Social Media Mistakes & How to Fix Them Part 2

One in three big brands has yet to commit significant time and resources to social media. This means the conversation is happening without them, eliminating the opportunity to respond to the negative, reinforce the positive and or close the door to a competitor who is more socially adept. Ignoring social media also means you’ll have no means of fighting a social media fire if one erupts. Domino’s Pizza found this out the hard way, while “pizza guy” Ramon DeLeon used the same crisis to fire up his sales.

A lot of companies restrict employee access at work to social sites like Facebook and YouTube, afraid that productivity will drop. As such, there is a limited understanding of the channels themselves as well as the business opportunities that they can create. Companies that want to make the most of social media need to have a lot of social people, taking a cue from IBM whose commitment to social is mindboggling (like having 30k employees on Twitter!)

No one likes a blowhard and there is no quicker way to be unfollowed, unliked or just plain ignored than by tooting your own horn with relentless monotony. On the other hand, if you take your mother’s advice by “yacking less and listening more,” you’ll have lots more friends, friends who will welcome your offers once tendered. Skittles, in particular, has benefited immensely from an entirely soft sell approach, amassing over 15 million fans on Facebook in the process.

Some marketers feel it is okay to present completely different brand voices even on the same channel. A smarter approach is to establish your brand point-of-view upfront and to employ the various channels like instruments in an orchestra, creating a harmonious and synergistic effect. U by Kotex established a clear POV with a “bold honest attitude towards all things period and to call BS on everyone who doesn’t.” This POV permeated advertising and social media, helping the brand grab 20% market share and a grateful fan base.

Despite the ease of access, not all platforms are right for every brand, especially when you consider a particular brand’s objectives. Dell offers an ideal case in point, aligning multiple platforms with specific targets. @DellOutlet provides deals on Twitter for refurbished computers. IdeaStorm.com gathers user feedback and new product ideas while Dell’s SlideShare account supports investor relations.