Want to sell a hamburger in India? Go ahead, McDonald’s did. But Mickey D’s menu in India doesn’t have any beef. That’s right, the famous Mac in India is the Chicken Maharaja Mac.
There’s no beef because the traditional McDonald’s menu doesn’t work in an Indian culture where the cow is sacred. McDonald’s had to do something different to launch its brand in India. The same is true for businesses entering the new cultures of social media. Businesses need to show respect for each platform.
Related: Why Being Human on Social Media Is the Best Strategy You’ll Ever Have
Adapt to Facebook’s norms.
Businesses often make cultural gaffes on Facebook. Rather than appreciating Mr. Zuckerberg’s domain as having a culture such that personal relationships are sacred, businesses are quick to use traditional marketing methods such as billboard-style advertising, paid or unpaid, posting messages like “Sale happening today!” or “Check out our new merchandise!”
But remember: Facebook culture is based on personal relationships. Nothing says, “I have a desire to be unfriended” like posting a billboard about your business in the middle of a user’s posts from real friends. It’s like going to the bar with some buddies and having one of them interrupt, “Buy from me!” That kind of cultural faux pas on Facebook will get you unfriended fast.
