Social media etiquette is one of those subjects that isn't set in stone. Unlike table manners and wearing white after labor day (even though apparently there is still debate about this), there isn't a grand consensus concerning what's appropriate online.
The Wild Wild Web is stilla relatively new frontier for many credit unions. But being a n00b is still no excuse to suck at Twitter.
There are a few generally agreed upon ways that your credit union can change your #fail into a #win!
Ditch your CU logo as your avatar
People want to interact with other people, not companies. If your credit union is striving to better connect through social media, use actual employees to man twitter accounts. A few weeks ago on Why Gen Y Live, we discussed Credit Unions that blocked social media sites because employees were using them too much on the job. Parlay that negative into a positive by letting gregarious employees be twitter point people. For example: get Amy, the branch extrovert to tweet under the name @amy_at_CU.
Tweet more than links
Almost no one wants to read press releases. And the three of you who do, hush. If your twitter is linked to an RSS feed of your website, make sure that for every automated RSS tweet, balance it out with a few real tweets. Content is king, but real, authentic is...er, better.
Every few months or so, I run a service called Twit Cleaner, which analyzes all of my followers. It breaks them down into those who are shady, those who haven't tweeted in months and those who who only tweet links. Guess how many were credit union profiles? Far too many.
Every tweet is a chance for interaction
There are no perfect credit unions. I will say that again, in case some of you glossed over that: There are no perfect credit unions. At some point, something or someone your physical branches you will fail. One of the best things about Twitter is the ability to see what people are saying about you – use this opportunity to attempt to rectify wrongs. Complaining in person can be awkward, especially at smaller credit unions – many people take to Twitter to vent, and helping a member fix a problem is a great public relations moment.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but covers some of the more common problems that people have using Twitter.
Got more thoughts on the subject? Comment below, or shoot me a tweet @deandresays.
Don't forget, we're giving away an XBOX if we get to 1,000 fans on our Facebook page! Become a fan!
DeAndre