Social Media and Business

Q. What issues should I be aware of when I am implementing the use of social media in my business?

A. This is always a difficult area for a business and many just don’t bother for fear of something bad happening so here are a few hints and tips for you before you start.

The first thing to be aware of is a disgruntled customer. These can cause real problems for businesses online. When someone makes a complaint about your business on Facebook or Twitter, it is important to address it immediately. Social media moves fast, and in these circumstances so should you. Ask the customer to give you their contact details so you can address their concerns. This should take the complaint offline, but make sure you resolve it or they may start tweeting about you again!

One other important point to make is that where you use the content you find from someone else, you must always attribute it to them. For example, on Twitter, you can show this by adding an RT (retweet) to the beginning of the post or just acknowledging them by adding their Twitter name and saying ‘Thanks for the interesting article’.

Social media etiquette is important to do some research before you start, or outsource this area of your business to someone who has experience in this area.

If you do need help with a business legal issue, please contact  Richard Gregory on 01264 353411 or email at rgregory@bsandi.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.