Top 10 common social media mistakes
According to our research and some generous input from contacts on LinkedIn (thanks!), common mistakes with social media include:
- The hokey cokey - in, out, in, out. Once you are in, you are in and you need to maintain the dialogue, otherwise don't bother.
- Husband approach - a very slow response and even when it does happen, it is often inappropriate. Rapid response is vital, particularly when there is a problem.
- It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it - how you respond is also very important.
- How to win friends and influence people (NOT) - the tone of your communications online is as important as the content. Not only does this need to be consistent with your brand, even a hint of an abusive tone will alienate your audience which, by the way, is likely to include customers, potential customers and ambassadors.
- Don't dis the the customer - amazingly, even big brands have examples of customers being abused by their staff online. Whether in person or online, the customer is king. Respect!
- The world is watching - sitting in front of your laptop or using your smartphone, it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security and forget that the world and your followers are watching. Before posting anything, just remember this could be read by anyone.
- Loose talk costs lives - confidential or sensitive information like financial results or customer details without their permission should not be shared online.
- It's all about me - as would be the case in any conversation, one sided discussions or blatant self promotion rarely goes down well.
- Be sure your sins will find you out - don't be unfair or dishonest online. The online world is very transparent and you will be found out. The backlash from this is likely to outweigh any benefits.
- Let the young techie take the strain - it may be tempting with all the other priorities and slashed budgets, but don't hand over a key customer service and promotional tool like social media to a junior member of the team. You wouldn't put them in the hot seat for an important media interview, so why should social media be any different?
