In today’s fast-moving social media world, people will jump at any chance to say something negative about you or your brand if you give them the opportunity.
This article that JC Sweet & Co. wanted to share from Hootsuite discusses things that brands do on social media that people absolutely hate.
14 Things Brands Do on Social Media That People Hate
Here are our some ways your brand may be annoying or alienating your followers:
1. Oblivious self-promotion
Yes, brands are on social media to sell. Your audience isn’t going to hold it against you, for the most part. Unless you just won’t stop selling.
When you’re building your social media calendar try to follow the 80/20 rule: eighty percent useful (i.e., informative, entertaining, awe-inspiring, etc.) versus twenty percent promotional.
Or, another way of thinking about it: your audience is composed of human beings with thoughts and feelings.
2. Too much AI
Speaking of human beings, consider talking like one, too.
According to Pew Research, 66 percent of Americans have heard of social media bots, and 80 percent of those people think bots are bad.
If you’re considering automating your social media—whether it’s a customer service chatbot or a pay-for-Instagram-followers service—take a moment to consider how badly it could go.
Unless a booking assistant bot is actually faster and more convenient than the alternative methods, don’t risk annoying your potential customers.
Even more problematic: using a bot to automate your social media interactions (eg., retweeting certain hashtags or following/retweeting certain users).
3. Non-apologies
Whether you’ve inconvenienced one person or offended millions, take the situation as seriously as they do.
Some key ingredients of a good apology:
- Accept responsibility
- Acknowledge the other person’s feelings
- Don’t make excuses
- Commit to being better
- Try not to speak like a character from Kafka’s The Trial
4. Not listening
Social media is not a billboard campaign. When you’re crafting every post with the goal of actively encouraging engagement, at some point you’re going to receive less-than-positive feedback.
Don’t ignore complaints. Not responding to negative feedback is its own crystal-clear response. Not only can your audience see you, cold-shouldering other customers, but you’re also missing out on an opportunity to transform the situation into a positive experience.
What’s the best way to get fewer complaints? Learn from the ones you do get.
People aren’t shy about telling you what needs to change. To that end, a social listening strategy can help you gauge customer mood across social media platforms, and act on it.
Click here to finish reading this article on Hootsuite.