Every business dreams of hitting the social media sweet spot. To be the talk of the internet. To land the viral post or tweet, sending hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to one’s virtual domain to sign up as loyal subscribers, buyers, fans, etc. Yep, that’s the 21st century dream.
But it’s easy to get derailed by misconceptions of what gets social media ticking. Hailed as “the pulse of the planet”, Twitter is arguably the key platform most small businesses need to master to keep engaged with their audience. But how exactly does one score some Twitter love?
While an exact miracle formula is hard to come by, we can tell you what NOT to do.
Avoiding these 8 common mistakes will pave the way for a long and healthy Twitter presence for your brand, at least until the digital winds change.
1. “Tweeting” Your Own Horn All the Time
The cardinal sin: thinking Twitter is a free advertising platform. The rule to remember – connect first, promote later. People don’t respond to the hard-sell approach anymore. Those days are long gone especially on social media. First, talk to your audience. Then you’ll know what to sell them, and how.
2. Sharing Only Your Own Content
You might have great content to share, but you’re not the only one. Sharing quality content from multiple sources to benefit your audience tells them you put their interests first, not your ego.
3. Forgetting to Make It Relevant
In case you missed the memo, it’s all about sharing content that’s relevant to your audience. It’s not how often you tweet, but whether your tweets are actually helpful to your followers.
4. Ignoring Complaints
NEVER. Not even if the customer is objectively in the wrong. This is your chance to connect with the customer. To impress, blow them away with your superb customer service skills. Ignoring complaints sends a clear message: you don’t care. And if you don’t care, they won’t care either. End of story.
5. Doing It Because of the Herd Mentality
If you jump on the Twitter bandwagon just because everyone else is doing it, you’re not likely to go far. There has to be a clear purpose for doing it. If you have nothing valuable to say to your followers, they’re not going to stick around.
6. Expecting the Twittersphere to Buzz Around You
Reality check: Blasting the Twittersphere with links about your products and services won’t make any ripples. Not unless you take the initiative to interact with your followers, ask them what they think, offer free advice, or do something to put a smile on their face.
7. Not Committing to It
If you want your brand to stand out on Twitter, you need to commit to it. It’s a long-term relationship, not a quickie. Tweeting irregularly and randomly tells your followers you’re not serious. It doesn’t inspire trust or confidence.
8. Behaving Unprofessionally
No matter how negative those tweets are, think twice before you respond unprofessionally. You can’t escape the internet’s watchful eyes. Always maintain a professional attitude, or you’ll get eaten alive.
Now you know the common mistakes to avoid, spread those wings and tweet your songs. Your audience is waiting. Oh, and have fun while you’re at it.
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