms represent completely different audiences of users. Therefore, it is better to prepare content for each individual social network, using the maximum capabilities of each of them to promote your business.
5. Behave like a normal person. People are always interested in live communication, what others live. If they do not see you as an interesting person in the account owner, they will not engage in interaction. Therefore, recently the emphasis in social networks has gradually shifted from professional publications with deep meaning to displaying individual characteristics, preferences, and interests. That is, today even the highest quality content will not provide the desired level of engagement if it is separated from you as an individual. And this means that you should show your individuality, refuse the same type of stock photos, show everyone your real interests and preferences. Communication should be just as lively and active. Yes, you should show your experience, professionalism, but, nevertheless, it is important not to look unapproachable, higher than others.
6. Automation in social networks – is good, but in moderation. Interaction with any social networks involves detailed development of future publications. A content plan with the most relevant topics is drawn up in advance, the material itself is prepared. Often, account owners or SMM specialists prepare posts in advance, and then launch a program that will post them to your accounts at a certain time. On the one hand, this is convenient and effective in running a business. But if you abuse this, you will deprive your publications of spontaneity and originality. To avoid this, it will be enough to review your content plan from time to time and publish spontaneous posts, responding to certain news, individual wishes. This is what will allow you to offer your audience relevant content, holding their attention.
7. Do not ignore any comments. When working with social networks, you should perceive all comments as information that people have viewed your material, noted its usefulness. And now it is your turn to respond and thank them for this. This is an elementary rule of good manners, and at the same time a way to increase engagement rates. Surveys show that the attention of the user audience is more attracted to those publications that already have comments. So a person sees that someone responded to this or that publication, which means that it is worthy of attention. The mistake of many who work with social networks can be called that they respond exclusively to positive comments, while negative reactions are ignored. If your subscriber did not like something, you must find out the reason for this, and also try to smooth out the situation as much as possible. This is etiquette in social networks. Moreover, if you do not respond to negativity, then with a high degree of probability you will simply lose the dissatisfied subscriber. Perhaps, it was he who brought you good profit before.
8. Post situational content in stories. The point is that along with pre-prepared publications in the feed, you should also not neglect materials in stories. At the same time, the latter are rather frivolous in content. Here, the focus is on attracting attention. Use them as an opportunity to show yourself from a different side. In your story, you can move away from official communication. They are great for exchanging some bright moments, improving interaction with your regular audience. And if you take into account the fact that they will automatically disappear in a day, then you can experiment to your heart's content, revealing your creative abilities and possibilities. But one point that I would like to draw your attention to: most stories today are published with sound. But not everyone will find it convenient to listen to them, especially at work, on public transport. Therefore, the rule of good form will still be to additionally add subtitles. This way, your subscribers will be able to view your stories in a format that is convenient for them. Moreover, what they read will be enough to determine the value of the material offered and, based on this, decide whether to turn on the soundtrack.
9. Always treat your competitors with respect. By and large, competition is the engine of progress. This is what makes business representatives find their own strengths, highlight the main advantages of their products, and do everything to ensure that potential buyers choose your product among the huge variety of similar products presented on the market in the same niche. But the whole secret of competition is to show your advantages, and not to highlight the weaknesses of competitors, point out their mistakes, or otherwise reduce their merits. That is, the rules of etiquette on social networks ask us to be mutually polite not only with potential clients, but also with competitors. Moreover, this way you will show your audience your loyalty and desire to play fair in the market. That is, if you think not only about your income, but also about your own reputation, then you should not treat your competitors with disdain or speak unkindly about them.
10. If you are launching any joint projects, pay twice as much attention to preparation as when working on your own projects. You must understand that in this case you are responsible not only for your name, but also for the reputation of the person with whom you decided to launch a joint publication. Social media statistics show that over half of potential buyers in social networks rely on products advertised by bloggers. Therefore, if you are currently working on such projects, do not be lazy to ask customers again, clarify whether your implementation corresponds to their idea, whether they wanted to receive what you are offering them. Thanks to this, you will be able to complete the order as correctly as possible, that is, your customers will be satisfied with the execution. And this means that in the future they may well contact you again with orders.
11. Check your posts for grammatical errors before publishing. Even a minor typo can radically change the meaning that you would like to convey to your audience. And the presence of errors will automatically be associated with unprofessionalism by your subscribers and, moreover, can cause a number of negative comments, ridicule. And this is clearly not what you expect when working with social networks. That is, grammar can rightfully be attributed to one of the rules of social etiquette that will help increase the level of trust on the part of the user audience and that people will perceive your information as reliable.
12. Add hashtags to publications in measured doses. Recently, hashtags have become one of those tools that can attract the attention of the user audience to certain pages, publications. But your desire to cover a huge number of other profiles and publications in one post can play a cruel joke. You should understand that your publication is primarily useful for the user audience. And if you fill the entire text with hashtags, they will not see the material itself, will not be able to evaluate its quality, draw any conclusions for themselves, including about its usefulness. In addition, it is recommended to avoid very popular and widely used hashtags, as they will not be relevant to your profile or to you personally. If you do use hashtags, then only those that are directly related to your subscribers and your business in particular.
13. Never use third-party content in your publications without obtaining the appropriate permission and indicating the author. If you have already worked with social networks, then you probably know how much time, effort and knowledge it takes to prepare high-quality material. Therefore, even if you saw a publication somewhere that you really liked, do not copy it for yourself. Remember that it will always have an author, that is, the one who owns the idea itself, who worked hard on it. But if you see that this is the material that is missing on your page, then contact the owner of this profile and ask him to place his post on your pages, indicating his authorship. You should not count on the fact that your proposal will be received with great enthusiasm. Moreover, you should understand that the probability of refusal will be quite high, but nevertheless, there is always a chance. In practice, there are often situations when the author allows the publication of his content for a certain fee. Think about it. If you are satisfied with this solution, you can discuss the financial side of the issue. Moreover, in this case, you can avoid a negative reaction from the owner of the material, and in some cases, lawsuits. Do not use someone else's material without the author's permission, do not ruin your reputation.
