We all know that social media offers many advantages to companies, both large and small. But the truth is that maintaining a good brand image is not easy. Most companies make many mistakes on social media, often damaging their brand image.
The brand image is the fundamental pillar for proper operation, so it is very important to avoid making serious mistakes on corporate social media. It is very easy to make errors in social media management or have a small mistake due to lack of planning; any mistake can lead to a flood of negative comments and a significant loss of customers.
In this blog post, we explain what the most common mistakes are when managing social media.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsQrZkzhgTA” title=”10 Social Media Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Brand Image”]Not Having a Well-Defined Social Media Strategy
Most companies do not have a well-defined and planned strategy. Publishing content randomly makes little sense. Therefore, you must first analyze your social media and focus on your audience by asking WHAT, HOW, and WHEN you should post your content. To create a good social media strategy, you need to dive into the brand’s business objectives and conduct a thorough analysis of your social media. This analysis should identify the best days and times to post and help you create a content plan that fits your audience’s tastes and preferences.
Being Present on All Social Media Platforms, Even If You Don’t Need To
There are many social media platforms, but that doesn’t mean you need to be on all of them. Everything depends on the type of business you have and your target audience. Each platform has a different audience. For example, a law firm wants to have a social media presence—on which platforms would it fit? It depends on the image you want to convey and where your target audience is located.
- Platforms like Instagram or TikTok have a young audience; the content tends to be more casual and fun. In this case, a law firm would not fit well on these platforms.
- However, platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or YouTube have an older audience, typically more formal and serious, offering more professional content. On these platforms, a law firm would fit better.
Not Fully Completing Brand Profiles
Another common mistake is not completing social media profiles. Many companies leave certain information fields empty. To attract customers, you need to provide all necessary details so that followers are informed and potential clients can be reached.
However, fully completing a profile is not enough. You also need to showcase your services or products in an engaging way and capture attention from the very first moment users visit your social media.
Buying Fake Followers Hurts Your Brand Image
Buying fake accounts on social media is very popular. Companies want to achieve a large audience or, rather, a “large number of followers” to “impact” new users visiting their profiles. But no matter how many followers you have, if they are not your audience, you will hardly be able to promote or sell your products or services. It’s better to have quality followers who interact with your content than a large number of uninterested followers.
Not Considering Social Media Algorithms When Posting
The social media algorithm is fundamental to effective social media management. Each platform has a different algorithm that adjusts the content on users’ timelines based on their interests. To beat the algorithm, you need to engage with your followers. Social media exists to socialize with users, so connect with followers by answering questions, thanking them for positive comments, or interacting with the content they post.
Using Too Many Hashtags in Posts/Videos (Shadow Banning)
A very serious mistake is writing a caption or message with too many hashtags. Overuse can “clutter” the text and reduce visibility. Companies often use random hashtags that have no relevance or search volume. Analyze trends and choose the right hashtags for your copy.
Using too many hashtags may lead to “shadow banning,” meaning the platform ignores your post due to over-optimization and does not show it.
Being Too Formal in Language
Social media has a different approach, serving as communication channels distinct from traditional ones. They are perfect for experimenting with informal messaging, using “you” instead of formal speech, short messages, and emojis to enhance the copy.
This does not mean that informal communication on social media is unprofessional.
Not Providing Valuable Content to Users
Brands’ goal on social media is to sell products or services, but your audience is looking for valuable content. Therefore, avoid excessively corporate or promotional messaging that only talks about the company and focus on delivering useful and engaging content to followers.
Posting Too Much Content in a Short Time
Posting too much content in a short period can harm your social media profile. Multiple posts in a single day may overwhelm followers, causing them to unfollow. Each platform has different posting norms; on Instagram, one post per day is fine, but on Twitter, multiple posts per day are acceptable.
Not Responding to or Deleting Criticism on Social Media Damages Your Brand
If brands don’t engage with followers, imagine responding to negative comments… it’s crucial to reply quickly and appropriately to every comment or recommendation, whether positive or negative. Social media also functions as a customer service channel.
For very negative comments, it is recommended to redirect the user to a private message to address the issue personally and calmly.
Achieving a Good Brand Image by Avoiding These Mistakes
As you can see, there are many mistakes brands make on social media. Achieving a good brand image without errors is challenging. You must invest time in creating valuable content, engaging with the audience, staying updated with social media trends, and providing personalized attention to each customer.
In short, if you avoid these mistakes mentioned in our blog, remain consistent on social media, and engage with your audience, …your brand image will improve.
At Dos Setenta, we can help you improve your brand image on social media! If you’re interested, you can request a free audit and we’ll analyze your social media. We have a highly skilled team in various areas of digital marketing that will help your company achieve continuous improvement. Contact us!
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