7 Deadly Sins of Social Media Marketing

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2

3

4

LUST

GLUTTONY

GREED

SLOTH

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7

WRATH

ENVY

PRIDE

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Marketing through social media can be tricky, but at Suncoast Social, we’ve got your back. This series of guides will keep you from toppling down the hole into social media purgatory.

LUST

This sin is frequently committed immediately following the

thought: What’s the fastest way to double our followers?

#1. Don’t oversell.

Garnering “likes” and followers by promising far-fetched

results is a sure-fire way to start the relationship off on a bad

note. Imagine that you see a graphic designer's Twitter

account that promises a free customized logo to anyone

who follows them. Sure, the incredible offer may be

attention-grabbing, but if their followers don’t get their free

logo, they will feel slighted - or even scammed.

Overpromising to build your audience can lead to backlash

and bad PR. Aligning with the etiquette rules of social media,

never offer what you can’t deliver.

LUST

Do offer real solutions with measurable value.

We know that promoting your business requires a bit of

bragging. By all means, don’t be modest! Highlight your

accomplishments, but also outline viable, attainable

solutions. The most effective strategy to building a loyal fan

base is consistently delivering value. If you want to pique

viewers’ interest with an irresistible deal, offer a free trial or

realistic promotion that demonstrates clear benefits.

LUST

#2. Don’t pay for low-quality fans or followers

Marketing through social media can be overwhelming. When your business is just getting off the ground, it may seem tempting to simply pay for new page “likes” and followers. Please...please, don’t pay a company that promises to grow your audience by thousands overnight. Your new-found audience will be inauthentic. Think about the brands that you love. You share their pictures, laugh at their memes and even take the time to answer their questions. Your relationship with this brand was likely built on quality interactions that stemmed from honest, genuine interest.

LUST

Do demonstrate your appreciation to your loyal fans

In your quest to dominate the social media space, don’t forget about the fans you already have. Go out of your way to make them feel appreciated with exclusive offers, personalized messages and custom content.

LUST

#3. Don’t act desperate.

Remember that your customers aren’t your

marketing department. Constantly hounding your

fans to share, retweet and promote your business

will leave them feeling fatigued, and frankly, a

little used.

LUST

Do create quality content that your fans will want to share.

People share content because it’s inspiring,

educational, or just downright hilarious. When

building your social media marketing plan, try

including eye-catching infographics, sharing funny

memes, and highlighting industry-specific articles.

You business will build organic buzz by creating

unique content that your fans will be excited to

share with their networks.

LUST

GLUTTONY

When we hear the word “gluttony”, a certain persona jumps to mind: selfish, wasteful, indulgent. In pursuit of a comprehensive social media marketing plan, many businesses accidentally take on the gluttonous persona. Here's how to keep your business lean and effective:

#1. Don’t be wasteful with your words.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are

unparalleled in the art of attention-grabbing and link building.

Because of their immense influence, it is tempting to write verbose

content. Unfortunately, posts that are too long may ultimately

backfire and lose audience interest. So what’s the magic number of

characters, you ask? Compiling research from resources like

CopyBlogger and other industry leaders, BufferApp determined

that the ideal length of

● a tweet is 100 characters

● a Facebook post is less than 40 characters

● a Google+ headline is less than 60 characters.

Gluttony

Do share links to long-form content.

Long-form content is a thing of beauty. From keywords to knowledge-sharing, the value of content marketing promotion is undeniable. Instead of posting this expansive content on Facebook or Twitter, host it on your blog and link to it from your social media accounts. Create a hook, give a preview of the article, and drive links to your site.

Gluttony

#2. Don’t spam your fanbase.

Regardless of the topic, posting too frequently is a social media sin.

You want your readers to look forward to the content you share. If they

are spammed with hundreds of posts each day from your various

channels, they will begin to filter out your posts... and eventually your

brand. What’s the frequency sweet spot? After analyzing posts on each

platform, BufferApp suggests

● tweeting 14 times per day

● posting on Facebook and Google+ twice per day

● posting on LinkedIn once per day.

