How often have you seen “http://on.fb.me/xyz” on a Tweet? Ever recall seeing a hashtag on a Facebook status? What about an @ symbol followed by a Twitter handle in your newsfeed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’ve experienced a trend born out of social media software that allows users to simultaneously post the same post on multiple platforms. Convenient? Yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
It’s smart to encourage YouTube subscribers to follow you on Twitter and to suggest your LinkedIn page to your Facebook fans, but avoid using social media software to schedule one post that will appear on all of your pages. Take the time to compose a similar but appropriate posts tailored for each social media platform. For example:
Twitter: Happy National #Tourism Week, @FortWorth! Retweet if you love this city. #FortWorth.
Facebook: Happy National Tourism Week, <link to page>Fort Worth! “Like” this status if you love this city.
Google+: Happy National Tourism Week, +Fort Worth! +1 this post if you love this city. LinkedIn: Happy National Tourism Week to the city of Fort Worth. We are proud to work in this city.
Linking accounts admittedly saves time, but is the time saved worth ignoring the social etiquette of the individual platforms? Repeat after me: Treat each social media platform as its own entity. It’s disruptive to force Twitter followers to go to your Facebook page to finish reading a tweet. Imagine if you were on the phone with a friend and in the middle of a great story, they told you, “Check your texts for the ending,” and then hung up. Would you be happy with your friend?