When I work to promote events on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms I like to cross promote with other businesses and sponsors. For example if I am working with a non-profit I like to include the businesses that support the non-profit by mentioning them in Facebook and Twitter updates. In Wednesday’s blog, Five Ways to Promote Events on Facebook, I mentioned how easy and important it is to tag other pages. For example I may put up a post that says: “We really appreciate the great support @Other-Business has shown in our fundraiser.” This post will of course link to their page and show up on their “wall” benefiting both them and us. Whenever I work on one of these promotions I am always amazed how difficult some businesses make it to connect to their social media platforms. Here is my list of the top five things to do that will decrease your social media presence.
1. Do Not Put Social Media Buttons on your Website: If you have a Facebook, Twitter or any other social media account DO NOT put a link button anywhere on your website. If you do your customers may follow the link and join your page or subscribe to your tweets. That will just cause you problems because you may have to interact with a customer. If you feel you MUST put a link on your web site be sure to hide it well. A few tricks are to put them on the bottom of the page; use colors that blend in and don’t stand out; use small text instead of the universally recognized graphic buttons.
2. Do Not use Working Links: If you do feel a need to put social buttons on your website do not bother to put in links that work. It’s enough to tease your customers that you might have a Facebook page. If they are really interested in you they will take up the quest to find your page. The others who gave up were not worth having as fans anyway.
3. Do Not Use Your Real Business Name: Consistency is boring. Especially if you have a business name that is easily confused with another business. And for goodness sake, if your location is important do not ever put the location in your social media profile. While you are at it use different names for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and each other platform you use.
4. Do Not Set up One Social Media Profile, set up several on the same platform: If one Facebook business page is good think what a second Page, a Group page and a personal page will do for you? Spread your fans out and you’ll always be busy updating all the different pages.
5. Never Respond to Posts or Mentions: Obviously if someone is posting comments on your Facebook Page or Tweeting about you they ARE NOT BUYING from you at that moment. Enough of that! You have other things to do like counting inventory or laying off employees.
These are obviously good business practices because I saw all of these done more often then I saw the opposite and since these were all done by businesses they must obviously work. You should emulate them. What do you think? Are you doing any of these things? How is that working for you? Let me know in the comments below.
Image Media Partners helps businesses and organizations do just the opposite. If you would like to know how we can help contact us for a free social media marketing analysis.
Photo Credit: Sinister Blue Box
