golden rulesBusinesses often struggle to build a successful social media strategy, but the following ten golden rules might help to ease the task when considering at least the most basic requirements. For instance, many social media setbacks happen by perceiving social media as something completely different from common life, ignoring the fact that real people with normal needs are lingering on these platforms. Although, this is the most important insight to value highly when confronting the social media world distinguished.

Useful rules for social media communication

1. Be informative and use links: A post without added value is quickly clicked away. In the spirit of content marketing, your posts should offer something like a tip for an everyday problem or the link to a cheap offer. Most importantly, make your followers the focus, not yourself!

2. Be visual: Messages with photos are shared more often, regardless of the platform. However, the perfect size varies, depending on the platform (for Facebook e.g. it is 800x600 pixels). Ideally, the content is created by you and carries your logo.

3. Be positive: Not necessarily just positive posts get more attention, but as a company, it's important to spread positive messages, not to lose followers. Nevertheless, you should never sweep problems under the carpet, instead always communicate clearly.

4. Be mobile-friendly: Depending on the platform, there is obviously a very high proportion of mobile social media readers. On Twitter, it is even more than 80%. That's why it is essential that your posts are optimized for mobile devices, which includes that the contents of forwarding links are easy to read on mobile devices, too.

5. Be grateful and generous: Social media is a big community, so help making it feel like a valuable gathering. Be polite and grateful for your feedback or just because someone shares your message or follows you. Exclusive deals for your fans bring your community even closer to you.

6. Be communicative and able to take criticism: It's not just about posting something once a day and then logging off. Comments and other feedback are just as important. Dive into the social media turmoil. Answer questions, discuss with your community and take comments seriously. If negative feedback comes, do not ignore it. If mistakes have been made, argue objectively where the discussion is heated and above all be constructive!

7. Be present and post often, but not too often: Depending on the platform, company and community, there will be a different "ideal" number of posts per week. To determine this number, test different variants and analyze the result. The problem for many companies is that they do not post enough. Once a week is usually not enough to be kept in the mind of the community. If you post every five minutes, on the other hand, you probably run the risk of annoying your group.

8. Be dedicated and involve your community: Your community needs to realize that you are serious. Unkindly designed or too automated posts quickly lead to the opposite. In addition, try to design your posts at least partially in a way that includes your community, like e.g. a little quiz or a request. Important is that your followers notice that you are interested in them. Also, regularly ask your fans for feedback to value the opinion of your community.

9. Be attentive and emphatic: You need to get to know your community like a good friend. And like a good friend, you need to know the mood your followers are in right now. Are they currently sensitive, euphoric or critical? Depending on that, you need to adjust your social media communication. That requires a lot of empathy and, above all attention. So, watch your community closely and draw the right conclusions.

10. Be authentic: Honesty is a big thing in social media. Under no circumstances entangle in contradictions. But that's just the minimum. You must manage to get a thoroughly authentic social media presence, which starts with a consistent language and ends with consistently highly appreciated contributions.

By MediaBUZZ