Social Media is a wonderful tool … it’s just that sometimes the people that use it are, well, tools!!!
In the last 12 months alone we’ve spent 2400 hours managing Social Media Accounts for clients
Here are 10 Twitter Mistakes That Businesses Make Daily
Take note and read to the end of this article because chances are you’ve done at least one of them
1. Every Single Tweet Being A Sales Message
If you ever want to witness sales hell in real life walk into a Phone Shop
If you ever want to witness sales hell on twitter simply follow accounts that do nothing on twitter but try and sell you shit
People like to buy, but people don’t like to be sold to
If you’re one of the accounts that does nothing but sell – try talking to your customers, understanding what makes them tick and delight them with what you tweet. Sales will still come
2. Tagging People In Photo’s They’re Not Actually In
There’s a prompt that comes up when you upload a Twitter photo that ask “Who’s In This Photo?”
Now my eyesight can be a little iffy at times, but I don’t think I’ve read that as tag people who aren’t in the photo in this photo as a sly marketing tool
It’s very simple – only tag people / busineses in the photo that are actually in the photo
3. Tagging In Multiple Accounts Asking For A RT, when you’ve never even said hello personally
When we started daily tweeting about our hometown back in 2009 we were the only local twitter account doing it
Fast forward 6 years and there’s a few accounts doing what we did back in 2009
The thing is – all the accounts have different interests, different passions and different networks with the connection of us being passionate about our local town
So instead of treating local town accounts as one and the same – listen to what they post, be personal, say hello, even have a conversation with us
The true benefit of twitter it’s about relationship building and 121 communications
4. Following and Unfollowing on a regular basis to try and get a follow back
In our Social Media Training we always describe Following a User like a tap on the shoulder to say “look I’m interested in what you’re saying”
When they turn round and look at your tweets, the user makes a decision as to whether to follow back based on your tweets and content
If they don’t followback – repeatedly unfollowing and following back may get the users attention, but for all the wrong reasons
Focus on quality content and your followers will build
5. Automated Tweets saying how many people have followed or unfollowed you that week
To put it simply – no one cares how many people followed you or unfollowed you that week
Your fans will love to celebrate your milestones with you – those big moments where you hit the 100s, the 1000s – but a weekly update on your followers list is irrelevant
Head into your twitter settings, click the apps options and revoke access to the website posting it each week
6. Automated DMs asking people to like your Facebook Page
People have followed you on twitter because that’s the platform they want to spend their time on and follow your updates
This doesn’t mean they A) Use Facebook or B) Want To Follow You On Facebook As Well
It’s ok to thank people for the follow, make it personal and talk about them rather than at them – but to sell (which asking them to like a facebook is) on the 1st contact pushes more people away than it draws them in
If you’re doing this – just track the response you get to them and you’ll see it really isn’t hitting the mark anyway
7. Over-Tweeting during Twitter Hours
It’s pretty hard to over tweet – Twitter is so fast moving and people dip in and out throughout the day for real time updates
But there’s a caveat to that – You Can Over-tweet and most of the guilty parties do it during Twitter Hours
We’ve talked about Twitter Hours before so we don’t dwell on them – but 40 Retweets + an hour during a designated Twitter Hour ala #cheshirehour or #northwesthour is probably enough to make people hit the mute or unfollow button
8. Ranting
We recently ran a Twitter poll where 63% of voters were less likely to buy from a company that trolls or engages with trolls
Read the same for Twitter Ranters as well
In my hometown I know people who no longer check the local town search because of ranters and that’s to the detriment of the town itself sadly.
It’s also to the detriment of the said ranters other business interests
You Abuse. You Lose
9. Using The Quote Button Instead Of Reply
The difference between the Quote Button and the reply is
The Quote Button is designed to add value to all of your followers
The Reply Button is designed to add value to the original tweeter
If you’re using the Quote button ensure you are adding value to your followers and not just creating noise to appeal to your ego
You can just retweet if you have no value to add
10. Trendjacking Inappropriate Subjects
If someone has died it’s probably not the best subject to trendjack to sell your product
And yet with all the celebrity deaths of 2016 so far I’ve seen people do just that
Literally as hard faced and Cynical as
“Who Is Up For A Drink Today? #davidbowie #lemmy” …. and so on
Don’t do it
WANT TO CHAT ABOUT MARKETING THAT WORKS?
If you want to chat to us about an effective marketing plan for your business
Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
