Keeping your social media profiles up and running takes a lot of work, and it’s not just a matter of posting. To stay relevant and keep engagement high, you must stay up to date on the trends and adjust for each platform. Things can change quickly with social media, so you may be doing things that used to be considered best practices but aren’t anymore.
When you look at the history of social media, it hasn’t been around very long, which may seem strange to younger adults who are so accustomed to these platforms. Still, social media platforms have come a long way, so continually learning and adapting is vital.
This guide is here to help you avoid social media branding pitfalls that could harm your engagement and brand.
Let’s look at four things to stop doing on social media.
1. Posting the Same Thing on Each Platform
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From individuals to businesses, most everyone has profiles on multiple social media platforms. Perhaps you’re running a company Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Posting and managing multiple profiles is a lot of work, so reposting the same content on every platform is tempting.
However, this isn’t a great social media strategy. Each platform is unique, and you should individualize your posts for the platform. For example, Instagram posts should be visual with a focus on Reels, while Twitter is more text-based.
2. Focusing on Promotion
Finding the right balance of promotion versus entertainment or education takes time and effort. If you’re a brand or company, you’re trying to grow your audience and make money.
At the same time, users often don’t appreciate overly promotional content, and they are likely to swipe away quickly.
Instead of pushing sales so hard, focus on the 5-3-2 rule for your posts. This means that for every ten posts, five of them should be sharing other people’s content. Three of the ten should be original content you’ve created. Finally, the last two posts can be unique or entertaining content that reflects your brand.
3. Relying on Viral Moments
Viral content might be a fun way for people to engage and find entertainment, but brands that post too much viral content are often annoying to users. Most likely, your audience has already seen the viral posts. Also, when brands try to use a viral phrase or sound late in the game, it can elicit eye rolls from their audience.
While this doesn’t mean you can never utilize viral content, you should do so wisely and with discretion.
One mistake many individuals and brands make on social media is relying too much on hashtags. When they were first developed, hashtags were crucial for finding an audience and promoting your content – but things have since changed.
While some platforms still encourage (or at least don’t penalize) hashtag use, you should use them sparingly. Ensure you aren’t adding numerous hashtags and calling it a day. Instead, use them with a strategy in mind or as a way to categorize posts.
What Should You Do on Social Media?
Now that you know some of the things to stop doing on your social media, it’s worth quickly reviewing the essential things you should do. Generally, you should cater your content to each social media platform. Also, post consistently and ensure you engage with your audience.
With these tips in mind, you can create better social media profiles, especially if you’re running branded social media.