Social Media has grown multifold over the past couple of years and with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, there are numerous modes of expression for the people. It is very important to realize the value of social media and to respect the speaker’s opinion as well as to utilize it to the fullest to convey your messages and fulfill its purpose. But, at times, we fail to understand the purpose of this medium and tend to cross certain lines which intentionally or unintentionally hurt people and their emotions. It can be termed offensive too and we need to understand why it is necessary to respect others but at the same time make sure that we are limiting ourselves to a reasonable and valid argument or presentation. Here, we talk about how we can take care when navigating through the world of social media and discuss the dos and don’ts for the year 2k16.

DO your research and figure out the target audience.
Whether you are a motive driven individual or a team working towards promoting your brand, it is very important to understand your target audience and to complete your homework on the research end to reach the specific people and to make an impact using your brand. One of the most important things is the recognition of your target audience for which the content is tailor made. Writing target specific content generates up to ten times more efficient results and can help businesses and brands get recognition and save them resources, both at the same time.

DO resource analysis
While it may seem like the only resources required to make an effective social media presence is a computer and an internet connection, other necessary resources include a creative content generation, necessary funds, graphic designers and a social media manager to take care of everything. Hence, it is highly important to understand your aims and to plan your resources and inputs accordingly.
Resources can be inputs for content which include catchy lines and graphics as well as sponsors, finances and other maintenance expenses. But, this is on the higher end of branding. Even for smaller businesses and individuals planning ahead is important.

DO everything to prove your presence
Branding on social media can be tricky and the first rule is to get a firm grip on the medium. This implies that people need to know about you and your services and that every time someone opens Facebook, your post shows up with something useful and relatable.
It is advised to make posts engaging and reader-friendly so that they can relate to it. Organising certain contests and giving away small prizes are gestures which go a long way in relationship building.

DO your best to display model behavior
Displaying a positive attitude and model values on the social media platform is very important because it is the first impression that does half the work. If people like your approach, you’ve already won them over. A bad display of behaviour on the social medium is definitely going to add to your negatives losing you out on following and leads to lack of trust.

DO promote your work
Social media is the best platform to showcase your talent and a strategic plan to organise your projects can help you gain a lot of attention. Apart from branding yourself, it is one of the best open platforms to showcase your skills and get a feedback from the audience at the same time.
Without any complications, simple interface and clear viewing platform of the platform give you a flexible experience. So, start uploading your work and get recognised!

DON’T run away from confrontation
Social media is a free platform and people have the right to express themselves. Hence, you are sure to come across different types of people. It is very important to be able to handle criticism. Avoiding confrontation and running away should never be an option, instead, when faced with negative feedback or comments, acceptance is important. Justifying or reasoning is not required but if you’re at fault accept the fact gracefully. You are not answerable to anyone and can be as opinionated as the president of the country.

DON’T limit yourself
While selecting a target audience is essential to make efficient decisions and to give a direction to your work, but, what is necessary is to keep expanding and to find the right people for your brand. Once a basic setup has been established looking for new avenues and trying to explore is necessary to expand and to grow.
Limiting yourself and your brand to a specific area will saturate growth and after a specific time, create monotonous schedules which are definitely not a good thing for the businesses.

DON’T be scared to grow
It is necessary to have aims and goals and one of the most essential things for a successful career is to plan your growth. Social media has invaded our lives and because of which a lot of opportunities arise every other day. It wouldn’t be a bad option to plan your growth based on the medium. In fact, with the number of people who have access to it, it is only wiser to make the most of it and utilize its capabilities. As a prospective brand, you should never be scared to grow.

DON’T avoid other things
While social media can do most of the work for you if utilised properly, it should not be considered as the sole means of working. While building an audience and relationship base on the medium is easy, it is necessary to limit your sole dependence on the platform. There are several other tasks which should not be ignored or avoided because of it. Like building a blog and maintaining it is as important as promoting it on social media. The difference needs to be understood and ignorance should be avoided.

DON’T pretend
Social media is the perfect platform to display your skills, talents and is an important factor which imprints your impression on the audience. It is necessary to present your true self rather than being pretentious and trying to please the audience. Give them what you want to showcase rather than modifying your work in order for them to approve of it. While you might receive criticism, you will also get appreciated for your work hence creating a balance. So, on social media come as you are and soon it’ll settle down!

Did we miss any point? If yes, then share your views with us in the comments below!