I love social media. I live social media! As in, I literally make a living
off of it. Working in social media means navigating some tricky
waters. Contests that kill one time and flop the next, the all-too-
familiar restraint of 140 characters, an angry Facebook comment
popping up on the weekend when you’re already a few beers deep…
off of it. Working in social media means navigating some tricky
waters. Contests that kill one time and flop the next, the all-too-
familiar restraint of 140 characters, an angry Facebook comment
popping up on the weekend when you’re already a few beers deep…
There are always new mistakes to be made, fumbles to be fumbled,
and don’ts to learn (the hard way).
But some social media lessons are learned the easy way. Say, from
reading a blog post. Here are six social media marketing don’ts that
need to be kicked to the virtual curb.
and don’ts to learn (the hard way).
But some social media lessons are learned the easy way. Say, from
reading a blog post. Here are six social media marketing don’ts that
need to be kicked to the virtual curb.
1. Automated messages
Ever follow a person or company on Twitter, only to have a message
arrive in your inbox one nanosecond later with a “Thanks for
following!” and a nod to their website, Facebook page, blog or
[insert self-promotional link here]?
arrive in your inbox one nanosecond later with a “Thanks for
following!” and a nod to their website, Facebook page, blog or
[insert self-promotional link here]?
FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMATED GIFS, PLEASE STOP.
Automated messages are my #1 social media pet peeve and I’m
willing to bet I’m not alone. Only that bet would be rigged, because
I know I’m not.
willing to bet I’m not alone. Only that bet would be rigged, because
I know I’m not.
Sorry automated messages, but nobody likes you.
I get that on paper, they seem like a great idea. Engage with your
followers immediately! Show them your helpful content! Lead them
to your website! Win-wins all around! Sure.
followers immediately! Show them your helpful content! Lead them
to your website! Win-wins all around! Sure.
But you know what else sounded good on paper? QR codes.
In reality, automated messages come off as lazy, detached and
out of touch.
out of touch.
While I’m sure there are people out there who swear that
automated messages have grown their follower count or resulted in
a lead, the risk of leaving such a bad taste in your followers’
mouths just isn’t worth it.
For every response you get, there are likely 50 other people like me
who silently cringe and wonder when you’ll get the memo.
There are no hard-and-fast rules for social media, but one thing that
remains constant is that genuineness wins when it comes to earning
the trust of your community and building relationships with them.
And those canned, self-serving, abundantly-clear-there-is-no-real
-person-sending-it messages are anything but genuine.
Real engagement isn't automated. On Twitter, skip the canned
auto-replies. No one likes them.
2. Over-hashtagging
Hashtags are synonymous with social media itself – they’re great for
categorizing your posts, finding and jumping into conversations,
giving your campaigns their own special theme, or inducing a slew
of eye-rolling when used in offline conversation.
categorizing your posts, finding and jumping into conversations,
giving your campaigns their own special theme, or inducing a slew
of eye-rolling when used in offline conversation.
But just as one realizes when reaching the bottom of a movie
theater-sized package of Skittles, too much of a good thing can
often be a bad thing.
theater-sized package of Skittles, too much of a good thing can
often be a bad thing.
Piling on the hashtags will either convolute the message you’re
trying to get across or make it look like you’re desperately gunning
for new followers instead of engaging with your current audience.
trying to get across or make it look like you’re desperately gunning
for new followers instead of engaging with your current audience.
Most of the words people are hashtagging are so vague, they’re not
doing much of anything for them anyway…
When it comes to Twitter, try using no more than two hashtags
per tweet. And be strategic about it.
per tweet. And be strategic about it.
Hashtag the most targeted keyword in your message or find ones
that apply to it.
that apply to it.
For instance, I’ll often slap #yvr onto any Vancouver-centric tweets
from Unbounce’s account — and leave it at that.
Are you guilty of over-hashtagging on Twitter? You could be
convoluting your message.
3. Blanket publishing across all networks
Not to be confused with my arch-nemesis automated messaging,
automated publishing – scheduling posts to be published at a later
time – is the best and essential for anyone working in or with social
media.
automated publishing – scheduling posts to be published at a later
time – is the best and essential for anyone working in or with social
media.
Automated publishing saves a ton of time, energy and gray hairs
(shout-out toBuffer and Hootsuite for making my job that much
easier).
(shout-out toBuffer and Hootsuite for making my job that much
easier).
That said, deploying one post across all networks is a recipe for this:
I’m assuming the update above was triggered from Twitter to
simultaneously post to LinkedIn (where I found it), which resulted
in a strange “0 comments” image being pulled and the inclusion of
a hashtag on a platform that doesn’t support them. Womp womp.
simultaneously post to LinkedIn (where I found it), which resulted
in a strange “0 comments” image being pulled and the inclusion of
a hashtag on a platform that doesn’t support them. Womp womp.
