We've all seen it before: mixing up which account you're posting drunken tweets on, losing your job for posting racy pictures from your iPad onto your public Facebook page, epic fails at basic, every day, I-can't-believe-you-posted-that "Internet Judgment" (we're looking at you GoDaddy), but not every mistake through social media involves embarrassing problems for the world to see. Sometimes, it's just as embarrassing to make one of these simple mistakes with your social media strategy, and we know you're making them...
Consistency is Key.
This can be a tough one, depending on what business or industry you're in. Listen, we get it, social media is a heavy time investment, and the bottom line can sometimes take longer to reach than you're willing to put in. However, that doesn't lessen it's value, and if your last three posts are an average of three months apart, you're doing something wrong.
It helps to remember that for every new social post, you have a new opportunity to rake in new business. That's a lot of new. Tell us how that bowl of Lucky Charms was. How's the new puppy handling potty training? Is that a nest of baby birds on your porch?? Or maybe post something relevant to your business. You know, that always helps too.
Do yourself a favor, and put together a posting schedule that's both doable, and relevant. Start small if you're intimidated. The important part is organization, and you can always bump up the frequency after you get the ball rolling. If you're on hiatus more often than not, you're missing a golden opportunity to brand your followers to your cause. Or you could pretend you're out of business. That helps, right?
Is this what your Facebook page looks like?
How About Some Content?
C'mon people. What could possibly be worse than showing up on someone's Facebook page and seeing there's been nothing posted in the last five months? Seeing a tiny, blurry picture of what appears to be some sort of "logo" on a page with ZERO content. Who are you? What does your business do? Is there anything? Is this thing on?? Let's get real for a second:Social media is designed to connect people, so it's a great way to make a first impression on our prospective customers.
If a client came to visit your office, how would they react if they took you to an empty lot?
"Yeah, it's going be much nicer once we get some bean-bag chairs in here..."
Make sure your fields are filled in, and make your page interesting. This is the age of visualization, after all. So make your page...visible.
Blah Blah Blah
Last time we checked, social networking sites are supposed to be social. Does that surprise you? The real surprise is how many businesses fail to understand this. Or ignore it.
If your big strategy relies on pumping out "salesy" posts over and over, don't be surprised when your follow rate starts to steadily decline. No one wants to read spam. If they did, they wouldn't have invented that handy little folder in your email toolbox.
Use the Rule of 20%. To simplify, 1 in 5 of your social posts can be about you. Feel free to make that post a gushy, over-the-top, spamtastic mini-bio about how awesome you really are. But those other four posts better do their own thing, like share relevant content with your followers, answer questions and concerns, and interact with a human touch.
Social media is a party. Don't be that sloppy guy by the minibar talking about how much better he is than everyone else because he can't pass up that free Long Island. Just don't.
Anyone? Anyone Here?
As we've said, what's the point in establishing a social network for your business if you aren't going to socialize on it. As much as you don't want to be the obnoxious guy at the party, you don't want to be that quiet guy sitting in the corner playing Angry Birds, either.
The friendlier the vibe, the greater the chance people will actively engage with your page. Remember, it's easy to be lazy and not write anything at all—that goes for everyone. So if a follower is going out of their way to contact you, whether that means direct messages, shared content, comments, or other forms of engagement, respond!
Let your followers know that you're more than a source for marketing drivel. You're a thought leader. You own this page. You're the go-to source of information in your industry. Establish yourself as someone your followers can rely on. Key word there: Rely. There's more to reputation than appearance.
Don't You Dare Delete...
So, someone just left a frustrated post on your social media account. All of your followers are watching, waiting to see how you'll respond. The controversy is compelling. The air is thick. After all, we're going for reputable source here, and you need to let everyone know that you care about his or her input. So let's delete that negative comment like it never happened, right?
This might be the most common mistake a business will make via social media. They want their new visitors to see a clean, untainted view of their page where everything is rainbows and butterflies. However, we all know that isn't the case, and your followers are savvy people. If they see you deleting problematic posts, red flags will follow.
The best action you can take is to meet the controversy head on, and promptly so. Respond respectfully and do whatever you can to ease the situation for the betterment of all involved. Worst case scenario: everyone see's that you're attempting to fix the problem, whether or not it's accomplished. It speaks volumes about the culture of your business, and it's something that brings customers back again and again.
Obviously, since social media takes place on "the internet," there's an endless ammount of mistakes that you may possibly make. Fear not though! If you have enough intelligence to withhold inapropriate pictures, double check where your posting a message, and can get through the day without ruining the image of your entire company, we have high hopes for your future.