If you find your company regularly exceeding these numbers, try

boiling down to your best posts to maximize your reach and

engagement.

Gluttony

Do post interesting content regularly.

Have you ever been scrolling through your newsfeed and instinctively pause because you see a certain brand’s logo? Why did you stop? You stopped because you knew that they were about to share something unique and interesting with you. If your business consistently shares valuable tips, infographics and pictures, it will be the brand that makes their audience pause and take a look.

Gluttony

#3. Don’t try to conquer every platform.

Devoting equal effort to every social media platform may be a waste of your time. For instance, LinkedIn is more powerful for B2B and Google+ is a spectacular way to reach out to a male audience. If your business is focused on B2C, make Facebook and Twitter management your priorities. While diversifying and creating fresh content on multiple platforms is a smart strategy, speaking to an empty room won’t yield results.

Gluttony

Do find your fans and engage with them.

Who is your audience? What topics are they interested in? What platform do they use the most? The answers to these questions will help you discover which communities your audience belongs to and which platforms they use. In addition to your own research, you can find statistics online regarding each site’s demographic. Once you’ve found where your fan base spends their time, engage with them by asking questions, hosting contests and sparking conversations.

Gluttony

GREED

Greed doesn’t need much of an introduction. Every day we read headlines about businesses who have committed this sin in astronomical ways. While we know that you would never lie, cheat or steal, there are subtler ways in which people get caught up in greed. This sin is particularly crucial because consumers are very familiar with acts of social media greed.

#1. Don’t product dump.

We all want to highlight our products and services on social media.

However, the basis of social media is the development of genuine

relationships. Unlike some traditional forms of marketing, social

media marketing involves a lot more than product pushing. The

nature of social media requires businesses and consumers to take

on roles that are less formal and more friendly. Businesses’ roles on

social media should be just that: social. The vast majority of

interactions on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

should be focused on relationship building. Your fans and followers

will be turned off if their entire newsfeed has turned into a long list

of advertisements from your company.

GREED

Do follow the 80/20 Rule.

The 80/20 rule applies to many aspects of our lives and is

especially important in social media marketing. 80% of your

social media content should be informational, educational,

engaging, or funny. In other words, create content that begs

to be shared. The power of social media rests in the vast

networks of your fans. The other 20% of your posts can

feature your product. Even when promoting your brand, try

creating social media content in a way that is still unique and

valuable.

GREED

#2. Don’t bait and switch.

Do companies really do this? Yes, and here’s how. Some marketers

will use clickbait to attract the reader’s attention with “a highly

engaging headline that gives a user just enough information to

want to see the outcome, but cleverly disguises what they may

actually experience” (Social Media Today). If your blog headline

promises to debunk ten myths about email marketing, the link

shouldn’t take fans to a product page that barely discusses the

myths at any length. One of the quickest ways to lose trust and

credibility is through the clickbait method. If you have the tiniest

sense that your headline or title seems misleading, follow your

instincts and create a more honest description.

GREED

Do offer valuable solutions.

Be generous and forthcoming in all of your communications.

For many consumers, an online interaction is their first

contact and experience with the brand. One bad experience

is all it takes for a consumer to write off your company

entirely. Here’s how you can catch their interest AND

provide them with valuable content. Do some listening,

conduct research and discover what your audience is

interested in. Then create posts and articles that will

genuinely attract real leads.

GREED

#3. Don’t make customers pay for regular content.

Content like blog posts, case studies and eBooks are critical to small business marketing. They demonstrate your creativity, expertise and passion. Unless your business is centered around selling info-products like web courses, you should give the majority of your content away for free. When readers engage with this content, they learn about your company and start to build a sense of trust. Once readers decide that your company is reputable and knowledgeable they will become customers.

