??Avoid These 7 Social Media Worst Practices

I usually focus on social media best practices in my posts and newsletters. So it only makes sense to do the opposite for a change. We all make faux pas. Offline and online. Even experienced users can make them. So for today, let's look at 7 common social media mistakes, along with advice on how to avoid them. Let's go!

1. Being Too Promotional ??

If you're a business, you have to promote your products or services. Unfortunately, many businesses do it in an awkward manner. Have you experienced the following scenario like I have? A new connection bombards you with their promotional content from the very start. I also recall an occasion when during a network meeting, a participant was going from person to person and squeezing their business card into their hands without a word. None of the recipients were happy. In other words, if you're too pushy, your audience will not only lose interest, they will be impressed in the wrong manner. Social media is about creating connections and engaging with your followers. Instead of focusing only on promotions, share useful tips, helpful information or fun content to keep them interested and build trust.

2. Not Engaging with Your Audience ??

If people are commenting or asking questions and you don't respond, it sends a negative message. Social media is meant to be interactive. No one likes being ghosted (unless you're celebrating Halloween this month, and then it's a rather different sort of ghosting). A simple reply or like shows that you care and are paying attention. Engaging with your audience helps build stronger relationships, and a huge part of your social media strategy is building a dedicated community. It's not going to work if you try to use social media as a one-way street.

3. Inconsistent Posting ?

Posting too frequently can be too much for your audience, while posting too rarely can make your content forgettable. And the respective social media algorithm disapproves of both. The key is to post consistently. Create a schedule that works for you and stick to it. This way, your audience knows when to expect new content from you. To schedule your posts, a simple Excel file will help. Then again, don't over-schedule! I once heard a social media manager mention during a networking event that they were asked to schedule posts for a whole year in advance. Spoiler alert: it turned into a big mess. Social media platforms and algorithms change and evolve. New features are introduced, others are pulled (LinkedIn Stories was discontinued in 2021). Your audience does the same thing. Sometimes, events are postponed or cancelled. Long story short: keep some flexibility in your social media planning.

4. Following Every Trend ??

Not every trend is suitable for your brand or business. Jumping on trends that do not match your style can appear unnatural or forced. It’s better to choose trends that align with your brand and avoid those that don’t. Focus on quality and relevance rather than following every viral trend. As mentioned above, LinkedIn discontinued Stories. They had introduced this feature because it was seeing a great response on other social media platforms (Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook). So as you see, what may work for some people and businesses needn't necessarily do so for you.

5. Forgetting Manners on Social Media ??

Oh my. This is a big one for me. I have seen several comments containing powerful four-letter words and obscenities over here on LinkedIn, the professional network. Or, as previously mentioned, people barging into your inbox with an avalanche of promotional posts. It's almost as if they're trying to beat the verbal daylights out of you with their aggressive messages. It's just as important to remain polite and respectful when communicating online as it is offline. Good manners go a long way in maintaining a positive image. Even when dealing with negative comments (exception: spam and messages submitted by potty mouths), respond calmly and professionally. Being respectful online builds trust and strengthens your reputation.

6. Relying Too Much on AI ??

Another (un)favourite of mine. For this, you just have to scroll through your feed, and you'll notice that loads of posts have been generated by chatbots. They all look the same. So if you're trying to stand out in this manner, you're actually doing the opposite: disappearing into the unmerciful obscurity of white noise. Of course, AI tools can help save time (what a godsend ChatGPT is with creating ICS files for my calendar entries, generating tables and tackling other grunt work stuff), but they cannot replace human interaction. Automated responses or scheduled posts are useful, but real conversations are necessary for building meaningful connections. Use AI as a helpful tool, but ensure that there is always a personal touch in your responses. One of my previous newsletters on AI-thenticity is devoted to this topic.

7. Not Using Data and Analytics ??

Without tracking your social media performance, it’s difficult to know what is working and what is not. Use analytics to monitor which posts are successful and adjust your strategy accordingly. Regularly reviewing your data will help you improve your content and make better decisions moving forward. Let's take LinkedIn company page stats as an example: you can see which of your posts performed particularly well - or not so well. How many clicks did your link in the post get? How high or low was the engagement rate? Number of comments? Page visitors? Follower growth and demographics? And your competitors - what are they doing and how are they doing? If you have a LinkedIn page, just do some digging around in there, and you'll find lots of interesting information. Depending on your strategy, it's up to you to decide which data is relevant and which is not. Your LinkedIn personal profile has got analytics, too, so don't ignore those stats, either.

So that was it for today! I hope these insights help you avoid these common mistakes and help you shine on social media.

I’ll be back with more tips and updates in the next newsletter. Keep your eyes peeled on Wednesday, 20th November 2024. Stay tuned!