Perspectives & Strategy

One of my business partners asked me a question the other day about Social Media etiquette, specifically “What do you do when a valued customer uses bad language on a Social Media channel?”

Now the question came a few days after President Obama was reported using bad language on Twitter. Of course the truth is that someone reported something that should never have been said. The trouble is that when something is said on the Internet it tends to stay around for a while. I have said before that ‘There is a clear value to be gained from improving collaboration’, whilst collaboration starts within the workplace it also extends beyond to suppliers, customers and other organisations that are our partners.

I have normally taken that stance that there is no call for bad language on any social media platform. Personally I have dropped Twitter followers for using bad language, but then again they are not customers. So what do we do if customers or suppliers use bad language? What comes first to mind is education. Everyone needs to be reminded about the longevity of statements made on the web and that bad language shows a disrespect to those in their community.

Jennifer Laycock in her column in Search Engine Guide gives several pointers, including:

* Be nice

* Be respectful

* Apologize when you make mistakes

* Say “thank you”

The last of these I have learnt to do all the time. Laura Lake states “It’s true you will not find a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to social media marketing, but you must mind your manners in order for your efforts in social marketing to be successful” and “If you approach social media without paying attention to proper etiquette you could be seen as a marketer or business owners that lacks respect and possesses bad manners”. I agree.

Even the Trump Blog asks Are good manners out of style? and Thomas M. Schmitz comments “Some people are friendly and polite with their buddies, family, colleagues and co-workers. But when it comes to people that they do not know, like baristas, store clerks and servers, they remain dispassionate, neither mean nor nice”. I have to plead guilty to having vented my anger at some people who did not deserve it in the past, but I have also taken time to think about how that is wrong and have reformed my behaviour.

In “Twelve Important Social Marketing Manners” Cynthia Nowicki advises that we all should “Think things out before hitting the submit or send button – is there anyone that might react poorly to what you are about to send? Take a breather and have someone else review your message before sending“. That is the difference between creating blogs and publishing in a newspaper. That I guess is why I have two articles that I am yet to publish – they have to satisfy me that they are finished. I also believe that it is important to “respect your audience“.

“Avoid using bathroom humor” is also good advice from Nowick. Whilst I like to be light hearted on occasions one of the things I do tend to avoid is humour as I am not comfortable with how other people would perceive my joke. This also stems from the fact that too many comics poke fun in directions they should not go.

I would like to thank my loyal readers for taking time to read these thoughts on Social Media manners and would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. I do think that there is no excuse for bad manners.