15 mistakes made by companies in Social Networks

Facing the day-to-day management of Social Media is no easy task, and there are mistakes we need to know to avoid making them. And anyone who saysotherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about. We don’t say this lightly; we know for sure that it’s a complicated, methodical, and demanding job, especially if you want to achieve minimally correct and satisfactory results.

No one said that the job of a Community Manager in Social Media was easy, and now we are going to prove it! Managing different digital platforms, whether for your own company or client businesses, can be exciting but also stressful, very complicated, and often unappreciated. There are many daily micro-tasks involved, and it’s easy to make mistakes.

We’re sure you’ve heard of at least one mistake made in recent months on social media, whether on Facebook or Twitter. That’s the nature of the internet… mistakes spread like wildfire. And while some are the most famous and obvious, there are many others that the Community Manager deals with every day. Not to mention those that end up destroying a brand’s reputation and resulting in the CM’s dismissal.

With this, we’re not trying to scare you or cause panic, but like any other job, it requires training and experience. So if you’re thinking of dedicating yourself to the world of Social Media, you should keep in mind these 15 mistakes to avoid at all costs. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

What Are We Doing Wrong on Social Media?

Being on Social Media is becoming increasingly common. In fact, 19.2 million Spaniards use social media daily, and 85% of users between 16 and 65 are hooked, according to the VIII Social Media Study by IAB Spain. And this widespread use has also led to more involvement by poorly trained individuals and even some who, despite being trained, make mistakes.

As someone once said, “the most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity”, and since they aren’t wrong, here are some mistakes so you only take advantage of the second one:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Starting without defining objectives or setting a strategy: This is the main foundation for determining a company’s success in the digital world. If we don’t know what we want, how can we convey our values? We need to study the market and understand our audience to offer our services/products on the channels they use in a way that best suits their profiles.
            2. Not knowing what, when, or how often to post: Lost and don’t know where to start? Develop a strategy, study the industry, and find out what your users want to see and read. Know your strengths and use them to your advantage when creating content. Create a content calendar, which will be open to changes, but you’ll have a solid foundation to follow and move forward.
            3. Overdoing self-promotion: Let’s be clear, don’t be annoying or constantly try to sell yourself to achieve your goals. If the user follows you, it’s because they’re interested in your content, not to read or see how “pretty“, “good“, or “cheap” you are all the time. Easy to understand, right?
            4. Leaving the work to someone unqualified: When you hear someone say, “Oh, my nephew runs our Facebook page, he knows about these things…”, don’t trust what might be behind it. Don’t leave your brand’s image and your company’s reputation in the hands of someone untrained. What took you years to build can be destroyed in minutes. Hire a professional Community Manager.
            5. Neglecting your image: Your content is just as important as the image and value you present to your company through Social Media. Be yourself, but remember that social networks will help you reach an audience that probably doesn’t know who you are. Think carefully about how you want to be seen—this will determine their interest!
            6. Opening profiles on all Social Media platforms: In this case, less is more. Just because you have more open channels doesn’t mean you’ll be better or reach your audience, or even achieve your goals. Study which channels you should use and maximize their potential. Do you think a Twitter account will be useful if you don’t even use it?
            7. Abandoning or not updating profiles: Social Media is here to stay. We are sure of that. So, if you’ve thoroughly studied what you want to do and which networks you need to be on to reach your audience, don’t leave them or abandon them. Continuity is also part of your success.
            8. Ignoring the potential of Social Media Marketing: That’s why the work of a well-trained Community Manager is essential. The digital world is full of factors the CM must control and know how to manage. Marketing derived from using digital platforms is a new channel to reach your goals. You should take it into account.
            9. Posting the same content on all platforms without adapting the message: You can’t think that posting once is enough. You need to consider the user and how they understand each channel. You must think about the message you want to convey and adapt it to the format of each social media. Using mentions, hashtags, DMs… Sound familiar?
            10. Spamming: It’s more common than you think, and many community managers often become real “spammers” of unwanted advertising, which ends up degrading the brand’s image.
            11. Thinking that Social Media is for selling: While they can help, and we can measure the impact of all the investments we make, the return in terms of sales is not immediate. Social Media helps finalize the loyalty process, which can lead to sales, but it’s not the main goal.
            12. Not managing negative comments effectively: You must know how to accept criticism and have a contingency plan to put out potential fires. Create a crisis plan to know the procedures to follow when problems arise.
            13. Ignoring what your competition is doing: You don’t need to obsess over what your competitors are doing, but you should be able to observe and evaluate what companies in your sector are doing to avoid their mistakes and try to improve on what they do. Listen, review, and improve!
            14. Constantly asking for RTs, follows, or likes: You don’t need to beg for RTs or follows like crazy! Is that the image you want to project? Grow your community with quality content, conversation, and good work. The rest will come naturally; it’s just a matter of time.
            15. Taking a stance on topics like religion or politics: There’s no clearer or more direct way to end this. Completely avoid touching certain topics if you don’t want to hurt yourself. If you decide to do it, it’s your choice. We’ve already warned you.