If you’re sharing to your personal accounts, you may not care about
formatting, but for businesses it’s important to optimize posts for
where they’re going to be posted.
formatting, but for businesses it’s important to optimize posts for
where they’re going to be posted.
Each social network is its own beast with its own rules, and making
sure your updates display properly puts you one step closer to more
clicks and more engagement.
If you blanket publish across social media networks, people notice.
Tailor posts for each channel.
A vibrant image on Facebook or tagging the right people on Google
Plus can make all the difference. Plus, it just shows that you give
enough of a s@#$ to provide a more appealing experience for your
audience. Thumbs up to giving a s@#$!
4. Mishandling negative feedback
We’ve all been privy to the wonder that is the internet troll – the
online equivalent of an angry Grandpa Simpson.
online equivalent of an angry Grandpa Simpson.
This isn’t about them. Their problem isn’t you, it’s that their mother
didn’t hug them enough. Or hugged them too much…
didn’t hug them enough. Or hugged them too much…
I’m talking about the not-so-nice comments, frustrated questions
or criticisms from regular people that any business has to deal with.
or criticisms from regular people that any business has to deal with.
Responding to negative feedback is tough, and it can even be a bit
intimidating when dealing with an especially irate person.
It helps to remember that most people are reasonable and just
want to be heard. A calm, prompt, and most of all, human response
can go a long way.
What you don’t want to do is come off as apathetic, fake or
defensive. I’d say any response is better than no response, but if
you’re about to go all ape shizz on them you should probably hold
off:
The above example is admittedly extreme (most of us have enough
common sense not to insult our customers).
common sense not to insult our customers).
But a response with even a hint of contempt or listlessness — or
straight-up not responding at all — can do a lot of damage to your
relationship with your customers and brand reputation.
straight-up not responding at all — can do a lot of damage to your
relationship with your customers and brand reputation.
Talk to people like they’re people and do what you can to address
their problem, whether that means clearing it up yourself or putting
them in touch with a team member who can. If you’re doing your
best to understand where people are coming from and help them,
that will come through.
Pro tip: When in doubt, channel the spirit of Amy’s Baking Company
and then do the opposite.
and then do the opposite.
5. Not optimizing content for sharing
Curating content for Unbounce’s social community is a big part of
my job. I visit a ton of different blogs each day, ready to share the
good stuff with our audience. The funny thing is, a lot of blogs don’t
seem to be ready for me.
my job. I visit a ton of different blogs each day, ready to share the
good stuff with our audience. The funny thing is, a lot of blogs don’t
seem to be ready for me.
When I’m ready to share an article, there are two things I don’t
want to have to do:
- Search for sharing buttons
- Search for a Twitter handle
I know, I know — if these are my problems, then my problems
aren’t real problems. And the Buffer extension mostly takes care of
this non-problem, on my end. But from one marketer to another, it’s
just good sense to have your content be as easy to share as
possible and optimized for doing so.
aren’t real problems. And the Buffer extension mostly takes care of
this non-problem, on my end. But from one marketer to another, it’s
just good sense to have your content be as easy to share as
possible and optimized for doing so.
That means putting sharing icons front and center, making sure the
title of the post or a custom message is pre-filled (and under 140
characters with the link), and including your company handle so
you’re credited by default.
title of the post or a custom message is pre-filled (and under 140
characters with the link), and including your company handle so
you’re credited by default.
If you don’t have sharing icons installed already, try AddThis or
ShareThis.
6. Not sending social campaigns to a landing page
Obviously we’re all about landing pages here at Unbounce, but it’s
not just because they pay the bills. It’s because they serve a real
purpose and serve it well.
not just because they pay the bills. It’s because they serve a real
purpose and serve it well.
Landing pages allow you to send visitors to a super-targeted page
that addresses their specific wants or needs.
that addresses their specific wants or needs.
If you’re a software company running a Facebook ad for your newest
feature, sending the people who click on that ad to your homepage
– which probably has a lot of general information about your product
and a high attention ratio –will just leave your visitors confused and
likely to bounce.
By sending them to a landing page focusing solely on that new
feature with onecall to action urging visitors to try it out, your
chances of converting them increase dramatically.
For a more detailed explanation (with examples!), check out Tia Kelly’s
awesome post on why sending social traffic to your homepage will
leave you forever alone.
Focus on what works
The landscape of social media will always be changing and with it,
its best practices for engaging with and building our communities.
As we learn what works and what doesn’t, it’s up to us to weed out
its best practices for engaging with and building our communities.
As we learn what works and what doesn’t, it’s up to us to weed out
the bad tactics and focus on the good ones. In other words, find
what works. And then keep doing it.
What am I missing here? Any social media marketing pet peeves
what works. And then keep doing it.
What am I missing here? Any social media marketing pet peeves
