Social Media: Business Faux Pas

When starting a small business, using social media to connect with your customers is a must. However, it is easy to get it wrong. It can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy. Here are some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Don’t Be Overbearing

There is such a thing as being an overbearing social media user. Those are the people who you constantly get updates from and begin to loath. Don’t be like those people. Don’t post a million updates in one day. If you are constantly posting and never giving your followers a break from you, you become really annoying really quickly. The second you become annoying to one of your customers or prospects, they will unfollow you. That means you will most likely lose their business and the business of their friends. Yes, it is that big of a deal.

If you need to post multiple times a day, try not to exceed 2 times. The exception to this rule is Twitter. Twitter was made for constant updates, so if you feel the need to post every occurrence in your company, use Twitter. Another thing you don’t want to do is “like” every post of your followers. This makes you come off as needy. Don’t try so hard. If you “like” everything, then your “likes” won’t mean anything. You need to understand the perfect number of interactions and don’t exceed that.

Don’t Use Every Platform

When you begin using social media, it is easy to go overboard and try to use every platform available. This is a mistake. Trying to use every avenue can be very overwhelming. It usually ends with you neglecting your profiles and, pretty soon, your whole social media campaign is up in smoke. Start small. Which sites will work best for your business? Where does your target audience spend their time?

Start out with two or maybe three platforms. Then, as your company grows, you can hire a whole social media department so you can branch out and tackle all social media avenues. Until then, use your energy to focus on a few networks and build your brand from there.

Don’t Follow Everyone

When you are starting a business and building your brand, it is important to follow your customers back. This is a great way to connect and build relationships. However, this does not mean that you should follow everyone who “likes” your page.

Some people are just serial “likers” and only follow businesses in order to spam you and your page. Think about the kind of customers you want to draw to your business. If you start following individuals who do not reflect well on your company, it could deter your target market from buying from or using your business.

Don’t Ignore Questions and Comments

This is a very important don’t. Your customers and followers are everything to the growth of your business. Don’t ignore them. As your business grows, it won’t be possible for you to respond to every question and comment, but you should do your best. Interacting with your customers is the best way to build your following and form important relationships that will help further your business.

Keep in mind that this also means responding to negative comments. You should never delete or ignore negative feedback. Addressing bad reviews and comments will help resolve issues and earn you a lot of respect from your customers. The whole point of social media is to be social. Show that you care about your customers by responding to them.

Don’t be Political

It is a great thing to have your own opinions and ideas about the world. Sometimes, it is fun to post your political opinions, especially given the political climate. However, this is a bad idea for your company. If your business has a strong political opinion, then you risk alienating some of your customers.

It’s fine if you post politics on your personal social media pages, but keep it out of your business. This doesn’t just mean politics. No hot issue should be a part of your brand. You don’t want to push agendas and start arguments. This will in no way help build your company.

Conclusion

Social media is a very powerful tool, especially when it is used correctly. It can build your brand and increase your customers or it can be your undoing. When you begin using social media for your business, you should take it seriously and avoid the aforementioned faux pas. If you do this, your business will thrive.

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