We are in an age where a simple set of words can potentially skyrocket a business or crash it like a kamikaze.

I’m talking about the rise of integrating social media with businesses online. To be precise, we are at its peak where every business owner plans to open a Facebook or Instagram account on day 1.

Being on these social media platforms is essential as the current generation takes great interest in following the brand’s ideologies. So you, as a business owner, need to know some social media etiquettes to follow.

Are There Any “Unwritten” Social Media Rules?

Many businesses don’t plan how and what to post, specifically what NOT to post.

Source: aseponde.com

There is a general idea that controversial posts attract more viewers. To some extent, this is true, but you will not want to use it as a content strategy. Worst case scenario? People will assume your posts are just clickbait and avoid you.

Not to mention the rise of “netizens” these days. These are ordinary people who wouldn’t look you in the face and criticize you but will write a long rant on how bad the customer service was. The truth is they can get into your head and be a real pain if you don’t get used to them.

True Social Media Stories From Top B2B Companies & Personal Brands

1. The Apple Senior Executive Getting Fired

Who would believe a funny joke on TikTok would get you fired, especially if you are the Vice President of procurement?

This happened to Tony Belvins, who made a joke which made Apple decide to fire him.

Source: Bloomberg

And this is the internet where that clip still revolves around that is still tarnishing his name. For Belvins, this is a big blow but was this an L for the company? Not really.

Giant companies like Apple will not want to deviate from the usual path that most people follow. Because this “stepping out” is a high-risk high reward maneuver and the most established companies always play it safe.

Takeaway

My advice is this: if you have no idea of the outcome of your post/comment online, don’t do it. Every post you make must have a purpose and the target audience has to react in a certain way. Otherwise, you are steering the boat cluelessly in the middle of the sea.

2. Elon Musk Is Smoking On A Podcast

Elon Musk, one of the most well-known and wealthiest businessmen smoked marijuana on The Joe Rogan Experience.

If I had to estimate, the clip was about 30 seconds and the aftermath? Tesla tanked 10% the following day.

Source: Tenor

Who would’ve thought that seemingly harmless action would wipe out billions?

What I find from the above two incidents is this: you cannot be a casual personality online, especially when you are running or part of a business.

Just like the first scenario, do not involve yourself in controversial topics voluntarily. You have no clue how your audience will react to this.

Takeaway

Here’s a basic B2B social media etiquette: Doing funny things off-camera? Go for it but when the camera is pointed at you, stay professional and carry yourself as a legitimate businessman.

The only time this can be justified is when you are a full-time digital creator whose core content is to bring more eyeballs to them, like Andrew Tate in our next example.

3. Andrew Tate – Reaction From Social Media Companies On Social Media Influencers

Previously you saw how your audience can react the other way to your posts. But what about the platforms themselves?

What power do they have? Here’s the unique case of Andrew Tate: the influencer who got banned from all online platforms.

Despite his controversial views, he was on top of every platform you could think of.  Many influencers promoted his content on their youtube channel, reels on Instagram, and tweets selling his online courses.

The recent post that got Tate arrested. Source: Latestly

And out of the blue, boom! Tate’s got banned without any notice on all platforms. All of them!

This might be an extreme case but here’s the lesson: Social media companies DO react to your posts. It’s not that someone has to report your post. AI helps to censor your posts when they go live. Your captions, the nature of your posts, and the hashtags are all monitored.

Takeaway

There’s no need to go overboard so stick to the game plan you designed with your copywriting team. Talk to your content team if the posts aren’t the way you expected them to be. Discuss, analyze, scrutinize, and then post.

4. Reliance Jio Launch

Jio is a big name now, but the grand launch took an unexpected turn.

To promote the brand, Bollywood celebrities were asked to promote the message on their social media handles.

Source: Twitter

This good idea didn’t go according to plan because everyone copy pasted the same template and posted it on their social media account.

Even though Ambani has cemented Jio in the driver’s seat and amassed a ton of revenue, this launch was ridiculed simply due to relying on celebrities excessively.

Takeaway

The lesson here? Choose your partners carefully. See how much they believe in your brand and what they bring to the table.

You do not want someone who works just for the paycheck and gives a mediocre output because your business will experience the dent.

5. Failed Twitter Campaigns To Promote Tourism

If you think business campaigns can flop, here are two campaigns from countries that went wrong.

Sweden started their #ThisIsSweden campaign introduced a phone number for anyone to call and ask about their beautiful country.

Source: Twitter

A phone number out on the internet? Trolls incoming! What started as minor queries like discussing meatballs quicked turned into racist jokes and so Sweden had to stop their campaign.

Egypt did the same thing: #ThisIsEgypt. But they didn’t introduce any phone number but asked their fellow Egyptians to post their country’s pleasant aspects.

Among those pleasant posts came controversial ones related to the terrorist attack in Giza. So, on one hand, you will see the beautiful Egyptian artefacts while on the other a video of a car being blown up.

Takeaway

Sweden and Egypt did not expect their campaigns to go this way. Their ideas were great but it was an unexpected outcome. The best thing to do in a situation like this is to not kindle the fire again. That means do not counter-post/justify if things go sideways.

This is the internet and any news will be history in a few days. If you exercise self-control and let the fire extinguish, you can move on with the lessons learnt to a better campaign.

Socia Media Campaigns That Were A Super Hit

1. The Rock And His Successful Business Ventures

Here is my take: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the most successful outcome due to social media.

If you look at all his business ventures, his image has been a vital catalyst. Without his Instagram following of over 200 Million, Zoa Energy would be just another energy drink on the shelves.

Source: Instagram

Under Armour recognized his rise early on and partnered with him, and guess what? It transitioned from being an average sports brand to the UFC’s official partner.

Source: Instagram

One key takeaway here is The Rock aligned his businesses with his passion to work out and stay healthy. Dwayne believes in his hard work ethic and asks his fans to follow their dreams through sheer discipline.

The message he sends through his captions and videos inspires millions and has a direct impact on the numbers. He gains more followers and more sales.

This nonchalant strategy makes it easy to sell the product online, build and retain a following on social media, introduce another product and rerun the same process.

Takeaway

It might be a cliche but if you are good at something and you love it so much, find a way to align it with your business. Ballerinafarm on Instagram is another great example. Hannah posts cooking reels with a traditional homestead theme.

It’s not just unique but is easier since it’s a hobby/passion of yours and who is ever bored of doing what they love?

2. KFC’s Secret Burger Campaign In India

KFC rolled out the “secret burger” campaign to introduce their double-down burger. For this, they collaborated with popular food bloggers, and guess what? This was a success.

Source: NMIMS

Followers could relate to their favorite influencers more than a generic 30-second ad. The influencer here, brings the business and the customer closer, boosting the sales a big time.

Takeaway

This was a carefully thought out campaign which was a big success. The key takeaway here is listening to your audience and making the steps accordingly.

In business, the market is never wrong and so are the people.

The Future Of Social Media And Business Owners

Pay attention to small shops having random celebrity photos on their banners endorsing their products or services. Those celebrities have no idea a business like that exists.

This is not the case anymore because anyone with an internet and a social media account can figure it out, causing distrust in the brand. It may also result in backlashes and various legal issues.

Therefore, the business owner should either build their brand themself or collaborate with influencers constantly to stay relevant.

The government is catching up with the new schemes and partnerships between business owners and influencers.

Now in India, influencers will be fined up to 50 lakhs if they don’t declare their posts as “paid promotions” if there is a financial incentive for that post.

Social media platforms are rising to be one of the best places to market products and services. So to ensure that your followers are positively connected with your brand, It is essential to adhere to good social media etiquette.