10 Tips for Entrepreneurs on Social Media

Attention entrepreneurs: Need tips on how to make social media work for you?
For business owners who are just getting off the ground, your social media presence and your use of social media can be especially important. It can serve as one of your primary tools for branding and shaping your image, and for bringing in and retaining new customers.
Here are 10 tips for entrepreneurs on social media:
- Post regularly. You're a business trying to establish validity. In order to do so, make sure your social media posts are consistent and regular. This tells your audience that you are in operation, you are constantly updating, and you are real.
- Make sure your company's social media policy doesn't go too far. If you have a social media policy at work for your employees, make sure it's within reason. The National Labor Relations Board may invalidate your policy if it's too broad or violates your employees' rights to free speech.
- Keep it simple. Be concise and draw attention. Don't bore and inform more than necessary. Social media is for folks on the go, and this is especially crucial for a new business who is lesser known.
- Address your audience's concerns. Being able to address disgruntled customers right away is one of the many perks of being on social media. By being on top of this, you may help to avoid potential lawsuits.
- Know your audience. Know your clientele and talk to them on social media as if they were in front of you in person. Make sure you address the particular concerns that are relevant to your business.
- Disclose endorsements. Remember that the Federal Trade Commission may come after you if you don't disclose endorsements. If you are compensating or giving gifts to others for posting about your business, remind them to disclose it.
- You may need a dedicated social media team. It may be a good idea to have a designated team, or a dedicated person, to oversee all your social media outlets. This can help maintain consistency, among other benefits.
- Social media insurance. You may want to protect your new business' image by looking into social media insurance. As this is a pretty new development, however, make sure you do your research to determine whether it's right for you.
- Keep an eye on what's trending. Scour the hot news topics of the day in your industry and check for trending hashtags. Being relevant in social media is key, and may draw in some new followers and/or customers.
- Personalize your online presence. Remember, the more accessible you sound, while still maintaining professionalism, the more likely your audience will stick around.
Ready? Well then get out there and start tweeting, "like"-ing, and posting! Good luck -- and don't forget to follow FindLaw for Consumers on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter too!
Related Resources:
- Facebook, Twitter and Other Social-Media Tips for Small-Business Owners (The Wall Street Journal)
- How to Hire a Social Media Expert for Small Biz (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
- Do Twitter Disclaimers Protect Your Business? (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
- Why Social Media is a Small Biz Best Friend (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)