Co-Founder & CEO at HawkSEM, helping brands “crush it” through ROI-focused, results-driven digital marketing programs for over 12 years.
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Approximately 70% of Americans regularly use social media, according to the Pew Research Center. So, when it comes to your company’s audience, it stands to reason that they’re likely on at least one social media platform, if not several.
Having a social media presence can benefit your brand in numerous ways, from helping grow your reach and connecting you directly with your target demographics to attracting potential hires.
But simply posting an Instagram photo or firing off a tweet whenever something pops into your head isn’t enough. Along with being strategic about when and how often you post, it’s important to be aware of the common mistakes companies can fall for. Below, find out the social media missteps you want to avoid.
Having an Incomplete Profile
One of the most beneficial ways to leverage social media as a business is to ensure your profile is complete. That means having elements like a bio, profile photo, header image, URL and more, depending on the platform.
Not only do these things make your social accounts look more cohesive and professional, but it provides helpful context to your potential followers when they land on your profile.
Not Having a Social Media Strategy
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Many companies leave social media as an afterthought. Since it’s one of the newer pillars of marketing, it’s often not seen as crucial in the same way things like blogging and paid search are.
But if you’re going to be present on social media (and, in my opinion, you should be), having a basic strategy mapped out can ensure your social presence is professional and reflective of your brand. It will also prevent posting from falling to the wayside and help you maintain a publishing schedule that makes sense for you or your team member’s bandwidth.
Posting Inconsistently
Posting on your social media profiles every day or multiple times a day isn’t required. What you should aim for, rather, is to post as consistently as possible. This way, when people stumble onto your account, they won’t be met with a seemingly abandoned profile.
As part of the strategy mentioned above, see if you or your team member in charge of social can plan to post on each account at least once every one to two weeks. And try not to just post to check a box — post when you have something of value to share, even if it’s just a fun team photo.
Posting Off-Brand Content
Whether or not you have a company style guide, it’s a good idea to map out what does and doesn’t belong on your brand’s social profiles. When building or revamping your social strategy, include a few examples of what makes a good post on each platform, along with examples of what doesn’t.
For example, if your brand voice is witty and edgy and your audience knows that from things like your ads, landing pages and blogs, you can carry that over to your social. On the flip side, some companies try to use memes or jargon that aren’t in line with their audience, just because they think that’s what these platforms are about. As a result, the post falls flat or — even worse — goes viral for how badly it missed the mark.
Not Keeping Your Audience in Mind
Speaking of your audience, they should always be top of mind when you’re planning what social content to publish. Not only that, but the platforms you focus most on should directly reflect where most of your audience spends their time.
If your target personas are mostly working professionals, you probably want to focus on sites like LinkedIn. If your personas are more of the Gen Z age range, you may want to look into avenues like TikTok and partner with influencers in your industry.
Posting in a Silo
Social media is called “social” for a reason. It works best when it’s a conversation, not a one-way street. With that in mind, try to do your best to interact with followers, respond to comments, and follow clients and complementary businesses in your field.
You can also facilitate conversations through things like posing questions on Facebook or Twitter, or leveraging Instagram Story features like polls and quizzes to encourage engagement.
Giving Too Many People Log-In Access
You’ve probably heard the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen.” This can apply to your social media profiles when too many colleagues are posting on behalf of your brand. Whether your social media team is one person or a dozen, everyone should be on the same page about how, when and what to post.
If a team member with access to your company’s social accounts exits the company for any reason, it’s wise to change your social passwords. This isn’t assuming that they’d publish something potentially harmful, but things happen. You don’t want to put someone in the position to accidentally make a post to your brand account that was meant to come from their personal one (you’ve probably heard of this happening), which can quickly become a PR nightmare.
The Takeaway
These days, it’s almost required that brands be on social media to remain competitive. But the nature of the internet and these platforms means that one false move (or tweet) can land you in hot water.
Luckily, by knowing these common mistakes to avoid making on social media, you can post thoughtfully while maintaining a social presence that accurately reflects your company’s mission, voice and audience.
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Author: Sam Yadegar, Forbes Councils Member
