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Social media has become a powerful tool for companies to reach their target audience and communicate their brand message. However, it can also be a double-edged sword: One wrong move on a company’s social media accounts can result in a PR crisis, damaging the company’s reputation and bottom line.
From insensitive posts to inappropriate hashtags, there are many mistakes comms pros need to avoid making on their company’s social media accounts. Below, 14 members of Forbes Communications Council share the biggest social media faux pas companies can make on their commercial accounts, as well as tips for communicators to navigate these potential minefields.
1. Only Pushing Product Information
Commercial accounts that only push product information can be very boring and lack customer engagement. Communicators must mix up content from different categories, such as customer education, corporate culture, brand and mission, and product features and benefits, to attract and retain their audiences’ attention. - Roshni Wijayasinha, Prosh Marketing
2. Being Inauthentic
It is a social media faux pas to not be authentic, looking for reactions with clickbait and trying to drive impressions instead of being a voice of authority offering helpful information. Companies are creating the very noise they are trying to get through instead of being the “signal” or the voice of reason by providing new (even controversial) perspectives that help the evolution in their particular space. - Jessica Marie, Traceable
3. Being Afraid To Lead A Conversation
Being afraid to lead a conversation or jump into a seemingly contentious thread can be a missed opportunity for brands that are respected for their integrity and commitment to core values. It can be refreshing to see engagement from a trusted brand in a world that seems to have become polarized in communication threads. - Christy Thompson, Sonoco
4. Thinking Of Your Channels As ‘One-Way’
Thinking of your channels as “one-way” (out to the world) is missing the point. Customers today want interaction with a company, chances to engage with peers and other customers, and opportunities to be heard. We all have to program outbound content—but how many of us are listening for responses back, sharing audience insights within the company and creating peer networking or learning? - Eric Brown, JumpCloud
5. Promoting A Social Cause For Likes
Adopting and promoting a social stance to garner traction is a major faux pas. Whether it’s human rights, environmental activism or diversity and inclusion, I’ve witnessed companies jump on the bandwagon in the hopes of gaining free press. It’s important for business leaders to review their organization’s internal values, culture and employee benefits and ensure they are genuinely reflected in external communications. - Megan Ruszkowski, CoreSite
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6. Posting Insensitive Content
One of the biggest faux pas a company can make on its commercial social accounts is posting insensitive, controversial or offensive content. This can damage the company’s reputation and lead to negative publicity, loss of customers and even legal consequences. Communicators should also stay up to date on current events and social issues, and avoid posting insensitive or controversial content. - Omar El Bahr, nandbox
7. Posting And Ghosting
Don’t post and ghost. One of social media’s primary benefits is the ability to connect with customers in real time. By actively participating in conversations, responding to comments and messages and sharing relevant content, businesses can establish themselves as trusted and reliable sources of information. - Ryan Becnel, Energea
8. Refraining From Engaging
Corporate social media accounts tend to drive top-down communications only and refrain from answering, commenting, liking or disliking comments from brands’ friends and followers. By avoiding engaging, they miss half—the more valuable half—of the conversation. My recommendation is to take the risk and engage. Otherwise, sooner or later, a corporate social media account will be disregarded. - Svetlana Stavreva
9. Using A One-Size-Fits-All Comms Strategy
Some companies assume that a one-size-fits-all corporate communication strategy will work for their audiences on a vertical and/or local level. To avoid this mistake, it’s essential to understand what kind of messaging most resonates with your desired audience. Tailoring your messaging appropriately will ensure that you achieve your desired vertical or local communication goals. - Monica Ho, SOCi
10. Sharing Clickbait Without Reading It
Sharing a clickbait article without fully reading both it and the related comments is a common faux pas. The person posting may only read the headline and lead paragraph and miss the rest of the narrative or reaction, which could be potentially negative or misaligned with the company’s values. It’s important to be mindful when resharing snappy news to avoid going viral for all the wrong reasons. - Erica Morgenstern, Virgin Pulse
11. Forgetting The ‘Social’ In ‘Social Media’
One media faux pas is when brands create, but don’t engage. Social media is a two-way street. You can’t just post on your commercial accounts and ignore the comments you receive. If you do, you’re just ticking off the “media” box on your digital strategy while forgetting about the “social” part. - Melissa Kandel, little word studio
12. Not Tailoring Messaging To The Audience
The biggest faux pas is not tailoring messaging to the audience. Spreading the same message across different regions, platforms and consumer types can harm the brand. If a consumer feels misunderstood, they rarely change their minds. Consider the audience and their experience, and speak in a way that aligns and resonates with them. - Sarah Esteverena, Acceleration Partners
13. Trying To Plan Conversations In Advance
While posting consistently on social media is crucial, it’s important for brands to understand that not every conversation can be preplanned. Jumping into conversations as they happen can boost your audience connection and brand visibility. Smart publishing tools, such as keyword-based trending news, can help brands stay ahead of the curve and post in real time. - Brittany Garlin, Vista Social
14. Writing In A Tone Misaligned With The Brand
On commercial accounts, companies can be too formal, rigid and not aligned with their brand. To avoid this, keep the brand (tone, voice and language) consistent. Customers have personal, trustworthy relationships with company brands. That trust is broken when they do not receive the friendly, personal brand they expect. - Kimberly Osborne, UNC Greensboro
