Let’s face it…social media management is a daunting task for a small business owner. For those of us who go at it without the talents of social media managers, there are obstacles to navigate, terms to learn and a list of dos and do not’s a mile long. This can be so overwhelming!
Not all of us are ever 100% correct in what we’re doing either. Do we curate our feed to a specific style? Do we post authentic unedited photos so that we connect in a more real manner? Do we post once a day or twelve times a day? Who knows anymore! But one thing remains…there is an etiquette to social media that most are unaware of. And we (myself and so many supplier friends in the industry) have borne the brunt of the negative as well as the positive of it for a long time. We are also not perfect, so will slip up from time to time (human error is a thing!) but we’ve corrected each other gracefully and with kindness and fixed our errors in turn.
Over the years, I have had people take my work and pass it off as their own and it’s taken a lot to get it corrected and removed. And I’m not the only one either.
Every day, and with an alarming increase, we are seeing brands use other suppliers’ imagery on their social media and passing it off as their own. Some very intentional and some are just ignorant of the proper etiquette for social media posting.
Etiquette (n) the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
So, with the help of a few social media manager friends, I’ve put together a short list of things you can do to ensure that you are putting your brand forth correctly to your clientele and ensure that you keep in good standing with those in your field of work. I do this from a creator/supplier point of view.
1. POST YOUR OWN WORK
When we use social media as an outlet for our creativity, we are also in turn, using it to attract our ideal clientele. By posting your own work and showcasing your creations, your clients can visibly see what you are capable of doing. This is a great way to build a trusting relationship between supplier and client. Clients spend good money for what they want and if they know what they are seeing is work you have personally done, it will be easier to convert their ‘scroll’ into a booking.
Now, there is nothing wrong with posting something that is inspirational to you, but then you are responsible for saying so in the CAPTION so that your client can clearly see that. Which brings me to my next point.
2. CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE
If you are going to post work that inspirational to you, be sure to credit all the suppliers correctly. The same applies to work that you were a part of. This is something not many understand and I’m going to break it down as best I can.
PHOTO TAGS
This is when you tag suppliers on the photo image itself. If you are only tagging the photo with the suppliers involved in that specific wedding/event/shoot etc, the client scrolling your feed and views it, has absolutely no idea of who did what and who is who in those photo tags (that’s if they even tap to view it). For many people, their business name does not have a clear link to their product so it could be (and mostly is) completely unclear. For example, if your business mentions flowers in the company name, then one could assume the florals in the photo was that person’s work, but this is not always the case!
And if I as a stylist did the concept curation AND I did the florals and decor who is going to know that if it is not clearly mentioned? This assists the client scrolling to get in touch with the correct individual.
A planner or stylist composes the entire picture, a photographer captures it, and many items used in the curation all contribute to the outcome. If you don’t credit where it’s due, the person’s hard work and creativity seems to be your own doing and can pass off as your own on your feed if not mentioned in the caption correctly. Now, there are obviously times where tags are just not necessary or mandatory either. If you’ve done paid work, you may not be able to insist on a tag or mention.
CAPTION TAGS
Always caption with purpose! Typing out a caption does not take much longer than a photo tag and will be infinitely more useful to the reader and valuable to your supplier partners as well as yourself.
In this way, the client knows very clearly who did what and every supplier is supported in their contribution to the curated work / wedding/ event etc, and the work does not pass off on your feed as entirely curated and designed by you and you alone.
Now these mentions don’t appear on the suppliers feed once you have tagged them, but the purpose of this is correct credit, ease of access and transparency for clients browsing your profile and it works in your favour as increased reach on the platform you are using.
When you tag someone because you want to be seen, instead of tagging someone to provide them with value, it’s bad etiquette. Don’t be that person. – Lisa Larter, The Strategy Lab
3. NO UNWANTED TAGGING PLEASE
Do not tag people that aren’t related to the work if they have not requested it.
This is a sure-fire way to annoy people. Yes, you want to be seen, and you want to attract clients, but an unasked-for tag of random suppliers on every photo post you put up, is not the way to go about it. If you’d like to make contact with a specific supplier, rather send a personalised inbox message or an email introducing yourself. Nothing annoys me more than random people tagging my business in the hopes that I love their work and I’ll recommend them to my clients. Nope. Send me a mail, introduce yourself and your business and send me your packages and I will then gladly have a look and make contact. Etiquette …its graceful. It’s not a bullying tactic.
4. INTERUPTIVE MARKETING IS RUDE
Do not comment with your business details on other suppliers’ posts with the purpose of gaining sales! I have this happen so often. It’s called interruptive marketing and it is disrespectful. You will do more damage to your brand than good. Use your own platforms to advertise your brand and do not leech off other companies marketing strategies or creative endeavours that are attracting attention.
Some Instagram accounts pick the easy way out and quote some general source, like Pinterest or Tumblr, for reposted photos… but that’s a big no-no. More often than not, there is a way to hunt down the original owner (follow the Instagram credit chain or, if all else fails, use Google Image Search). If you can’t find the original source, consider picking another photo to repost. It’ll show that your business is trustworthy and that it respects others’ intellectual property.- Jane, Hunting Handmade
Each of us running a business, benefits from social media. In fact, the majority of our clientele comes from word of mouth or social media searches! If we collectively support each other by correctly doing our “social media tagging due diligence”, then everyone reaps the rewards of it. There is no loss here for either party but in fact, a win-win is inevitable.
Its respectful, the right thing to do, and just plain good old market strategy all in one! Now let me just say that I am in no way shape or form a social media boffin so there is a lot of information that can still be said on this matter by professionals. And I have obviously also been the one in the wrong at times (hello human error!). And I certainly won’t bore you with the months spent trying to find the right platform that will automatically bulk post for me and the errors in tagging that happened with that! Epic. Fail. Indeed.
But the bottom line, in my opinion, is that it is just a little kinder, and a little more respectful to just mention each other correctly and be transparent with our clients. Building good relationships in any industry is vital to the success of your business, no matter the field you’re in.
Here’s wishing you every success in your social media marketing strategies!
Get in touch with MODE today!
ps: I am aware that a tag is not always warranted. eg. a bride is not obligated to do so, and neither is a client that has paid for services rendered unless stated contractually. I have a clause that states i can use the imagery for marketing purposes but i always tag my photographers and suppliers from the wedding. Its benefits my business reach and it praises them! My point is concerning keeping good standing and kindness. Perspectives of a planner and business owner… 🙂
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