Do You Make These 5 Social Media Mistakes?

Personal Brands are taking their brands online as a marketing strategy. It's easy to set up and is designed to be user friendly. The space is really enticing but there are hazards when taking your brand on social media sites. If you have social media sites, check out this five common social media mistakes that businesses are committing when taking their business online.

Flooding/Spamming - it's great that you are sending out helpful messages but don't overdo it. Customers hate it when you flood their emails about promos, or flood your Twitter or Facebook account about everything and anything. We don't need another quotable quote.



Often, the mistake is not purposeful spamming, rather it's that we get so busy and then remember our social networks and flood them with a series of posts that occur all in the same day, or worse yet, within the same hour! Avoid posting them all in a day and then being idle for days at a time. Create a calendar to schedule your posts if you have to. This will make your social media site active at all times and your connections will see you as consistent and engaging.



Posting inappropriate content - this is common sense. You wouldn't want your customers, clients, supervisors or colleagues to see things that can destroy your brand reputation. However, there are things that may arise like a colleague posting a video about the crazy things they do at work or post comments on Twitter that other connections might not get (like inside jokes with other employees). Keep a forever vigilant "brand listening station" set up so that you'll be aware of any posts that show up with your name associated with it.

No social media presence - it's great that you now have social media accounts and you did well in gaining followers - now what? A common mistake is to get into the social media platform just because others are doing it. Posting on Twitter or Facebook every once in a while is alright depending on the purpose and strategy that you have in utilizing the social network, but being idle and posting once a month is not. Before getting a social media account, plan how you're going to use it and what you would like to gain from additional brand awareness.

Deleting comments - social media sites are a good place to get feedback and ideas on how you can improve your brand. If someone voices a sincere dislike or concern about something you are doing or you are associated with, as long as it doesn't infringe upon privacy, do not delete their comments.

Mismanagement of site - remember that your social media site is a platform for your brand. Whatever is posted or talked about there reflects your brand. If you are going to let someone handle your Twitter or Facebook account, make sure that you train them well. Teach them how to use the sites and let them read about good customer service practices (even if you're not online to gain customers - customer service principals deliver vital communication and listening skills that will be an asset). Educate them that it's not just about posting anything to make your site active. They must know how to address connections when interacting with them.

Your online first impression is even more lasting than your offline first impression. What do you do to ensure that you manage it well?

"Maria Elena Duron, CEO (chief engagement officer), buzz2bucks | a word of mouth marketing firm, is skilled at making networks "work" and harnessing powerful online and offline buzz, she facilitates online visibility services and word of mouth coaching and workshops - taking companies and professionals from buzz-worthy to bucks-worthy, http://buzz2bucks.com."