The 5 Worst Things On Social Media

It’s a huge (and impactful) tool for brands to use nowadays. I could go on to list examples of social media, but if you’re reading this, you know what social media is. You also probably know that it’s become an advertising tool essential to the success of many brands.

Unfortunately, there are still brands who make simple mistakes that drive me, as a consumer, crazy. Here are five mistakes I can think of that brands need to stop making:

1. Posting too much. Posting more than once or twice a day equals too much. I don’t want my Twitter or Instagram feeds clogged up with pictures and posts of things that do not apply to me every hour of the day. Keeping posts (especially Tweets) to a maximum of a few per day is suggested, so that when someone does see a brand post, they are actually intrigued as to what it could be, rather than bored-ly scrolling past it.

2. Posts without links. Honestly it’s pointless to post something that refers to a website, photo or something related to the post without giving the reader a way to see what is being referred to. Seems like common sense, right? Apparently not, as I often stumble upon the perplexing Tweet or Facebook post trying to refer me to a website without giving me the convenience of clicking a link right in front of me.

3. Posting mainly content that isn’t yours. While it’s great to connect with other brands, bloggers, marketers and advertisers, consumers want to know about your brand. Why is it better than competitors? What unique thoughts and ideas do people at your brand have that haven’t already been stated elsewhere? It’s important to avoid the majority of your content being unoriginal for many reasons, including copyright issues- who even has time for that.

4. Impersonal responses to customer interaction. If a brand really wants to make a customer feel heard, automated responses are not the correct way to do it. Just like I do not enjoy talking to a recording when I call my bank, for instance, I don’t want to communicate with a robot on a brand’s social media account. Brands should be as personal as possible, and keep robot responses to a minimum.

5. Posting only about yourself. Social media has given brands the power to interact with one another more than ever before, so it’s definitely a waste to not utilize that power. Almost all forms of social media are great places for a brand to mention or pair up with another brand in order to get customers more engaged and connected. Make an effort to mix and mingle with other brands or important people via social media if you want your brand to gain attention from larger audiences.

To sum things up, brands should keep posts straightforward, yet informative and intriguing. Avoid posting too often, and make sure to interact as personally as possible when engaging with customers and your followers will be less likely to hit the “un-follow” button.