The most important social media rule for every organization

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to help businesses decide which social media platforms to use and when to post.

But the social media rule every business should follow is this: Be the boss of your own information.

You should own administrative rights to your social media profiles, Google Analytics account, WordPress site and all other assets and data.

If you’re thinking, “Duh. People know this,” think again.

During one week I had two—one mid-size and one enterprise (yes, enterprise!)—clients who were locked out of their accounts because they didn’t own them.

Oy.

Client 1

Client 1’s problem was with Google Analytics. Client 1 had hired a marketing company to handle its marketing and metrics.

The marketing company set up the client’s Google Analytics account under the marketing company’s email and name, and then gave Client 1 administrative rights.

This sounds OK, but it can (and did) cause problems down the road.

For example, when Client 1 severed ties with the marketing company, Client 1 lost access to its analytics. When Client 1 politely asked for rights to its data, there was radio silence.