Social Media Mistakes you should AVOID

Social media is a vital part of the world as we know it, and more and more people are turning to social media in order to boost their businesses.

Social media comes in many different forms, with Facebook and Twitter most commonly known, and is used for various purposes, whether that be promoting a product or attracting new customers.

However, social media is often not used to its full potential. Although on the surface the following list may seem like common sense, it is very difficult to keep on top of social media.

Here are ten mistakes to avoid:

1) Failing to optimise your SEO

For a quick guide to SEO please read here

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) can be used to boost the presence of your social media in search engine results. Search engines such as Google or Bing are used by almost everybody in the Western world, so social media users should think carefully about what they include in their titles, URLs and descriptions. Make sure your social media doesn’t appear ‘spammy’- throwing in lots and lots of keywords or tags will not improve your SEO and you should instead include a few relevant/ most important ones.

2) Sharing content only from your own blog

In order to be noticed or to gain more ‘followers’, social media users should share the work of others as well as their own. Follow the leaders of your interest or market and share their content frequently- you never know, they may notice your work and share it in turn. You can also mention others in your own posts in order to attract new audiences.

Additionally, social media is a two-way street: focusing only on your own work is less engaging and more promotional.

3) Following or adding people incorrectly

Following or adding people too aggressively usually leads to your social media account becoming suspended. You should focus on only following 10-20 relevant people per day to avoid this. Following people back can avoid them unfollowing you, so you should always follow people back if they are useful as a contact.

4) Being unprofessional

Your personal opinion shouldn’t really be mixed with your professional views. If you want to talk about your personal life you should consider your own private account on Facebook, Twitter, etc. in order to avoid controversy.

5) Branding inconsistently

Some businesses have one style for one platform, and another for a different one. Such inconsistent branding appears less professional and will be less memorable, whereas sticking to one look will help create a lasting impact.

6) Giving up or getting downhearted

Unless you’re an A-list celebrity or major brand, you’re not going to have hundreds of thousands of followers straight away – you have to work at it. This may take time, but quitting or getting lazy with trying will get you nowhere. You might start slowly but if done correctly you will soon start to build a good foundation.

7) Trying to use too many social media platforms at once

Although we’ve established that social media is a fantastic business and marketing tool, trying to use too many platforms is often worthless. The more networks you use, the more time you spend. Don’t spend a little bit of time on a lot of platforms, instead focus on two or three and improve the quality of your posts.

8) Failing to complete your profiles

Make sure that every part of your social media profiles is complete, especially your descriptions, in order to drive traffic to your site. Use relevant profile pictures which are consistent with your brand and make sure you include a link back to your website or blog.

9) Taking social media too seriously

Although social media is a fantastic marketing tool, it’s main purpose is for SOCIAL pleasure – don’t lose the personality in your posts (though remember to remain professional). An appropriate sense of humour or friendly replies and posts can help you stand out from other robotic businesses.

Additionally, don’t rely solely on automated posting tools such as HootSuite or you will risk losing the ‘life’ in your posts.

10) Always check for typos, spelling mistakes and punctuation errors

Although this may seem obvious, it is very easy to post without fully checking for errors. Although you may use a spell-checking tool, they are not always correct so you must ensure that you check before you post or you will appear amateur or unprofessional. Check for typos in your tags, #hashtags or keywords or they will not be picked up by traffic.

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