30 Things Not to Do on Social Media

Social media platforms, used by millions of people all over the world, play an important role in the promotion of brands, products and services. When social media channels are managed correctly, their reach can be expanded. The number of followers who will turn into customers in the short, medium and long term can be increased.

However, it is necessary to pay attention to some rules when using Google+, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest platforms. Otherwise, a simple mistake can damage brand value. Sahne Medya, the right address for Google partner agency and professional SEO service, has compiled the things that companies should not do on social media.

1-Focus on Facebook: When social media is mentioned, Facebook generally comes to mind. According to research, 71 percent of internet users prefer Facebook. So, does just being on Facebook meet social media expectations? In order to reach their target audiences, it would be a good approach for businesses to target different social media networks such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, in addition to Facebook.

2-Joining Many Social Media Networks: Apart from Facebook, other social media platforms can also be considered. However, being on too many social networks at the same time can sometimes have its disadvantages. If a membership is opened in social media environments such as Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter and no activation is made, the site traffic or number of followers will not increase. It should be observed which accounts the target audience uses most. For example; If the business's target audience spends a lot of time on Twitter, a Pinterest account may not be needed.

3-Thinking Only About Yourself: Social media is an important interaction tool. Sometimes it can be challenging for individuals and institutions to spare time for social media. But what needs to be done is to establish strong communication with the target audience. Content that attracts visitors' attention and generates conversions increases the number of followers of brands, products or services.

4-Not Thinking Twice Before Sharing: Sharing pain or joy in social life is, of course, a good behavior. However, the same cannot always be said for social media posts. It is necessary to be more careful and think twice before sharing. Because some posts can leave permanent effects and lead to irreparable consequences.

5. Sharing Hastily: Maybe sharing on social media is a pleasant and simple process. But sometimes the consequences can be unpleasant. Therefore, it is necessary to check whether the information, visual and message to be shared is legal or ethical. The reliability of the sources should be seriously examined. In short, posts should be thought through in detail and should not be rushed.

6-Not Paying Attention to Spelling Rules: Maybe some people use expressions and concepts in daily language in their personal accounts. However, professionals do not adopt such an understanding. What is written should be reviewed at least twice. An incorrect statement may reflect negatively on the brand's reputation.

7-Answering in an amateurish manner: It is possible to encounter people who mislead people or institutions among the groups contacted. Under all circumstances, these negative behaviors should be approached more professionally. Having a polite and respectful attitude is a much more effective method of communication.

8-Being Impersonal: It should be made felt that there is a person or institution behind the social media accounts. Many businesses act as if they were robots when communicating with the target audience. To visitors; Some introductory information about the person, institution or organization should be given. The number of followers of the brand should be increased in a respectful manner.

9-Hiding from Negative Comments: There is always the risk of unintentionally sharing a text or image. Apologizing in such situations is a great virtue. Accepting the mistake and learning from it increases the reputation of the individual or business in the eyes of users.

10- Not listening: A constant dialogue should be established with followers within the target audience and the feedback from them should be analyzed. This service can be provided through tools such as Google, Alerts TweetDeck, Social Mention, Topsy, Hootsuite and Icerocket. All people's questions should be answered and followers who give positive feedback about the brand should be thanked.

11- Not Optimizing Social Media Profiles: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is making a brand's website comply with certain criteria for search engines to crawl. Social media accounts, like the website, should be similarly optimized. Definitions, titles and URL addresses that attract attention in search engines and social media should be included. Meanwhile, it should not be forgotten that the optimization technique of social media channels is different.

12-Forgetting Social Media Buttons on the Site: Social media buttons should not be neglected to facilitate the use of visitors on the website. With this method, visitors who like the contents used on the page will have the opportunity to easily share them on their social media accounts. Social media buttons will further increase the number of followers and visibility of the brand.

13-Being Very Ordinary: It's important to be fun and interactive on social media. However, as mentioned before, this process must be managed consciously. For example; A post in a restaurant environment will not contribute much to brand awareness.

14-Don't Just Share Content from Your Site: Social media is an ideal platform to reach new customers operating in the industry. Sharing content about developments in the industry increases the number of followers. The attention of the target audience can be attracted with informative or entertaining quality content.

