Information in this blog post was obtained from 365 Days of Success, Hootsuite, and Better Marketing.pub.
Are you on social media? If you’re reading this article, I’m willing to bet that you are. Whether you’re a marketing professional or a student studying social media – you probably have already experimented with posting on your own accounts. If you’re anything like me, you have photos on your profile dating back years, and have learned what to do or what not to do mostly by trial and error. Whether you’re like me and have learned by doing, or you are brand new to social media, there’s always more to learn.
"Learning what not to do is sometimes more important than learning what to do." - Rick Pitino -
Many marketing blog posts tend to focus on what to do to be successful on different social media platforms. Tips for best practices are often very helpful for those just starting out on social media, or those looking for a solution to a particular problem. While these resources are invaluable, sometimes it can be more helpful to know what not to do. This blog post highlights three articles that outline what mistakes that you, as a social media professional, should avoid on social media.
If you’re using social media for your business, you’re probably already on Facebook. If you’re not using social media for business, then you might have a personal account that you use to keep up with friends and family. Anne from 365 Days of Success goes over different mistakes to avoid at all costs on Facebook.
Being Impersonal
The #1 mistake to AVOID on Facebook is being impersonal. When you use social media, you want to be just that… social! People come online to feel a sense of community, and to make a social connection with others with similar interests. Anne’s tip is to share a behind the scenes look at your life in an authentic, seamless way. If you own a small business, try posting a little bit about yourself and why you started your company. People enjoy authenticity and feel better about supporting people rather than faceless corporations.
Instagram is the official chameleon of the social media world, always changing to compete with emerging trends or technology. If you’ve seen a decline in your success lately or have been struggling to navigate a new algorithm, you might be using outdated practices.
Not Using Instagram Stories
Stacey over at the Hootsuite Blog noticed that when you aren’t using Instagram Stories, you’re excluding a 500 million user audience! Stories are one of Instagram’s most recent updates to their platform, and it’s obvious that they want you to look at them! As soon as you open up the app (whether on mobile or desktop) you’ll see icons pop up across the top of your Instagram feed.
Posting frequently on Instagram Stories is an ideal way to keep your brand at the top of your target audience’s feed. Even if they don’t watch or engage with your Story, they will continue to see your company’s name and profile picture every time they go to see what their friends are up to online. Utilize the previous tip here as well – Instagram Stories are a great place to post authentic, behind the scenes content for your followers. Stories don’t require as much curation as the main feed does, so it’s a perfect feature for content you don’t feel fits in with the rest of your photos!
If you haven’t experimented with Stories, Hootsuite provides an incredibly detailed guide to getting started with Instagram Stories Templates here.
Twitter is one of the most misused social media platforms for businesses. No matter if you are an experienced user or just starting out, there are plenty of mistakes to be made on this site. Kieran Drew from Better Marketing speaks on his own personal experience making every mistake in the book.
You’ve Got No Comment Game
Drew mentions various pitfalls in his blog post, but the most common mistake in trying to build an audience is not commenting. To get on your audience’s radar, you’ll need to seek them out by commenting on related accounts. Twitter is a platform where you must put in the time to comment on a lot of posts, and to write something of some substance. According to Kieran, a good comment will either educate, entertain, or inspire – and ideally will combine all three characteristics. Keep in mind, that you are in fact talking to real people (usually). When you go to write comments, and find new followers, that you want to try and make a connection. Twitter is a treasure trove of people wanting to talk to other people about a topic or subject that they’re interested in – and they’ll want to talk back. Keep your comments personable and write like you’re trying to make a friend.
Hopefully the resources and information in this article have given you a few ideas if you’ve found your engagement declining recently, or if you’re just looking for a place to start. Social media is an ever-changing world, and if you don’t stay up to date on the latest trends you might just find yourself falling behind.
Resources
10 Facebook Marketing mistakes that will cost you customers. 365 Days of Success. (2021, May 20). Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://www.365daysofsuccess.com/10-facebook-marketing-mistakes-that-will-cost-you-customers/.
13 common Instagram mistakes marketers must avoid. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. (2020, September 16). Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-instagram-mistakes/.
Drew, K. (2021, August 3). 9 massive mistakes to avoid when building your Twitter audience from scratch. Medium. Retrieved October 30, 2021, from https://bettermarketing.pub/9-massive-mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-your-twitter-audience-from-scratch-6f8baba38482.
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