eloqAlways have the consumer in mind if you want to stand out from the growing noise on social media channels. Listen patiently, while being original and timely, to tap the goldmine of feedback and ideas from your customers. All these are useful pieces of advice Eloqua gives in its Social Media Playbook: Everything Your Company Needs to Know to Succeed on the Social Web

Oracle acquired the company more than a year ago and made it the centerpiece of the Oracle Marketing Cloud, which helps modern marketers target the right buyers and get the best leads to sales. 

In the “Social Media Playbook” the expert summarizes ten useful principles that should always guide a company’s social media approach, that are worth to be listed to, in the following list:

  1. Do Listen The most important first step you can take in social media is to listen before you “speak.” Social media offers a unique window into the lives of colleagues, customers, and influentials, but only if you don’t talk over the opportunity. Adhering to a “listen-first” mantra will help you can gain valuable insights that inform how – or even if – you want to engage.
  2. Do be authentic. The era of online anonymity is over (if, in fact, it ever really existed). Social media demands honest, transparent, and authentic participation. Social networks are human networks – so don’t be afraid to share about your hobbies, travels, and even weekend adventures (to the extent that sharing this information is comfortable with you personally and doesn’t run counter to the company’s culture and values.)
  3. Do be consistent. When cultivating your social media presence, be consistent about the information contained in your profile and the content you share. If possible, establish brand guidelines for individual and group participation within your company so that you can build trust with and recognition from others whether you are on Twitter, Facebook or blog comment sections.
  4. Do be gracious. Applauding the good work of others and thanking others for their support are the cornerstones of any good community on or offline. Whether it is citing a source with a link in a blog post, retweeting or giving a “shout out,” be sure to credit and thank the original creator.
  5. Do disclose. Letting your online audiences know that you work for your company is essential if you are tweeting, blogging or posting favorably about your company online. A great way to do this is filling out your Twitter bio with a brief line about your company affiliation, as well as including your company’s name as an employer on your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles
  6. Don’t share confidential information about your company, clients, colleagues, partners, or competitors.
  7. Don’t criticize your company, clients, colleagues, partners, or competitors.
  8. Don’t spread rumors or false information about your company, clients, colleagues, partners, or competitors.
  9. Don’t reveal personal information about any of your colleagues. Examples include tweeting side conversations or posting personal photos to Facebook or Flickr without their explicit permission.

10. Don’t misrepresent yourself or your company. Every action online is, at some level, traceable, so make sure the content that you are creating and impressions you are leaving, no matter how big or how small, are accurate and honest.

According to Eloqua, “Social media works best when there are real people, with genuine intentions and quality content behind every profile, tweet and tag, while automated social-posting systems diminish the value of your presence by corroding real engagement.”

Ain’t that the truth?

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By MediaBUZZ