Seven Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing Posted March 24, 2011 by Lisa Strickland | Marketing, Social Media | 0 Comments

Taking your brand “social” is one of the best ways to drive traffic to your website and customers to your business. Here’s how to maximize your use of social media and build customer relationships.

Don’t be pushy.
Social media is a conversation, not a launch pad for your discount coupons or promotional blasts. Bring value to your online interactions by sharing relevant and useful information. If you do nothing but toot your own horn – people stop listening. In real-life, you’d be considered a crashing bore.

Choose the best mix of communication vehicles for your audience.
Find out where your market congregates online. Assuming that “everyone” is on Facebook is lame. Enable opt-in communication and let recipients choose the format and frequency with which they receive your information. All communication should direct the reader to one place where more information can be found. (Hint – it’s called a dedicated Web page).

Don’t flood the social media space with too many messages.
Unless you’re reporting breaking news, hourly tweets aren’t necessary. Ditto for sending the same message out via multiple channels (i.e., Twitter, LinkedIn, or your blog). Nobody wants to see the same message popping up at every turn. It’s annoying.

Make sure your posts are well written and interesting to read.
Fresh, original copy conveys your brand’s personality and keeps the reader engaged. Hire a copywriter to manage your social media content.

Don’t post personal details. Ever.
What you ate for lunch is of no interest to the world (unless the place where you had lunch is offering a stupendous deal that hasn’t been announced yet). Now that’s a different story.

Don’t collect fans. That means don’t “friend” everyone on Facebook, don’t “follow” everyone on Twitter. Be discriminating. Think of the implications for your business. Your goal is to have a following that matches your target market, not hordes of people who have no interest in your company.

Show up regularly – on time and on target.
How are you going to get to know your audience if you only communicate with them once every blue moon? Social media requires regular postings, tactical content and prompt responses to comments or questions.

Did you find this article helpful? What dos and don’ts would you add to the list? I’d love to hear your comments.