10 Social Media Mistakes That Are Killing Your Business

As important as it is to be on top of the latest new social media trends, it’s also equally important to be constantly cleansing your social media strategy from consistent mistakes. When you’re so “in the trenches” in your plan, it’s hard to notice the simple, but harmful mistakes your business might be making. So as we get deeper in 2017, here are 10 things you’ll want to stop doing before it’s too late.

1. Cross Platform Auto Posts

A few years back when post scheduling and cross-platform post triggers first came out, they were all the buzz. These simple software platforms allow you to publish a piece of content on one social media platform and then auto-posts it to all the other social media networks for you. While this tool saves you time in the short run, it’s not an effective way to use social media.

People consume content differently across all social media platforms. What works on Twitter, won’t always work on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and so on. Republishing a post automatically on other accounts is lazy and shows you don’t understand that platform’s unique capabilities. Take the extra time and optimize your content for each individual platform.

2. Stealing Content (Without Crediting)

If you are downloading memes or videos, or if you are straight up stealing posts for your social media outlets, it’s time to stop. Not only can this be very embarrassing if you are caught, but not asking for permission or not giving proper credit can lead you into a dangerous legal situation. There are stories everywhere of companies sued for copyright infringement of stock photos, or video theft. It’s better to not post at all than to post stolen content.

3. Sharing Video Links On Facebook

It’s 2017 and Facebook video uploads have long since overtaken YouTube. While YouTube still has its benefits, overlooking the power of Facebook video content is a big mistake. Facebook users interact with videos uploaded to the platform at a much higher rate than with photo posts or even video link shares. So skip the link and upload directly to Facebook for maximum engagement.

4. Over-hashtagging

Hashtagging too much looks spammy and desperate. If you are going to hashtag a post, use it tastefully and only on platforms that actually support the use of searching by hashtag. For example, on LinkedIn, you should be weary of using hashtags as they only appear as searchable on mobile. Also, be critical of the amount of potential traffic when using a hashtag. If it’s a trending topic on Twitter, then it may make sense to throw your two cents in by using the hashtag. However, if you're tweeting #SaaS in an attempt to market your SaaS product, don’t expect a flood of traffic.

5. Filming Vertically

This one is simple and yet so important. If you’re filming a marketing video for social media on your phone, make sure you hold the device horizontally. We’ve all seen the poorly made, shaky phone video with the black bars on the top and bottom of the video filling up half the screen. Don’t be that person.

Before you start your recording, make sure your phone is horizontal and in landscape photo/video mode. This is video-making 101. And while there are many hot new video marketing trends, rest assured the vertically filmed trade show testimonial is not one of them! Cut this out!

6. Not Sharing Blog Content On Social

Social traffic, or website traffic that comes from your social media accounts, is a major part of Google’s search ranking algorithm. So seize every available opportunity to drive your Twitter followers and Facebook fans back to your website.

If you’re not sharing every article published on your website on your social media accounts, you are making a big mistake. Not only are you poorly distributing your blogs but also you aren’t truly doing proper search engine optimization. Share your blog content on social, and give viewers a reason to go to your site.

7. No Social Media Sharing Buttons

Similarly, if your website doesn’t have buttons to quickly share pages back to social media, you also are missing out big time. Simply having a share button on your blog or webpage can increase your social traffic, and grow your digital clout. Add one for free today, or ping your web designer if you don’t have one!

8. #CateringToYoungPeople

Every brand under the sun is trying to “figure out” out how to effectively market to the “younger generation.” While youth marketing is a gray area for many, one common pitfall is going ‘out of brand’ in an attempt to cater to young people. This happens especially on Twitter.

A brand sees a hashtag or trending topic and thinks, “Wow, if I use this cool lingo, all those young kids will flock to buy my product.” A few “bae’s” and mannequin challenges later, you are officially a catering company. Not only will going out of brand irritate your main audience, but also most young people will see through it. Stay true to you and find more creative ways to market to youth audiences.

9. Excessive Commenting And Liking Posts On LinkedIn

We all have that LinkedIn connection that doesn’t know that everything they “like” and “comment” on is publically broadcasted to their entire professional network. Or maybe they do, but they don’t care if their community sees them liking the bikini picture, arguing politics, solving math problems, and choosing their favorite logo four times a day.

The reality is that while LinkedIn is a valuable tool, it is also the easiest social network to annoy connections. People hate when others misuse Linkedin, and they hate being annoyed on the platform. So be careful what you “like,” and if you can’t be -- hide your activity updates.

10. Blindly Spending Ad Dollars

The last and most costly social media mistake is blindly spending ad dollars in an attempt to growth hack the system. Just because Facebook marketing is cheap doesn’t mean you should randomly shoot off boosted posts just to increase engagement.

Yes, engagement is great but spending social media ad dollars in the absence of a real strategy is just stupid and can seriously hurt your business. Lay the groundwork before putting dollars into social. Understand your goals, your audience, your content, have a specific purpose, and track the results of each ad you run. Don’t be careless!

So there you are. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste. Eliminate these simple mistakes and your audience will thank you!

AJ Agrawal , CONTRIBUTOR - I am a serial entrepreneur, marketer and advisor to Fortune 500 brands. My growth strategies have been recognized by Fortune, Fox, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc.com, and more. The author is a Forbes contributor.

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