Marissa Pick, social media director at the CFA Institute, pinpoints four social media gaffes that may lead to a decrease in customer engagement
Social media can be of a great benefit to a brand, however it can be detrimental if not handled property. Still many companies are flocking to social media platforms for one simple reason: incorporating social media into their marketing strategy helps to connect with potential customers while strengthening bonds with existing ones.
Since social media is the most popular online activity, companies need to be mindful of how they’re using it to avoid simple mistakes that can lead to the demise of customer engagement across their social media platforms. Here are four critical social media mistakes to avoid:
1. Using social media for selling, not conversing or engaging.
Social media is a place to build a personality and enhance a deeper relationship with your audience. Social media users often don’t respond well to a hard sell. Make sure your social media is a channel for starting a conversation, and engaging with your audience. Building trust is crucial and, from there, the only thing you need to sell your customers on is that you’re going to include them in the conversation.
2. Not addressing controversy and complaints.
Let’s face it, social media is the perfect channel to vent and let our frustrations out. Mistakes happen and as a brand you need to own up to them and let your customers know what you’re going to do to ensure they won’t be repeated. Ignoring complaints shows you’re going to do your own thing, and that as a brand you are backing away. Own your mistakes and man up! Make sure you have a plan in place for worst-case scenarios or a social media disaster – it can’t hurt to be prepared!
3. #Getting #Hashtag #Happy on #SocialMedia.
Using hashtags is a handy and effective tool, however, they need to be used in moderation. Using too many hashtags within a tweet or an Instagram post can come off too pushy. We’re already limited to 140 characters on Twitter so utilizing an image and text should speak volumes and stand alone, with a hashtag as a supporting entity. Hashtags are fantastic for running promotions and enhancing searchability, however when used too often they can limit your ability to really amplify your message.
4. Lacking a strategy with clear business objectives.
Understanding what you decide to do is JUST as important as deciding what you’re not going to do within your social media channels. Make sure your brand has clear objectives set for utilizing social media, with a strategy for each social channel to help you achieve your goals. Creating a strategy should include having distinct and measurable goals, thinking through your brand’s voice, and planning out a content calendar with clear goals in mind. Setting a strategy and agreeing upon clear business objectives are the first two steps to ensure long-term social media success.
