Social media is an enormous platform. All types of content creators, artists and businesses have got this platform to showcase their work. It has the power to grow your brand into a colossal empire. But if you aren’t careful, it can do just the opposite. Snapchat, for example in 2018, Snapchat ran an ad game called “Would You Rather?” One of the questions asked was if users would rather “Slap Rihanna” or “Punch Chris Brown.” This resulted in worldwide outrage and an $800 million loss for Snapchat.?
1. Not Being Up-to-Date with Current Trends
Always be up to date with your content. You should know about the current on-going trends in order to avoid irrational blunders as this may cost you your reputation. Before posting, one should cross check facts and information from authentic sources.
2. Posting Insensitive Content
Humour is fine but it shouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. People can be sensitive towards various things and can react to the same thing differently. Before posting anything, one should always think about how this might end up hurting someone.
3. Confusing Your Business Account with Your Personal Account
It’s important to be engaging on social media but always remember the difference between your business posts and personal posts. Don’t give out unnecessary information on your business account.
4. Getting Angry When You Get Negative Comments
When your brand grows, you’re bound to receive both positive and negative comments. Remember, negative comments are there to help you improve your business. Being open to opinion will help the business innovate and improve. Back lashing on comments will even create a bad image.
5. Skipping the Editing Process
Before posting anything on social media, edit it carefully. Typing errors, grammatical errors and misleading facts will be noticed instantly and might even lead to unnecessary attention. This won’t be beneficial to the business in any way.
6. Failing to Address Mistakes
No matter how strict you are with your rules and guidelines, mistakes are bound to happen. When you make any mistake accept it tactfully and apologise immediately in a polite manner. You can even use a little humour and wit.
7. Posting Only When Inspiration Strikes
On your personal social media account the time of posting doesn’t matter but when it’s a business account its timing is its key. Posting more often leads to more exposure.
| Social Media Site | Number of posts daily or monthly |
| Once or twice daily. | |
| Once or twice daily | |
| 5 to 10 tweets daily. | |
| 5 to 30 pins daily | |
| 20 posts a month. |
8. Forgetting Your Mission to Enrich Your Followers’ Lives
Starting a business isn’t all about earning profits. It’s about developing a product or service that’ll have a positive impact on people. So when you take to social media make it your goal to spread positivity and have a positive impact. Enhance and supplement people’s lives.
9. Sounding Too Salesy
Its always a good thing to promote your product but don’t keep doing so. Forcing people to do so might lead to disinterest.
10. Ignoring Comments on Your Posts
Engagement on social media is imperative. When your followers comment on your posts, irrespective of the fact that they are positive or negative, reply to them as soon as possible.
11. Buying Followers
Although it’s tempting to having a huge following, it’s absolutely a bad idea to buy followers. Numbers are not the only thing that matter. Organic followers are the followers who will actually engage in your brands.
12. Forgetting Your Target Audience
Keep your target audience in mind while creating and posting content. If this is not done, people are going to be disinterested and are going to unfollow you eventually.
13. Being Satisfied with the Generic
Find a way to make everything you post unique and amusing. People should love your work and content. Keeping everything real goes a long way.
14. Not Making Use of Hashtags
Many people happen to underestimate the power of hashtags. Hashtags are the real game changer. Using the right hashtags can actually increase your reach.
15. Putting Up an Impersonal Front
Social media is all more than just connections. Users want to talk to humans, not robots. This can be done by making your posts relatable, friendly, and fun.
16. Doing Everything Yourself
Social media has come a long way. One should hire a witty, tech savvy social media manager to handle the accounts.
17. Being too Casual
Avoid using slangs, acronyms, and shortcuts. “You are beautiful” sounds definitely better than “U R GORG”.
18. Not Getting Help from Ads
Paid ads are always good to increase your reach. You can directly target the perfect target audience
Social Media blunders can have a negative impact on your business and you should avoid doing these 18 things on your social media for a better reputation.
What are the other things you feel should be avoided on social media? Let us know in the comments!
–Sonia Shah