If You Want Your Business to Succeed, Here are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
by Daniel Bailey
Across all countries and businesses today, it is impossible to find a business that doesn’t have a presence on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Although it is an appealing outlet to reach millennials who are the highest consumer of the social media space, it is important to make it a useful marketing tool. In fact, you need to create a clear strategy, commit human and financial resources to social media marketing in order to generate a positive ROI. These are 5 mistakes to avoid as a business owner to have good success.
1. Over posting
On the surface, it looks like a good strategy to post on social media networks as much as possible, but, often, this strategy has a negative effect as users may view your business page as choking. For instance, three to five posts a day on Facebook is a good number, while three to five posts on Twitter make good content. Understanding the posting culture of each social media website will guide your business online engagement.
2. Failure to respond
The major reason businesses go on social media is to engage the target audience. Hence, you should avoid not engaging your business followers or not respond to customer complaints. Your business should be able to respond to social media levels by responding to messages outside the traditional business hours. Rather learn to improve your engagement level for different social media websites.
3. Jumping on bad trends
Businesses should take advantage of trending topics on social media, however, a lot of mistakes should be avoided in this. Do not jump on a bad trend that may result in your business appearing insensitive. Interacting on social media through trending topics could generate your business a good lead, but ensure the topic does not appear as inappropriate.
4. Being overly promotional
A grave mistake to make on your social media websites is promoting only sales or advertising new products. Use the 80/20 rule in your social media space by uploading 80 percent engaging posts and information while promoting the business by only twenty percent. The key to a social media business page is diversity, do not aim to only sell.
5. Paying for fake followers
As a business owner who wants to engage followers, avoid buying fake followers to quickly build up your numbers. This is a great waste of time and resources since your business content won’t get engagement. Worst of all, social media websites such as Instagram and Twitter remove fake followers especially when your account grows too quickly. The best strategy is to build relationships through contents.
Conclusion
The secret to the online success of your business is to properly follow the guides to social media marketing. This gets you a better result including engaging followers, higher click-through, and reduced bounce rates. To build a social media presence overnight is impossible, hence the need to invest time and effort.
Readers, please share so other content creators know how to avoid making these 5 social media mistakes.
I look forward to hearing about your experiences in the comments section. Have you ever made these social media mistakes?
Related:
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and other goodies!
Excellent advice. I can’t believe someone would pay for fake followers. Failure to respond to comments is the worst thing one can do and disrespectful.
Hi Eugenia,
Thank you for your comments. I believe a commenter should definitely get a response by the writer. Therefore, if the writer is responding to my guest author’s post, my first choice is for the guest author to respond unless the person directs their comments to me directly.
Notice you are getting an almost immediate response? (I was driving when your comment came in.) Thanks for the inspiration to respond more quickly and more consistently to commenters.
I once read we have all had comments get by us and fall through the cracks. However, when it happens I still feel guilty. Thanks for the inspiration to try harder.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Thank you, Janice, and you have always been excellent at responding. I too feel guilty when I miss a comment.
Hi Eugenia,
I did not think you were hinting. Regardless, I appreciate the peace of mind. Thanks for writing back with it.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Great post. Simple and to the point. I guess you’re saying just be ethical.
Yes! Thanks for writing, John!
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Janice Thanks, for your valuable tips.I would like to say a lot of thanks for these knowledge sharing tips.
Nzekwe Godswill recently posted…UNIZIK Post-UTME Screening And Registration Deadline Postponed
Hi Nzekwe,
My pleasure. I am glad you enjoyed.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Thank you for the tips! Social media has been the hardest part of blogging for me. Found your post from the blogger’s pit stop:)
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for clicking my link over at Blogger’s Pit Stop. I always wonder how people find my blog. Thank you for telling me. I blog all the time about how social media can help bloggers. If I can be of any help, please let me know.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Janice and Daniel, thank you. I’m always happy to get tips on my (limited) social media (I’m on Twitter and Pinterest).
Jean recently posted…Fresh Fig Galette
Hi Jean,
Here are the sites I try to visit daily: Facebook, Twitter, Flipboard, and StumbleUpon. Thanks for coming by and writing. I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Hi Janice,
My take on jumping on bad trends: read, monitor the environment (if you can), observe and go.
I’ve had to overlook most cases as the ill discussions on politics, and more other stuff. When I counter such trends I do what I mentioned above. It is not a must, but for those who are too emotional it is even better you have an already planned out DO’s and DON’Ts in terms of your social media activities.
I hope this helps. Have a great day, Janice.
Prince Akwarandu recently posted…25 Pro Bloggers Blogs To Get Blogging Inspiration Right Now
Hi Prince,
Great to see you. Thanks for your comments. I have read people unfollow people on Twitter since they didn’t want to read their political remarks. Jumping on unpopular trends (an oxymoron?) is definitely a problem. Bloggers have definitely been pulled into the political scene, for better or worse.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Hi Janice,
This is great advice you shared here. Each one of the are significant but I think the real killers are over-promoting and failing to reply to comments or questions.
Thanksl for sharing this…passing it on! Have a great day and weekend.
Cori
Cori Ramos recently posted…How To Find The Motivation To Blog After A Life-Changing Event
Hi Cori,
Great to see you! Thanks for sharing my article. Did you read the other comments on this post? Most people are commenting on the tip to be sure to answer comments. That seems to be resonating with people the most. Thanks for commenting.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Hi Daniel,
It really helps to respond in a timely fashion. Smart tips dude.
Until you become really really big time, respond to those messages and social media engagements, if Likes, or comments or RTs or whatever. Not every single one, but spent 10 minutes daily at the very least to keep the engagement train going.
