Table of Contents
We’ve come a long way since 2012 when this post was originally written, but some Facebook faux pas are like glitter—impossible to get rid of. Let’s dive in to the biggest Facebook etiquette mistakes businesses are still making in 2024.
Irrelevant Comments on Another Business Page
Ah, the allure of free advertising on another business’s Facebook page. It’s like sneaking a business card onto someone else’s dinner table—tacky and unwelcome.
FIX: Engage genuinely. Comment on posts or share content that aligns with your brand. Make sure it’s relevant and adds value.
Using @Followers for Every Post
Facebook introduced the @followers @everyone and @highlight tags to help you let people know when something important is posted…but that doesn’t mean everything is suddenly important. You’re only allowed to use each tag once a day and they’re available in different places.
- @everyone is used in Groups
- @followers is used on Pages
- @highlight is used on Personal Profiles
Why they didn’t make them all the same, I don’t know.
Fix: Please use them wisely. If you overuse them people will turn off the notifications and stop seeing your content altogether. Just because Facebook lets you do it once a day doesn’t mean you HAVE to use the tag every day.
Tagging Inappropriately in Photos
While this may sound redundant, it happens a lot. Tagging people in a photo is a great way to get their attention and put your name in front of their friends. However, similar to above, it really just annoys the people who now have to take the time to come check out the picture and untag themselves so they aren’t bombarded with messages from the other 30+ people who were tagged. (Not all networks have this feature and it might be gone or maybe I managed to turn off those settings, but I don’t see this much anymore.)
And if you’re tagging another Business Page in photos because you’re hoping to get noticed by the Editor, or the person who hires influencers…DON’T. Chances are it’s not even that person who is dealing with your tags. It’s more likely a social media manager, or maybe an intern who is checking comments and responding. If they have to keep removing their tag from your photos so your irrelevant content doesn’t appear on their Instagram Page, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
FIX : There really isn’t a fix for this one. Sorry. Just don’t do it . As a person however, you can stop this from happening by adjusting your privacy settings as they relate to tagging.
Legitimate reasons to tag another page:
- They invited you to an event you’re posting about.
- They smell you the product in the photo.
- Someone from the company is in the photo.
- You’re wearing/eating/using a product from that company.
- You’re attending an event in this restaurant / venue.
- You want to get someone’s opinion on what you’ve written. Be careful with this one and don’t tag random influencers / thought leaders thinking this will help your reach!
Connecting Just to Pitch
We call this pitch slapping. You know it. Someone friends you and as soon as you accept they send you cut and paste messages about buying their product, or sharing their post to “help out”. Or they start out by trying to get to know you, but by the third or fourth message you can see how they’re steering the conversation towards a pitch for their services.
Fix : Don’t. Do. It. Unless I’ve specifically asked for something in a post you’ve seen, don’t send me random pitches after we connect. And by random I mean you haven’t even taken the time to research if this is something I could potentially need or use. Last week I got an email pitch from a local company offering IT services (servers, maintenance, security, etc). I’m a solopreneur, freelancer, who works from home. I *AM* the IT service.
Pitching Someone After They’ve Asked You to Stop
I know. You’re looking at this one and thinking “WHO WOULD DO THAT ANITA?!” Believe me it happens. I’ve blocked a few people on Facebook and on LinkedIn because they can’t take “no” for an answer.
There was the local financial advisor who would send me random “how you doin” type messages every few months, and occasionally ask for referrals, and then take days to respond if I answered. I did ask him to stop with that nonsense. When he did it again, I told him why I was blocking him. Then he found me on LinkedIn and did the same thing over there! After the FIRST message on LinkedIn I reminded him of why he was blocked on Facebook. He responded with a not-to-nice message and blocked me. This is not how you build a business on social media!
Fix: I honestly think some of these people are using bots to do this work in the DMs and the bots don’t track that I’ve vehemently said “no”. So the fix is don’t use bots to do your private messaging outreach. If you’re not using bots, at least look at the last few messages to see if the person has responded to you and was it positive. If it was a positive response, go for it. If they’re ignoring you, well, there’s a reason. Your fifth message to them about your financial planning services isn’t going to make them suddenly go “OH WOW Yes, I have to talk to you about this.”
Whining About the Algorithm
Look, I get it. The Facebook algorithm changes and your reach isn’t good to begin with. You’re hearing some guru from some mansion in some exclusive gated community somewhere telling you the reason reach is down is the algorithmic changes.
