Linking Facebook to Twitter? Bad idea for brands

Given the array of tasks you face every day as a business owner, you’re probably on the lookout for ways to save time.

One social media shortcut seems like a no-brainer: linking your company’s Facebook account to Twitter. In other words, when you post on Facebook, it automatically shows up as a tweet from your Twitter account, too. Sounds brilliant, right?

Though this might seem like a great solution, Facebook and Twitter are completely different animals and require entirely different management. User behavior, consumption of information, structure of posts/tweets, and the ways fans and followers engage vary dramatically between the two platforms.

Twitter can be a powerful tool for connecting with your established and potential customers. It’s an excellent platform for making real connections, gathering and responding to feedback about your business, resolving issues or complaints, expanding your customer base, and more. However, it must be managed properly to reap these benefits.

Although its benefits are clear, Twitter too often is treated like an afterthought. Too many business owners are falling into this trap, and I’m on a mission to educate them about the pitfalls.

Let’s look at four reasons why you should not link your Facebook and Twitter accounts: