Love it or hate it, social media is essential in today’s business world and brings with it infinite opportunities to either build relationships or drive people away. The truth is, social media marketing is still fairly new and most people, despite their best intentions, still don’t get it. Want to be a social media star? Check out this list of 10 social media marketing mistakes to avoid:
Posting before “thinking” – When you post in a hurry or carelessly, the wording may inadvertently have completely different meaning. Worse yet is posting angry rants, which can really turn people off. This goes for both brands and personal accounts. Take a step back, breathe, and think.
Direct messages to new contacts – Sending a private message to a new contact can be great, but self-promotional messages might backfire. If you really want someone ‘s attention, send him or her a personal note.
Synching all accounts – Different networks equal different contexts. For instance, Facebook posts automatically sent to Twitter are usually over 140 characters and the message gets cut off. You also miss out on hashtags and tagging other users, an important part of building relationships.
Poor grammar – Reread before you click share and brush up on basic grammar. For example, it’s “sneak peek” not “sneak peak.” I keep a reference book close by at all times just in case I need a refresher.
Friend requests by unknown people – Identify yourself and your reason for connecting with a personal message. If I don’t know you or if it sounds like a sales pitch, you’re getting ignored or marked as spam.
Incorrectly using hashtags – #Annoying. Hashtags are being used more across all networks as they have become popular, but did you know that they only serve a function on a few sites? Here’s a hint: They don’t work on Facebook.
Clicking on or sharing spam links – Beware clicking on or sharing spam links. You can hover over the link to view the source. If you’re still not sure, use a URL expander service like http://wheredoesthislinkgo. com/.
Ignoring comments – Acknowledge all comments and messages. Certainly don’t ignore or delete negative comments. Address the issue and turn it into a positive customer service experience
Stale accounts – Having an account on a social network means nothing if you’re not actively using it. Accounts with outdated posts and incomplete profiles are great ways to look like you either don’t know what you’re doing or you simply don’t care.
Talking at people and not with them – What’s in it for them? Think about what grabs your attention on social networks and then think about what keeps it there. Ask questions. Get creative. Be personal. Misty Buck is the president of Miss Ink, LLC, a public relations firm specializing in social media marketing. Misty also teaches workshops and seminars on best social media marketing practices.
For more information, contact Misty at misty@missink. com or visit miss-ink.com.
