If we go back in time to 10 years ago, we bet no one would’ve thought that social media could help make or break a brand, right? But it is 100% possible (proven even) for a brand image to be severely affected by the way their social media is handled.

Some brands’ social media game is so strong, that it actually single-handedly increased their sales and profit! Some other brands however, have not quite received the memo!
The golden question here is: what do I need to pay attention to in order to avoid ruining my brand image through social media? Keep reading to find out!

Not following a strategy

This is a given to us. Every successful brand with a social media existence (umm, everyone?) must prepare a strategy that aligns with the brand’s vision, and follows the tone of voice and image of the company. Doing so will ensure that content is consistent, relatable and makes sense to the viewer.

“Winging it” just doesn’t cut it anymore. In what world would a follower stay interested if you disappear for a month and come back with an irrelevant post?

Think about it, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of posts are being posted online daily. There is an abundance of incredible visuals and creative captions, therefore every brand needs to be prepared with a strong strategy to stay relevant!

Deleting negative comments

Negative comments are what companies across the world try to avoid, but they are honest feedback from consumers that brands need to take into consideration and appreciate. It might cross your mind to delete the negative review, but this is one of the worst things you can do to your brand! It instantly discredits you and will definitely make the problem worse. Instead, the right thing to do would be to apologize to your follower, try to rectify the mistake and make sure it never happens again.

Not providing actual value

We understand that most brands, if not all, use social media platforms either to promote a service or sell a product, but the age of posting one promotional piece of content after another is long gone.

A social media account that doesn’t provide value will not last long. Providing value doesn’t necessarily mean life changing information or math solving methods, it can be as simple as inspiring your followers, entertaining them or making them laugh! If you’re a medical center for example, you could post medical information that is related to trending topics, and if you’re a fashion store you could post outfit ideas and tips on how to mix and match different patterns and colors!

Treating all social media platforms the same way

Different social media platforms were created for different objectives, and they should be treated like so! Don’t make the mistake of posting the exact same piece of content across all platforms, but make some subtle changes to the copy to make it more user friendly, to avoid looking lazy and careless.

Acting automated and losing the human touch

The equation is very simple: humans relate to humans. If we can learn one thing from brands who are acing their social media game, it would be the way they talk to their followers. People will automatically form a connection with brands that don’t sound like bots. Try to keep your approach friendly and talk to your followers like a human being would!

Are you a social media manager? Are you interested in staying up to date with the latest in the social media world? Make sure to follow INDEX Media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and stay connected!

Noor Alsheikh
Social Media Executive