By Eleonora Israele
You can’t go a day online without reading an article about how to build a following on social media.
Frankly, it seems like everyone is an expert.
But what about how NOT to build a following on social media?
Here are five things you shouldn’t do on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
Buy, Buy, Buy
This one isn’t terribly surprising and is probably the one you’ve heard in the past.
Whatever you do, don’t buy followers.
The days of vanity numbers are gone and what really matters is having engaged and loyal followers.
You have to earn them.
A business with 1,000 super engaged followers who are spreading the word about them and buying their products or services is better than a business with a million followers and three retweets.
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
There are 1.79 billion social media network users worldwide.
Each individual network, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, houses hundreds of millions, if not billions, of active users.
Knowing this, it’s a misconception to think you have to be on multiple social networks in an effort to reach your audience.
The reality is that the demographic you want to reach probably prefers one specific network.
Rather than attempt to be on multiple networks, pick a specific network and master it.
Otherwise, you’ll just be OK, but not great, at all of them.
Talk Like a Robot
You’re trying to speak with a specific demographic, but they are all human.
So stop ignoring how people speak and engage with each other and leverage it in your Facebook posts or tweets.
It doesn’t make your brand any less professional or cheapened.
People don’t want to talk to a company.
They want to feel like they are speaking with a friend, someone who can relate.
Now, I’m not talking about misspellings, grammar mistakes, or excessive slang, rather showing some emotion and personality in your postings.
Ignore Analytics
All social media platforms have some form of analytics.
This data is imperative to knowing whether what you’re doing is working or not.
However, many businesses don’t analyze their data and used it to make social media strategic decisions.
Analytics can help you to succeed.
Something as simple as tracking the average number of favorites on tweets can help to direct you to better execution.
The Big Social Media Exit
Most businesses come hot out of the gate and, when they don’t see millions of followers knocking at their doors, give up.
The worst thing you can do is not only have unrealistic objectives, but to just stop what you’re doing.
Keep at it, stay on track, and read all those articles that tell you how to build a following.
If you’re really struggling, look to hire a social media marketing or digital agency to help you navigate the social media landscape.
Otherwise, stay the course. It will work with consistency.
image credit: shutterstock
