10 Topics Your Business Should Never Post About on Social Media

Social media platforms are essential in today's digital landscape, and most of the time, that means posting about your products and services to attract customers to them. However, it's important to know what not to post about on social media so you don't accidentally scare potential customers away with too much information, too much promotion, or anything else that could turn them off from your brand. Here are ten topics your business should never post about on social media.

Politics

Hot-button issues are notoriously polarizing. As tempting as it might be to take a stance for or against something, resist posting about political debates on your business's social media channels. Politics can create a toxic environment for your brand and rile up customers in either direction, but not necessarily in any way that positively reflects your company. If you have an opinion, keep it off of social media. Better yet, avoid talking politics altogether if possible.

Religion

Creating a Facebook page or Twitter account for your business is fairly straightforward. You're not creating an individual's profile, but rather a page that anyone can like or subscribe to. While you certainly may post about religion on your business's social media channels, but keep in mind that many people have strong feelings about their religious beliefs and may be put off by messages contradicting theirs. 

For example, while there's nothing wrong with sharing inspirational quotes if they fit your brand's tone, there's a fine line between promoting tolerance and proselytizing. Consider how much content will come across to potential customers before adding religious-themed posts to your company's social media accounts.

Violence

This is probably one of the most obvious topics you should avoid posting about on social media. Unfortunately, there have been several cases where brands have posted offensive comments or images that led to negative reactions from their followers. If you're unsure whether or not something could be considered offensive, it's best to stay away from it altogether.

While you may want to keep your fans updated about what's happening in your industry, it's not worth posting about violent crimes if they don't directly relate to your business. Not only is it bad for SEO, but people will also start unfollowing and un-liking if you post too much negativity. Always ask yourself, Is my social media presence adding to my brand or hurting it? Don't do it if a post makes you hesitate before hitting publish, and always be smart with what you post! You have one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it's good!

Controversial Issues

While a controversial issue might be great for grabbing people's attention, it could ultimately hurt your brand in other ways. If you align with one side of an argument, you may upset members of another group—like your employees or customers. If you call out a customer publicly, it could also send that person running to a competitor. Without minimizing how important these issues are or questioning whether any side is right or wrong, these aren't issues that businesses should bring up because they will likely create more problems than they solve. It's perfectly fine to take a stance in everyday life; it's why we all use social media in real life and not just for business purposes.

Sexism, Racism, and Other Forms of Discrimination

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become some of the most powerful tools for businesses to connect with customers and potential customers, but what happens when a business posts something offensive? The answer is simple. People will see it, share it with their friends and family members, and then boycott your brand or product. In addition, there's always the possibility that you'll be sued for defamation or discrimination. If you're unsure whether something is offensive or inappropriate, don't post it. Always ask for feedback from people who aren't directly involved with your brand first!

Fake News

Be aware of potential online fake news scenarios in which you may become involved. The impact of social media is so great that political parties and individual candidates are heavily using it as a tool to spread their messages. However, sometimes news from these groups may not be accurate or true. 

Double-check any information posted about your business that comes from unknown sources before you forward it to others or post it yourself. Retweeting news without first verifying its truthfulness can cause major legal issues for you, your company, and its employees. In one highly publicized case, an airline CEO was fired after retweeting a message critical of President Obama because he failed to do his due diligence in ensuring its authenticity before sharing it with his followers, and thereby his entire professional network.

Confidential Business Information

You might have a brilliant idea for a new product or service, but that doesn't mean you should announce it to your entire social audience. Many businesses assume their customers want to know every detail about every step of their business, and it's likely your customers are fine with knowing these details, but there may be some information that you don't need to share. 

For example, when an employee resigns from your business, it’s probably not wise to detail why that employee is leaving. Instead, make sure you select information and ideas worth sharing on social media by considering how they might affect relationships with partners and other industry influencers. If something isn't explicitly necessary for your audience to know, don't post it publicly!

Confidential Customer Information

If your business collects sensitive data from customers, don’t ever post that information publicly. You should also never publicly reveal customer information such as social security numbers or credit card details. Even if you can’t believe that somebody would steal your customer information, what if a hacker stumbles upon it? Treating confidential customer data with respect is not only good for your business reputation, but it’s also legally required by privacy laws in many countries.

Memes, Jokes, Or Sarcasm

This might seem like an obvious one, but it would surprise you at how many businesses post memes, jokes, or sarcasm on their social media pages. While this might appeal to some of your customers or followers, it will definitely turn others away. Keep in mind that not everyone understands or appreciates humor, so it’s best to avoid it altogether.

Overly Promotional Content

When it comes to social media, businesses should never post overly promotional content. This is because people following your page are not interested in being bombarded with advertisements; they’re there to see updates about your company and what you’re doing. Therefore, try to limit your posts about new products, services, or promotions to no more than 20% of the time.

If all you ever post about is your own product or service, people are going to tune you out. Yes, you want to promote your business on social media, but that doesn’t mean every single post should be a sales pitch. Try mixing things up by sharing helpful tips, interesting articles, or even just funny pictures.

Social media is a great way to connect with customers and promote your business. However, there are some topics that you should avoid when posting on social media. We have discussed ten topics that you should never post about on social media in this blog post! By avoiding these topics, you can help ensure that your social media posts effectively promote your business.

When in doubt, hire a social media manager to make sure your posts will attract customers.

If you need additional coaching or are unsure if your posts are turning away potential customers, it may be a good idea to hire a social media manager such as Raging Websites. We are able to use our professional insights to know what will work in order to build engagement and a community within your business and write to unique audiences on different networks. We provide all of the social media promotion and management services you’ll need for your business, making it simple to strengthen your online presence and reach more customers.

Our team of experts are highly skilled in Facebook and Instagram management, and content creation, and has a robust reporting system that is easy to comprehend and has all the answers. Get in touch with us today by our contact form or schedule a call.