Social media is a potential minefield for businesses. Careless and insensitive posts have destroyed peoples’ careers and damaged many brands in the past. Be careful out there.
Whether it’s via social media or the company’s website, interacting with customers online has become something businesses must do to succeed. However while the web presents companies with a world of opportunity, it can also be something of a minefield.
Posting on the web puts a business’ reputation on the line, having a very real potential impact on its day-to-day operations. Here are some of our top tips for responsible use of the internet for businesses.
- Think before you post. Ask yourself; why am I posting this? Will this be of interest to my customers, or is it just spam?
- Stay secure. Use the highest possible security settings on your company’s social media, and never share your passwords or any other kind of personal information.
- Think before you click. Emails and pop-ups from unknown sources can potentially contain malware. Getting a virus on your computer can be devastating; this is particularly the case for a business.
- Stay up to date. Keep security software up to date on any device you use to connect to the Internet.
- Get permission. If you are sharing an image of someone else, make sure you get their permission. The same goes for if you are posting a picture you’ve taken from somewhere else; you’ve got to ask the owner first.
Image from Shutterstock.
