Here are 7 of the universal mistakes companies make when using Social Media.

1. Spam

Are you receiving a lot of unwanted information? Spam gives your potential consumer a negative opinion about your business before they even have time to research it.

Information, information, information is not good. There is no engagement here which is a real turn off. Just because it’s Social Media, it doesn’t mean you are allowed to over populate your networking sites with information. It’s worth noting that 44% of consumers will unlike a page because a company posts too much on their network.

2. Not being committed

You are trying to build a relationship with your audience so you need to be committed to your brand. If you are asked a question, you must answer it because if you ignore that person, it reflects badly on your dedication and it may come back to haunt you.

3. No Brand Consistency

It’s really key that as a business you are consistent with your brand. The pictures you use have to match your context. As said above, you MUST post regularly on your social networks and keep it up to date and relevant to your business for your followers to get the most out of your networks.

4. Quality, not Quantity

When using Social Media for your business, you must never over populate your following. One passionate follower is better than 1,000 followers who have no interest in the brand. Make your posts interesting and inspiring to keep your audience interested in what you say. Quality matters when engaging with your followers so keep it relevant and most importantly, informative. At the other end of the scale, posting too little can also be damaging to your brand’s identity.

5. Not playing nice

Seeing it first hand, some companies can be very rude. Manners go a long way in business; a simple ‘thank you’ doesn’t cost you and is worth it in the long run. Always respond with respect and you will receive the same in return.

6. A Brand Without A Plan

Despite many social media tools being free of charge, they are still time consuming so you need to have a plan in place. A simple word document of your month’s strategy will be enough in the beginning but further down the line, you will need to have a more structured, in depth scheme place for your brand to be a success in the future.

7. Too Much Too Soon

When choosing your Social Networks/Tools you need to take your time. Not every tool or network will be suitable for everyone so spend some time researching what is out there. Rushing into something can only lead to mistakes and mistakes lead to a break down within the business. If you don’t have the time, find someone in your team who does as it’s crucial that you do not jump into something without thinking about it.

Those are my Top 7 Mistakes Companies Make When Using Social Media, can you think of anymore?