When It Comes to Social Media and Your Business, Does it Help or Hurt?

Social media is now a big part of life for people around the globe. Businesses are affected by social media and it can be used as an advantage, or it may turn out to be a disadvantage. Business owners wonder, can social media hurt your business? As it turns out, social media can both help and hurt your business. When it comes to social media and your business, talk to your commercial litigation attorney to find out if there is any legal recourse available to you when problems arise.

Social Media

Today, most businesses use social media as a method of marketing. In fact, that is how many people find companies to perform work. Internet sites such as Facebook can be helpful for businesses, but the sites can also be problematic. Public sites usually allow people to post comments, which are not monitored. The comments could cause companies to lose business, especially if there are several or more negative posts. The problem is that the company has no control over what people post, and anyone can make a number of harmful comments, even if they aren’t true.

Other Sites

The Internet has many useful sites for consumers, but some of them can cause problems for companies. For example, Yelp is an online business rating service that allows users to post comments and rate companies. The Yelp rating can hurt your business, even if you had just one bad day. Review your Yelp rating periodically. It is also helpful to ask satisfied customers to post a positive rating about your business if they were happy with your services.

Stay Up to Date

If you have a social media site, it is essential that you are vigilant about keeping it updated. It is also necessary to review posts that are made online. While you can’t erase negative comments, you can post a reply, which could provide an explanation for readers. It is necessary to review social media sites daily or even several times a day. In today’s social world, any online post could go viral without your knowledge.

Social Media Manager

If your business is large, or you have a lot of followers, you may need to hire a social media specialist to manage your online image on social media sites. While it may seem unnecessary, a social media manager can save your company money and its reputation should a harmful post be left unanswered. A social media specialist will provide posts on a regular basis and will answer questions and concerns. If someone posted a complaint, it should be forwarded to the proper manager for handling.

This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice regarding Social Media and Your Business, or any other litigation matter, please feel free to contact Stockton D. Banfield at 480.461.5356, log on to udallshumway.com, or contact an attorney in your area. Udall Shumway PLC is located in Mesa, Arizona and is a full service law firm. We assist Individuals, families, businesses, schools and municipalities in Mesa and the Phoenix/East Valley.