14. Take initiative, including when solving problems that have arisen. We have already mentioned above that the rules of good manners when working on social networks will be a reaction to user comments. And not only positive ones, but also negative ones. Particular attention should be paid to the latter, since your name depends on it. But if the situation gets out of control, if you see that the person does not make contact, does not delve into your arguments, is not ready to compromise, just stop. Under no circumstances let yourself be drawn into squabbles, especially in a public space. Offer the person to switch to personal correspondence for an individual solution to the problem. This way you will show other subscribers that you are ready to work with negativity. All communication on social networks should be conducted as it happens in real life. Imagine a store where a buyer comes in. It is clear that you must show maximum loyalty, politeness, avoid conflicts, misunderstandings.
15. Think about what frequency of publications will be most optimal for you. So, if your posts are published very rarely, then gradually the interest in them from the user audience will decrease. This means that you will lose your subscribers and, accordingly, clients. But too frequent posts can also play a cruel joke. On the one hand, they can simply irritate people, since the entire feed will be clogged with your publications, especially if they are all dedicated to the same event, and on the other hand, there is a risk of running into a fine from the platform for spam. Therefore, make it a rule to combine one event in one publication. Perhaps it makes sense to use a carousel in order to fill the post with a large number of photos, but at the same time not to cause negativity from both subscribers and the platform itself.
16. Constantly monitor the intonation with which your materials sound. Imagine how you would describe them in one word. Whiners, braggarts, empty talkers, rude people - this is clearly not what you are counting on. Write in such a way that people see you as professionals, positive individuals, those who are for active, lively communication. By and large, when working with social networks, it is important to develop your brand voice, that is, choose the most appropriate style of communication with your audience. It is clear that it will largely depend on the platform you are working with. On some, it is worth sticking to strict business communication, and on others, on the contrary, allow light, unobtrusive humor. But in any case, the communication style should be such as not to alienate the user audience.
17. Focus on satisfying the interests of the user audience, on providing them with educational and interesting material, and not on getting new subscribers. According to information from businesses that have been working in social networks for a long time, it takes 5 times less resources to retain one loyal client than to attract one new one. That is, working with an already prepared audience, one that trusts you, that actively engages in communication, costs much more than a new, let's say, fly-by-night person. You don't know what you will get from those who visit your profile for the first time. Moreover, you don't know how to surprise them, what will be interesting to them. That is, focus your efforts on leads and sales. It doesn't matter to you whether you get an income of, say, 100,000 rubles from 1 person or from 100.
18. Carefully approach the choice of accounts that you would like to subscribe to. You must understand that these will be the people who will also become a representative of your brand. And here you do not need to scatter yourself across a huge number of profiles and focus your attention exclusively on the number. Choose those who bring some benefit to your brand, who have a good reputation. Remember that by mutual subscription you get access to the audience of another blogger, online store and vice versa, you give access to your subscribers. That is, there should be mutual benefit here.
19. Never complain about something going wrong. This applies to the implementation of your plans, and to the attitude towards competitors and subscribers. In other words, "don't wash your dirty linen in public." If you see that one or another of your publications has not aroused interest in people, do not blame them. Think, perhaps you made a mistake somewhere, thereby preparing low-quality material. This is your chance to work on the mistakes and eliminate them in future publications.
20. If you decide to use humor, remember that it should be absolutely safe. Light, unobtrusive jokes are what can liven up communication on social networks, make your publications more original, show you as an extraordinary person. But still, not all types of humor can be transformed into written form. Moreover, not all formats will appeal to a large audience. Therefore, it is important to avoid jokes that could offend your subscribers, hurt them in some way, or show off qualities that they would like to hide from prying eyes.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, the issue of etiquette in social networks is very multifaceted and diverse. Moreover, in many ways, the nuances of communication with the audience depend on what platforms you work with, what category of users you are targeting. It is clear that materials for young people will look completely different from publications intended for people of a more mature age. Therefore, it is very important to do painstaking work and focus on the interests and preferences of your subscribers in your posts. Do not forget about all the rules of etiquette that exist in everyday life, do not present yourself as superior to others, do not belittle the merits of competitors. That is, focus on positivity, respect, and a desire to make contact. This is what will cause a positive feedback from your audience, convince them of your loyalty, reliability, and professionalism.

And the last point we would like to dwell on is ensuring the security and efficiency of working with social networks. So, today, not all countries and regions of the world have access to sites that could become a good platform for developing your business, attracting the attention of the user audience. But this is not a reason to refuse all the prospects that they are ready to provide to business representatives. To remove any regional restrictions, ensure high levels of confidentiality of work on the Internet and protection from any unauthorized access, connect mobile proxies from the MobileProxy.Space service.

In this case, you will receive an intermediary server that will help you create a completely different digital identity on the network that has nothing to do with you, including from the point of view of GEO. With their help, you will also be able to work with a large number of accounts at the same time, without fear of running into blocking or any other sanctions from social networks. You will also have access to tools that automate actions and simplify work with the vision of pages. The proxy is organized on the HTTP (S) and Socks5 protocols. You use both of them in your work due to the connection to parallel ports. This is what will ensure maximum security and functionality of work on the Internet. You will also have access to a huge number of IP addresses and the ability to change them by timer or forcibly via a link from your personal account.

To test mobile proxies, learn more about their features and functionality, current tariffs, follow the link https://mobileproxy.space/en/user.html?buyproxy. If you encounter any difficulties in work, you can contact the 24-hour technical support service for help.

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