This file photo taken on May 10, 2012 shows a view of an Apple iPhone displaying the Facebook app's splash screen in front of the login page.AFP / Getty Images
In our eighth annual Executive Survival Guide, we show you how to do business with an egomaniac, build a brand like Drake, climb the corporate ladder (without stepping on anyone), avoid Snapchat snafus and ditch underperformers—gently. If you're looking for a slightly more formal education experience, we'll also help you find the right EMBA or MBA program.
You can spend a lot of time and money Facebooking, tweeting and whatnot. But how do you do it efficiently?
Decide if you really want to be there
Do you run a top-down organization that strives to stay on message? Then you really don't want to interact with anyone in any medium, do you?
What reward do you want?
Generating buzz can be easy. Facebook, Twitter and other sites spew out lots of metrics for you—what posts people read, where they are, how long they stay. But that doesn't necessarily mean they'll buy.
Educate rather than promote
You want to be seen as an authority and a source of entertainment. A post that just offers something for sale sucks.
Pictures: yes
Instagram reportedly has 15 times the engagement of Facebook. Post a picture first, then tweet it, then worry about Facebook.
Words: no
Even if people like you, they won't pay attention for long. The ideal length of a tweet is 100 characters. The ideal Facebook post is 40 characters. Did anyone read that?
The art of the tease
The most effective posts persuade users to take action. Coca-Cola runs the most popular corporate Facebook page by far—98.5 million "likes." Almost all of its posts are invitations to enter a contest, follow a recipe, watch a video and so on.
Once you start, you can't stop
Users expect fresh posts, but not too many of them. It's a balancing act.
Respond fast
And be nice, even if people slag your business. Don't delete negative feedback, either, unless it's truly offensive. Even Donald Trump leaves up comments that call him "a hypocrite and a con man."