GREED

Do collect information that will make their experience more enjoyable.

While you shouldn’t ask for money in exchange for your

content, you should ask users for a few snippets of

information. Ask for information that can be used to

customize emails, better meet their needs and create an

valuable personal experience. However, don’t get greedy

and make people “pay” for their content by submitting

massive amounts of personal information. Stick to a few

lines of info like name, contact info, and category of interest.

GREED

SLOTH

We’ll get around to talking

about it eventually…. just

kidding! Sloth is a sin that is

usually committed without

intent, and that’s the problem.

This sin creeps up on us when

we get too comfortable and

sedentary. Follow this list to

keep your business from

slipping into a sloth-like

marketing campaign:

#1. Don’t ignore fan interactions.

Social media allows businesses the incredible opportunity to interact directly with consumers. If we stop and take a moment to understand what this really means, it’s pretty amazing. When your fans ask questions, make comments or share pictures, you should take the time to respond. You have the potential to convert them into customers with a simple response, “like” or retweet. If you don’t respond, you may lose a fan and gain bad PR. Unanswered inquiries on social media are seen by the whole world, so don’t leave anyone hanging!

SLOTH

Do respond frequently and publicly.

If a customer voices an issue with your product or service on social media, respond in a courteous, timely manner. If the issue requires a personal message, first acknowledge the comment publicly. In your response, let the user know that they will receive a direct message from you shortly. This issue goes much further than one customer because your interactions are public. Use the situation as an opportunity to showcase your fantastic customer service skills! Also, be sure to share and promote the wonderful things your fans have to say about you. Retweet fan pictures, “like” their complimentary posts and favorite relevant tweets.

SLOTH

#2. Don’t get too comfortable.

When you find what works just stick with it, right? Yes and no. Always be learning and adapting new tactics into your social media strategy. Staying relevant is key to being influential and effective on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Your fans and followers look to you for breaking news, interesting articles and engaging pictures.

If you’ve found a topic or category that’s engaging your audience, there’s no need to dramatically change direction. However, you should continue to infuse those topics with new information. Posts with the exact same type of content will start to lose traction when they’re repeated.

SLOTH

Do stay up to date on new trends.

Staying relevant requires constant curiosity. Never let yourself be satisfied with what you already know. Conduct hashtag research, check out consumer reports and always listen to what your fans are saying. Social media and inbound marketing are largely structured around personas. While you may have done extensive research on your target personas when you first created your marketing plan, remember that these personas can change almost daily! Providing value to your fans is easiest to do when you have a thorough understanding of their needs.

SLOTH

#3. Don’t put off brand building.

It’s easy to let your branding take a back seat when

you are looking for new customers. However, making

sales is a lot easier when consumers feel that your

brand is influential and trustworthy. Developing your

brand’s voice is a critical aspect of social media

marketing. Without a comprehensive brand

personality, your company may appear unorganized or

scatter-brained online.

SLOTH

Do utilize storytelling to increase engagement.

Social media is unparalleled in its ability to build brand

personality. One way to strengthen your brand and create

relationships is through storytelling. Tell your company’s

story, how you got started, and who your teammates are.

Develop a relationship with a charity you admire, share their

pictures and explain how you support them. Create a visual

campaign that tells a story through the picture alone. All of

these tactics will build your brand and attest to your

authenticity.

SLOTH

WRATH

Even reading the word “wrath” gives me chills! This sin is committed when we let our emotions get the best of us. As in any aspect of business, never make rash decisions out of spite.

#1. Don’t release your fury on your customers.

No matter how brilliant the company, at some point, a customer will air an issue or complaint on social media. Whether or not the complaint is warranted, business owners should not personally attack their fans. This might seem like common knowledge, but you would be surprised how many brands deal with this type of issue on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there will always be people who enjoy attacking a company’s products, team members and even reputation. When you feel your blood start to boil, take a step back and view the situation from a greater perspective.