To be fair, sometimes that is the case, but most likely it’s only noticeable on VERY LARGE pages (think viral influencers, international brands, etc.) If you’re currently marketing to a few thousand people and the algorithm changes, it’s actually probably in your favor.
All those memes that go around about the algorithm changing and decreasing your reach are spam. Many of them are a complete misconstruct (I looked it up, that’s a real word). Using these memes is akin to trying to guilt your followers into sharing or interacting with your content. If your content isn’t getting engagement then you need to rework your content strategy.
Fix: Do not share posts about how Facebook’s algorithm is penalizing you, or shadowbanning you, or only showing your content to five people. The way these are worded is often incorrect and you’re perpetuating misinformation. If you find yourself wanting to share something like that, try making a different type of content for a few weeks. Maybe you need a change!
Finally, if you do choose to employ these “guerilla” tactics on Facebook and your friends, co-workers and customers leave, unsubscribe and unlike the pages, don’t send them haughty messages telling them how disappointed you are. You have inconvenienced them , not the other way around. You were marketing to them, or through them, without permission and they are just reinforcing their Facebook-given rights to privacy (such as it is). Leave it be and hope they will still think of you positively when a friend needs your product or service.
What Facebook etiquette mistakes have I forgotten? Let me know for the next update!
FAQ’s for the Infinitely Curious
How often is too often when using the @everyone or @followers tags?
Using the @everyone or @followers tags should be reserved for truly important announcements or updates. A good rule of thumb is to use them no more than once a week—and only when the content is time-sensitive or highly valuable to your audience. For example, a major sale, an event reminder, or urgent changes to business hours might warrant a tag. Overuse of these features can feel like spamming and lead to people turning off notifications or unfollowing you. When in doubt, ask yourself, “Is this something my audience will genuinely care about right now?” If the answer is no, skip it.
How can I politely tell someone to stop pitch-slapping me without burning bridges?
“Hi [Name], I appreciate you reaching out, but I’m not in the market for [specific product/service] right now. I’ll be sure to keep you in mind if my needs change, though. Thanks for understanding !”
If they persist, you can escalate:
“Hi [Name], I’ve noticed we’ve had a few conversations about [product/service], and I’d like to kindly ask that we pause on this topic. I value connections that focus on mutual interests, so I hope we can engage in other ways moving forward.”
This approach is polite, professional, and leaves room for a positive relationship while drawing a firm boundary.
How can I recover from a Facebook faux pas if I’ve already made one?
Recovering from a Facebook etiquette mistake is all about humility and quick action. Here’s what you can do:
- Acknowledge the mistake. If it’s public, address it openly but professionally. For example:
“Hi everyone, I recently [describe the mistake briefly], and I realize now it may have come across [insert tone—pushy, irrelevant, etc.]. I apologize and I’ll do better going forward.” - Correct it. If possible, delete the offending post or comment, and replace it with something more appropriate. If you can’t delete it, follow up with clarifying or apologetic content.
- Learn and move on. Adjust your approach to ensure it doesn’t happen again. For instance, if you’ve overused @everyone tags, take a break from using them entirely for a while and be more selective in the future.
Most importantly, don’t dwell on the mistake. People value businesses that are honest and willing to admit missteps—they’re often more forgiving than you might expect!
How do I handle someone tagging my business in irrelevant or misleading posts?
Dealing with inappropriate tags can be frustrating, but there are ways to handle it tactfully:
- Un-tag your business. On Facebook, you can remove tags from posts where your business has been tagged inappropriately.
- Reach out privately. If the tagging persists, send the person a polite message:
“Hi [Name], I noticed you’ve tagged [Your Business Name] in a few posts that don’t seem directly related to our content. While we appreciate the attention, we’d prefer to only be tagged in posts that align with our brand. Thanks for understanding!” - Adjust your settings. Use Facebook’s privacy settings to control who can tag your page and ensure that tags require approval before appearing publicly.
Maintain professionalism. Avoid engaging in public arguments or calling out the person publicly—it can make the situation worse. By addressing the issue directly and proactively, you can protect your brand’s image while maintaining positive relationships.
Anita, thanks for putting this out there. I’ve been hearing the term ‘guerilla marketing’ a lot lately, as if it’s a good thing. Isn’t that a term that just turns you off? It must work for some, I guess, but it seems that some of the locals trying it have backed off a bit. (I’m curous about the ‘haughty email’?!)