A brand using social media has to adhere to guidelines and protocols that are not always relevant to us as individuals. However, none of us want to be the social leper, right? So maybe there are some good tips here for all of us. Here are some common mistakes, which lead to embarrassing Oops! moments.

 

Whatever you do, do NOT like your own content

Let’s say you post content relatively often. The mere fact that you have taken the time to look for this content or write it yourself and then share it with your community says one thing: You already LIKE it! There is no point clicking the like button and thus appear to be a narcissist who REALLY likes their own stuff. It looks bad when a friend in your social media network does it and it looks a lot worse when a brand does it.

 

Generic help lines save you time, but they don’t win clients

If a person posts on your Facebook or Twitter page asking a specific question about a product or service, what do you usually do? Do you have pre-written content directing them to a phone number, FAQ or support page, where they can receive general customer service? Whenever possible, try to look for the answer yourself, or ask a technical expert. This means that you are willing to go that extra mile just to help a fan. That’s how a good social media reputation is built.

 

Don’t spam everyone – you are not the only page they like.

You know how annoying it is when a single page posts more updates than all of your liked pages combined. Don’t bombard everyone’s news feed, even if you believe the content you have is remarkable. You may have a great product, but to other users this simply appears as spamming. Nobody can give you the best formula in terms of posting these days. The best way to find out what is right for your community is to experiment and ask for feedback. A good starting point is 2 – 5 posts a day.

 

#Don’t #get #hashtag #obsessed.

Also known as hashtag hijacking, it’s when you bombard the world with every hashtag you could squeeze into a post. The result? No one is clicking, because nobody has a clue what you are trying to do. Unlike bandwagons just because it’s trending doesn’t mean you can jump on it.

 

Don’t take your time to respond

People do expect responses in social media to be much faster than in the real world. Leaving a customer ‘hanging’ for even just a few minutes can result in some unnecessary ranting!  So best to get back to everybody as quickly as possible – even if it’s with a quick ‘we’ll get back to you”.  At the same time it’s good to manage expectations, especially if you are a small business. Let people know what they can expect and stick to it. For instance you could use your bespoke twitter background to state how long you will take to respond to enquiries.

It’s a challenge to list all the social media grievances that we encounter on a daily basis, but these are the ones to get you started. Which are your pet peeves when it comes to social media etiquette?