WRATH

Do resolve issues and maintain respect.

Always address the situation from the high road. This is

simple to say, but more challenging to put into practice. If

the customer brings up an issue with your products or

services, respond with a calm understanding and a detailed

explanation of next steps. The majority of customers who

voice their questions or concerns on your social media

platform are simply looking for advice and

acknoweldgement. Ensure them that they have been heard

and that you are taking measures to rectify the situation.

WRATH

#2. Don’t perpetuate negative attention.

Bad PR can happen in a second. Just as positive stories go viral, negative ones can gain traction in a heartbeat. While we hope you never find yourself in this predicament, don’t give the press a reason to perpetuate the negative conversation. Instead of immediately jumping on the defensive or counter-attacking on social media, release a statement acknowledging the situation and the steps you are taking to make things right. Never let yourself get caught up in emotion and accidentally add fuel to the fire.

WRATH

Do act humbly and make changes when necessary.

Bad press can be sparked by a host of situations. In some cases, you will need to stick up for your product and help others understand why your company provides the best quality. In others, you may need to take an honest look at your practices and decide if they need to be updated. If your company must make a fundamental change in order to keep another issue from arising, keep your fans updated on social media. Ensure that they know that their experience with your brand is your highest priority.

WRATH

#3. Don’t pick fights with competitors.

Social media not only allows for direct interaction between businesses and customers, but also between multiple businesses. Until platforms like Facebook and Twitter really took center stage, this type of communication was rarely done publicly. Although it may be tempting to enter into argument with a competitor who undercut your prices or sullied your company’s reputation, a full-blown fight will only attract more media attention. In fact, it may even make you look like a poor sport.

WRATH

Do participate in fun, light-hearted dialogue.

Some of the most viral, positive messages on social

media have stemmed from brands interacting with

each other. Old Spice, Taco Bell, and Oreo have all

received massive attention based on their Twitter

interactions with consumers and other brands. Spark

up entertaining conversations with other brands. Not

only will this demonstrate your company’s unique

personality, but it will also get the attention of the other

company’s followers.

WRATH

ENVY

The business world is in no

short supply of envy. In

social marketing, envy can

take root and unravel a

company’s reputation. This

sin is one of the trickiest to

avoid because it often

stems from a good

intention: our desire to be

better.

#1. Don’t copy your competitors.

There are dozens of tools that help us spy on our competitors and keep an eye on their digital marketing strategies. It follows suit that when we see that a social marketing tactic is working wonders for a competitor, it seems like a good idea to copy their strategy. Before abandoning ship and jumping onto theirs, we must remember why our companies are unique. Brand personality can be severely damaged by simply copying another company’s social marketing tactics. Always keep your company’s vision in mind and don’t compromise by committing the sin of envy.

ENVY

Do learn from them.

While conducting competitive analysis, find a take-away from every situation. Ask questions like, “Why is your competitor’s audience connecting so well with their social media campaign? Which of their posts get the most traction? What time of day does their Twitter light up” Then apply these relevant ideas to your business. Discover brilliant tactics and make them your own. What can you do to reach your target audience in an impactful way?

ENVY

#2. Don’t be intimidated into silence.

Social media gives us direct access to the leaders in every industry. The Beyonces, Mark Cubans and Targets of the world are at our fingertips… and they have massive networks. The sheer numbers of followers, favorited tweets and number of likes they have is mind-boggling. So understandably, it’s easy to get intimidated or even overwhelmed by a sense of jealousy after seeing these numbers. With that in mind, never be afraid to mention an influencer on Twitter just because of their elite status. Although these high-profile brands probably won’t have the time to respond, if just 1% of their followers see your post, you analytics will skyrocket. Even one mention can create business-building buzz utilizing social platforms.

ENVY

Do create mutually beneficial relationships.