I am huge on stopping by FB and Twitter daily for extended periods. Not as big on LinkedIn and G Plus now with my guest posting and blog commenting campaign, but I pop in there at least weekly to do some engaging as well.
I’d add, not asking simple questions here and there. My friend Kim Willis has built a rocking business through Facebook and he engages the heck out of his followers with questions and answers.
Thanks for the share.
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph recently posted…How to Trim Blogging Fat to Boost Your Online Profits (Amazon eBook)
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for your comments. I will look him up on Facebook so I can have an example of what he does. Thanks for coming by and telling us about him.
Like you, I go on Facebook and Twitter daily, I was going on Quora daily for a while too, but I seem to be falling out of the habit. I try to stumble and go on Flipboard daily.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
As always, your tips of the tail are so helpful to other bloggers!
You must have a special place reserved in bloggers heaven.
Truly, all your advice is a gift and so useful in so many ways to so many of us. I just wanted to thank you again.
Hi Bree,
What kind words! Thanks for coming by to make me feel special.
Janice
Janice Wald recently posted…If You Want Your Website To Succeed, Here Are 5 Embarrassing Social Media Mistakes You Have to Avoid
Hi Janice,
Now I’m feeling guilty because this week I have been very slow responding to comments, due to my Dad being in hospital 🙁 I will try to get back on form soon.
I think the worst mistakes I see are when people make their profiles / pages or political / religious. I have my own views on both subjects but I keep them to myself. Why alienate 50% of prospects LOL?
I have been guilty of over-posting – trying to get the balance better, but sometimes I see such excellent information I just want to share it!
Kim WIllis is excellent on social media:-)
Joy Healey – Blogging After Dark
Joy Healey recently posted…Network Marketing Business Free Team Building Tips
I followed Kim Willis. Is that all I do? I clicked groups and typed in his name but nothing came up.
Like you, I try to keep politics and religion out of my blog posts. Thanks for writing Joy.
Janice
Hi Janice,
I’m in so many of Kim’s groups, some paid, some free, that I can’t remember the “starter” one! I’ve sent him a PM to find out which would be the free starter group, and when I get an answer I’ll send you a PM on Facebook / invite you.
Hope you’ll find it helpful 🙂
Joy Healey – Blogging After Dark
I couldn’t find any of his groups on Facebook, so I am very grateful to you for this. Yes, please send me a link so I can join his group or groups plural. Thank you so much for this thoughtfulness.
Janice
I love your content! It’s so informative and useful! It really helps so much! I will definitely be reading more of your posts to help me throughout my blogging journey! ❤️
Hi Brenda,
What kind words. Thank you! It’s always my pleasure to help!
Janice
And let me add that been sentimental on topics that are controversial could also be fatal
Hi Ige,
Thanks for coming by. I appreciate your input. Can’t controversy breed high page views? Or, would you still advise against it?
Janice
yeah, old but gold. it’s so true these mistakes are so easy to make. thanks for the post!
Hi Cachguanhelaura!
I like your rhyme “old but gold.” I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
Janice
Hi Janice, I don’t agree with the point on over posting on Twitter. If you have a larger following you can post up to 50x daily. Only posting 3-5x day will not give you a lot of traction unless you have 200 or less followers.Tweets don’t last long in the stream. It’s moving at a fast pace clip there.
Facebook is a bit trickier and YES over posting there will get dislikes and unfollowing. You could post on FB pages til the cows came home and still only 1-2% of your audience would see them unless you posted the posts there.
Be over promotional is a definite no-no! Promote others and you will see the difference over time. It’s about what you can do for others on social media not what they can do for you 🙂
Have a great new week Janice!
Lisa Sicard recently posted…Learn How To Make A Tweetstorm For The First Time On Twitter
Hi Lisa,
I consider you more of a Twitter expert than me. However, 50 times a day? Sounds like a lot, but if that’s working for you, terrific!
I have 13,200 followers. I post on Twitter 10 times each day of my own posts. Using your wonderful tribe on Triberr, I post about 5 times a day of other people’s links. I also thank the people who are nice enough to retweet my posts. Using the Triberr queue, I also retweet my links a few times a week. I think this is a good ratio.
Janice
Hi Janice, what about tweets of other content? I tweet 80% of others content and 20% of my own so my own stuff may only get tweeted 5x per day and the other is about other’s great content.
I have over 23k followers so yes the more followers you have the more you can tweet. I believe I read up to 100x per day if you have 100K followers is okay. Anymore than that and Twitter could suspend you for suspicious spam activity. One should check their analytics too for more guidance as I do.
It depends too on the niche. If you tweet too much you will see followers drop off. I noticed that in my first few years of tweets. Once I got over the 15K hump it stayed steady.
Hello Daniel,
Nice to see you here on Janice’s space 🙂
Great tips to follow up here. We all love social media as the way they perform and it can used, but there are certain
things that one should keep in mind before getting something over to them.
As you said, I need to look back in some of the things which I was going under it, like not responding to the interactions
and mainly jumping on the bad trends. Earlier I have gone to choose for some bad topics, frankly speaking the experience was
a true nightmare.
Yeah these things are around in last few years, that companies are paying for fake followers just to gain the attention
on the Internet. Indeed a bad thing and it hampers the image of the company.
Thanks for these awesome tips over here.
Shantanu.
Hi Janice,
Indeed a great post. The most common mistake that people make while doing social media promotions is failing to respond, it lowers down the engagement and in social media, engagement is everything.
I was also doing the same mistake, but with time, I have learned to get the best out of social media.
By the way, Thanks for an interesting read.
~ Donna
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