If you’re a business who has been experimenting with social media, this article is for you. It will be of particular interest if you’ve been disappointed by your social media experiences. And you aren’t alone if you started out with unrealistic expectations or misunderstood how social media works.
Here are 9 things I suggest that you never do with social media:
1. Don’t expect very much to happen without a plan.
You need a plan that starts by setting out what you hope to achieve through engaging with social media.
This may then lead you to experiment with one form of social media at a time. Each requires a different strategy. An approach that works on one will not work on the others. Social media includes blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, discussion forums, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.
So which type of social media will you use first? Who will update it? How often? Who are you seeking to influence? And what type of messages will you post?
Each form of social media is quite distinct. Your starting point should be: Who do you want to target and where are you most likely to be able to do this? If your target audience is prospective clients, can you narrow that down and be more focused? In theory, new clients could be found anywhere.
2. Don’t expect to win new clients quickly.
It takes time to build up a following and an interest in you and your firm.
Some businesses will confirm they’ve won new clients through effective use of social media. Few will have done so within their first few weeks or months. If you do encounter businesses who have been successful, find out the details. Are they targeting the same type of clients as you? Does their website help convert interest? Do they favour one form of social media over another?
3. Don’t assume anyone is interested in your business or practice on social media.
Almost without exception, those who post in their firm’s name are boring and are less successful than those whose posts and social media engagements are as a real person (albeit an expert in their field).
4. Don’t believe what you read in the general media.
The media look up hashtags and Twitter accounts of the rich and famous. The rest of us are tweeting into the ether until and unless enough of our target audience chooses to follow us. No one, other than friends, competitors, spambots, and social media types, will follow a boring, “me too” business or firm.
The media also report nonsense about LinkedIn. It ceased to be largely focused on job hunters and CVs some years back.
5. Do what your business needs
For example, you don’t NEED a blog unless you feel the need to compete with other local businesses who are blogging.
Equally, you don’t NEED a Facebook page unless you think your target audience is active on Facebook. Or perhaps you think it’s worth reminding your Facebook friends that you run an accountancy practice – and perhaps they might point their friends to your Facebook page. They could equally direct people to your website.
There are plenty of other examples. You could, for instance, become the first business in your industry to embrace Instagram or Pintrest or YouTube. But will anyone who matters to you care about this?
6. Don’t chase random followers all over the world.
I feel sorry for those businesses who get excited when the number of their followers’ “likes,” or whatever else they accumulate on social media, hits a big number. Few seem aware that the absolute number is irrelevant. You need to be focused on building a following in your local area or your niche. Anyone else is a “nice to have” but is unlikely to ever choose you as his or her business.
7. Don’t focus on broadcasting promotional messages.
I suggest thinking of social media as the antithesis of UNsocial media. You wouldn’t go into a new pub or club and immediately start telling strangers that you’re a fantastic business and that you have a special deal for new clients. It would be unsocial. Equally, you shouldn’t do the equivalent when you join a new social media network.
It’s also worth remembering that social media isn’t a broadcast medium. In many cases, especially when you’re new on Twitter, for example, no one will see your early promotional messages anyway.
8. Don’t forget how much time social media can consume.
If you go the DIY route, you may think social media is a no-cost way to find new clients. In practice, it takes time. And it can consume a great deal of time.
I spend at least an hour a day on social media. I can’t think of any business who use social media successfully within their business and who only spend a few minutes a day on it. If businesses do manage to do that, they probably spent far more time on social media initially than they do now.
You also need to consider whether focusing on social media is likely to be of more value than other ways in which you might spend your time.
9. Don’t confuse social media metrics with what really matters.
For most businesses, what really matters is the amount of new work that’s generated through the use of social media. The number of likes you get on your Facebook page or the number of followers you have on Twitter or on your blog are not, of themselves, important. This is especially true if you can’t be sure the likes or followers are within your target audience.
So there are 9 of my suggestions of things business shouldn’t do on social media. This list isn’t exhaustive. What else do you think could be added? And if your experiences are such that you disagree with any of the above, do please add your comments and let us know.