You don’t have to look far beyond your hometown, home-state or even your social circles to find connections that will exponentially expand your network. Find businesses in your community and follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Reach out to organizations outside your industry and promote one another. This will help you get noticed by their fans and develop an even broader network.

ENVY

#3. Don’t badmouth.

Calling brands out on social media looks desperate and rude. As we mentioned in the previous post about wrath, writing negative, emotionally fueled messages will never paint your company in a flattering light. Pettiness can live forever on social media. Arguments and ill-advised interactions can be dug up and hit virality in an instant. So when you feel like letting out an expletive, keep it to a muffled yell in your office.

ENVY

Do create a unique brand that draws in positive attention.

If you want to divert attention from your competitors, give your fans something funny, shocking or valuable on social media every day. Remember that even when you’re saying something negative about a competitor, you are probably still driving links and clicks to their site! Instead, spend time listening to your followers and discover the type of content they enjoy. Host a Twitter chat, create beautiful infographics and demonstrate your expertise.

ENVY

PRIDE

Pride is a tough topic. You should absolutely have pride in your business. You should also demonstrate that pride via social media.

However, too much pride can lead to social marketing blunders. This post will discuss how a big ego can hurt your efforts.

#1. Don’t use social media exclusively to brag.

You know that friend who can’t stop talking about his son’s ground-breaking achievements in t-ball? Don’t be that guy. Instead of pulling out your phone and subjecting him to picture after picture of your son, ask your friend what’s new in his life. Share the latest news about his favorite NBA team. This is the kind of friend brands should be to their followers. When communication becomes one-sided and self-indulgent, fans will not develop an genuine relationship with the company. In fact, they may even want to break up.

PRIDE

Do highlight your accomplishments.

It doesn’t hurt to remind your fans about your great work once in a while. Remember when we discussed the 80/20 rule in our post about greed? Determining how often to do a little bragging can be guided by this rule. Only 20% of your posts should be about your products or explicit brand promotion. As long as your posts remain celebratory rather than self-congratulatory, your fans are likely to join in with praise. Because they feel a connection to your brand, your achievements validate their endorsement.

PRIDE

#2. Don’t get defensive.

If a fan, customer, or competitor has a snarky comment for

you on one of your social platforms, don’t jump into the

counter-attack. Just like you, we’ve put blood, sweat, tears

and countless hours squinting at our computers into create

our business. We understand why you have pride in your

business… and you should. Let your pride lead you to making

decisions that build your company’s reputation. Proposing

solutions rather than starting a defensive campaign reveals

the true nature of a company.

PRIDE

Do admit when you’re wrong.

We really can’t stress this enough. Because social media is public by nature, there will always be a host of people ready to call out mistakes. Businesses that are too prideful to apologize will struggle to connect with their fans. Think about your dearest friends. Are they faultless? Do they maintain the illusion of perfection? Unless you are childhood friends with Buddy the Elf (who makes some missteps himself), your favorite people in the universe are probably flawed. Why do we love these people? It’s because they have the strength to apologize and the heart to do it genuinely.

PRIDE

#3. Don’t assume that you’re too good for social media.

Quite possibly the worst byproduct of being too prideful is presuming that your brand doesn’t need social marketing. Brands that use social marketing develop relationships with consumers that are unique and almost impossible to achieve without social media. Without these platforms, companies lose an invaluable resource of consumer data. The biggest, oldest brands in the world like Coca-Cola know that they need social media. Don’t let your pride force you to fall behind the pack.

PRIDE

Do take advantage of multiple platforms.

The marketing game has changed and will continue to rapidly evolve due in large part to social media. If you’ve recently been testing the waters, it’s time to dive in! Every industry benefits from a social platform whether it be LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest. With a well-structured social marketing strategy, your company can increase inbound leads and create a generation of brand advocates. Your audience is waiting for you as we speak.

PRIDE

7 Deadly Sins of Social Media Marketing

For more expert advice and guidance, check out more resources from Suncoast Social!