The use of social media doesn’t have any steadfast written rules. The best thing you can do to be successful at expanding your reach and making the most of your audience is to experiment and then keep doing the things that work. But there are a few things you should avoid when it comes to using the two heavy weights, Twitter and Facebook. That’s why I’ve pulled together this quick top 5 social media wrongs.
5 – Deleting Comments
When somebody posts something unfavourable on your Facebook wall, you may think the best way to deal with it is to hit the delete button and forget about it. But that’s the worst thing you could do. Well actually deleting your entire account and crying in a corner is probably the worst thing, but you get what I mean. Like a neglected campfire, if you don’t do anything about them they’ll soon blow up and wipe out your entire eco-system.
Instead engage with the person. Find out what the real cause of the anger is because the chances are, it was something you or someone in your business has done. By investigating further you’ve got the chance to turn a pissed off person in to a loyal customer.
The best way to do this? Move the conversation out of public view and in to a less visible place like private page messages on Facebook or email.
An exception to the rule? When the post breaks your own rules of posting by using things like naughty words, breaking privacy rules or libel/defamation.
4 – Linking Twitter to Facebook
I cannot stress how bad this is. It may seem like I’m on a one man crusade to end this horrible practice but deal with it and read this entire top 5 dedicated to why it’s a terrible thing to link Twitter to Facebook.
3 – Using Corporate Twitter Personally
If you’ve got a corporate Twitter account, don’t go using it like it’s your personal account. Sure if your brand is social voice is whacky and down with the kids get informal with your posting, but it’s not an outlet for your life.
Don’t use it to moan about buses being late, voting on the latest Simon Cowel cash cow or for arranging a night down the pub with your mates. Get your own account for that.