15-Being inexperienced: Today, there are differences between generations regarding social media use. Young people have more experience and skills in social media. However, older people may have some deficiencies in this area. For this reason, experienced personnel who know the details of social media should also be employed in the business team.

16- Increasing Your Follower Number Instantly: Every person or brand aims to have a high number of followers on social media. However, it is against the rules for this to happen quickly and in a short time. Maybe it is possible to reach thousands of new followers at once with some applications. Of course, it is a nice feeling to see the numbers grow with each page. But this is not an organic way. The important thing is to gain members who will constantly support the brand.

17-Leaving Comments Unattended: There are many frustrating users on the internet. There is a risk of becoming a target of these people with a poorly thought-out comment. Therefore, as is frequently emphasized, every comment or statement should be approached sensitively and there should be no delay in responding. In frustrating situations, solutions should be produced on legal grounds without descending to the level of the interlocutors as much as possible.

18-Working with a Social Media Manager: Understanding technology or knowing the technical details of social media platforms and being a social media manager are different areas of endeavor. In this regard, in some cases it may be beneficial to work with a marketer or a good communication expert who knows the society closely.

19-Staying Dependent on One Person: Creating content on social media and attracting the attention of the target audience takes time and effort. An experienced social media team is needed to keep the accounts constantly active. With a professional social media team, customer questions can be answered quickly and efficiently. This increases the prestige of the business.

20-Not Knowing the Differences Between Accounts: Personal and business pages of Google+, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest platforms are separate. Thanks to these channels, developments in the business world can be followed with friend groups on social media. However, care should be taken to ensure that posts are made from relevant accounts.

21-Making Timing Mistakes in Posts: Timed sharing can be advantageous in terms of planning. However, some content planned thanks to the timer may become meaningless due to unexpected developments. For example; An event already announced on the scheduler may be canceled at the last minute. In order to avoid such a problem, possible latest developments should be constantly taken into consideration.

22-Not Encouraging Followers: There should be a constant flow of information that will arouse interest in individuals who follow the business and brand on social media accounts. Competitions can be organized for this. However, there may always be problems with the products that can be given as gifts after the competition. User questions can be answered quickly. Educational information about their lives can be presented. Or, posts can be made about a new product or service.

23-Underestimating the Data: It is important to measure how effective a campaign on social media is. Otherwise, there will be uncertainty about the continuation of the work. How many people did the message reach? What content were users most interested in? Knowing the answers to these and similar questions will help draw a healthy route. The data in question can be analyzed with tools such as Google Analytics, Moz Analytics, Buffer, Sproutsocial.

24-Not Promoting Your Profile Through Advertisements: A person or brand's followers may not be able to see everything shared. The method to solve this problem is advertisements. Advertising methods of each social media platform are different. By using these methods, it is possible to increase the visibility of your profile and the number of followers.

25-Not Having a Quality Control System: A post or photo may have been superficially checked before being shared. But having a quality control system makes this procedure even healthier. For example; Is the image you want to share up to date? Or could this photo be related to another topic? In order not to make mistakes on these and similar points and not to damage the value of the brand, it is necessary to establish a quality control system.

26-Being Negative: Generally, positive content should be featured on social media. Because followers like entertaining and inspiring content more.

27-Being Inconsistent: A consistent path should be followed regarding the time and amount of content shared on social media. Shares should coincide with the time period when the target audience is active. Sharing regularly increases visitors' expectations and viewership rate. When this harmony is disrupted, users' interest decreases.

28-Failing to Build Credibility: It's a basic rule; Practice is more effective than discourse. Customers want to trust managers or experts who have a say in the industry. For example; A brand that promotes itself as “environmentally friendly” should not harm the environment. Honesty is always the most valid currency. Brands are expected to follow these recommendations meticulously, whatever they are advised on.

29–Sharing Without Visual-Video: It is faster to see, read and share many contents that contain images or videos. The like rate can be increased with quality photos and videos. Especially on Facebook, such posts receive serious likes.

30-Using Hashtags Inappropriately: Hashtags (#) added to the text of social media posts have become a phenomenon. Hashtags can contribute significantly to content shared on social platforms. Hashtags have an important function in environments such as Google+, Facebook and Pinterest. Short, clear and understandable hashtags should be preferred in posts.