Social media is an invaluable marketing tool for any business. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, having an active presence on social media attracts awareness to your brand and connects your company to its customers.
But just as it's important for your business to have a social media strategy, it's equally as important to know how not to use it. That's why we asked 13 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:
Q. What should a company NOT do when it comes to crafting a social media strategy?
1. Post Too Much
You want to make sure you’re posting enough relevant content that your followers are noticing, but not posting too often. It can get spammy and lead followers to hit that "unlike" or "unfollow" button. I know I have unfollowed brands that simply posted too much. –Jayna Cooke, EVENTup
2. Forget to Listen
Many businesses make the mistake of using social media purely as a megaphone. Companies should use social media to listen to their followers, fans, and customers. Get feedback and engage in conversations or questions that result in constructive dialogue. Make it personal. Seeing larger organizations respond to individuals on social media in a meaningful way is a powerful message. –Shawn Schulze, Names.org
3. Outsource to a Foreign Country
You should never outsource your social media strategy to someone outside your own country. I even like to have it be someone within my own state. This keeps the language, tone, and overall vision of the company on the same page, especially when communicating with the outside world. –John Rampton, Due
4. Get Addicted to a Single Platform
For a marketer, conversion is key. When a platform like Facebook or Twitter starts to deliver consistent and sustained results, it's an exhilarating moment, and those benefits rightfully lead to greater investment and focus. Keep in mind that algorithms, targeting, and customer behavior all change over time. Relying on a single approach will eventually stall, leading to poor performance. –Curtis Thornhill, Apt Marketing Solutions
5. Focus on How Awesome You Are
Broadcasting your awesomeness is lame. Ever been on a coffee date when all the other person did was share their awesomeness? Did you want to go to dinner and drinks? Of course not. Instead, use social media to amplify the heart and soul of your organization and celebrate your customers' victories. –Corey Blake, Round Table Companies
6. Ignore the Importance of Visuals
All of the most popular social channels are visual platforms. Ignoring the importance of high-quality graphics and images will derail your strategy before it even begins. Roll your visual strategy into your overall social media planning discussions as it's often more important than any text or words you write on social. Visuals must grab attention, then quickly align with your overall strategy. –Wesley Mathews, High Level Marketing
7. Focus on Vanity Metrics
Follower counts look good, but they're rarely a useful indication of the success of a social media strategy. Like all marketing efforts, the aim of social media is to ultimately make sales. You can have 100,000 followers, but if none of them convert, you're wasting money. Social media sharing should leverage marketing personas and targeted content to build a valuable audience, not just any audience. –Vik Patel, Future Hosting
8. Try to Be Everywhere at Once
Some companies make the mistake of taking on too many social media accounts at once: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and then, oh yeah, Pinterest, and wait, Snapchat! Doing many things poorly is not a strategy, but doing a couple of things really well is. Once you nail your audience’s most preferred channel (the channel with the most potential to drive direct business), you can think about expanding. –Zach Robbins, Leadnomics
9. Don't Be a Copycat
Just because your competitor is doing it, doesn't mean that you have to. It's important to realize that social media is a tool for your organization, and it only makes sense to use the tools that align with your goals, not your competitor's goals. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish before committing to any social media outlet, then develop a strategy to use that tool to achieve your goal. –Angela Harless, AcrobatAnt
10. Use Linear Patterns on All Accounts
Never allow your social media strategy to be linear across all platforms. Different users, demographics, and strategies must be considered for each social platform separately. Do not allow the same content to be shared on all platforms in the same manner. Hire people who understand how to manage each platform, rather than one person to run all of them. –Pejman Ghadimi, Secret Entourage
11. Set a Strict Schedule
Your social media schedule should not be completely predetermined. A few anchor items and an overarching theme are great, but your strategy should be based on producing quality content based on how your brand can add value to what's going on at the time. The best strategy for social media is to listen and adapt. –Andrew Namminga, Andesign
12. Jump on Bandwagons
Just because a hashtag is trending doesn't mean you should use it. Jumping on trend bandwagons is an easy way to get in front of lots of eyes, but your social strategy should focus on information your audience cares about and what's relevant to you. If you can find a way to make it relevant, great. If not, it's best left alone. –Micah Johnson, GoFanbase, Inc.
13. Focus Only on the Sell
When creating a social media strategy, many companies flood their audiences with promotional content that is designed to sell. This can be overwhelming for some users who casually use social media. Always remember to mix in creative and informative content with your hard-sell content for the best results. Businesses that post informative content generally reach a larger audience. –Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID, Inc.
