4 Common Social Media Mishaps That Every Business Makes

In 2018, Snapchat lost $800 million of value over a single social media ad. The ad asked users if they would rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown.

That’s a tasteless post regardless. But it’s made worse by the fact that in 2009, Brown got arrested for assaulting Rihanna.

Even Rihanna called out Snapchat. The company’s market value quickly dropped by $800 million. 

Social media mishaps are all too common, even if they aren’t usually that expensive. In fact, social media can feel like a high-risk, low-reward proposition. 

But learning from others’ social media mistakes can keep you from making your own. Read on for five common social media fails. 

1. Too Many Posts

You want to engage with your customers, not spam them. If you had a friend who posted 20 times a day on Facebook, would that make you more likely to engage with them?

It would not. Instead, you’d probably keep scrolling whenever their name pops up in your feed.

We’re already inundated with ads. You don’t want to be one of those companies who tries to annoy your customers into submission. 

Two or three high-quality posts a day is better than 10 or 20 posts that are easy to ignore.

2. Not Seeming Human

Social media marketing is about marketing, yes. But it’s also about being social. And you can’t seem social if all your posts feel like they got created by a robot. 

You want to remind people that yes, there are humans behind your brand. Good social media marketing can do that with a well-timed joke. 

If humor isn’t your strength, find the funniest person in the office and get them to craft a few Tweets.

3. Ignoring Criticism

People on the Internet love to complain. It can be cathartic if you’re one of the complainers, but it’s frustrating if you’re a company that doesn’t know how to manage criticism.

It’s tempting to ignore or even delete negative feedback. But that’s not going to win you any new fans, and it may scare off existing ones.

Remember that good customer service is about taking ownership. Respond politely to the criticism. Ask the customer to email you if they need additional help. 

If a comment is abusive or threatening, you can feel free to delete it and block the user. But try to respond to most comments in good faith. 

4. Not Measuring Engagement 

Social media for small business is essential, but do you know why? It provides useful data, but only if you know how to measure it properly.

Measuring engagement helps you figure out what’s working and where you can improve. Google Analytics is a good starting point.

Identify your most popular posts. Figure out if they have anything in common. You can’t replicate success unless you understand why it exists in the first place. 

Avoiding Social Media Mishaps

Sites like Twitter and Instagram can seem like the Wild Wild West. Having a clear set of goals for social media makes social media mishaps less likely. 

Social media can work for you, but you have to do a little work first. 

Want more tips on running your small business? Check out our other small business articles. We’ve got plenty of advice to help you succeed in today’s ever-changing economy.