7 Deadly Sins of B2B Social Media

Social media has become a mainstay in society over the last decade. I challenge you to go anywhere (unless it’s in the middle of the woods where there is no electricity or data signal) and find a business or person that isn’t somehow connected on social media. I’ll bet you’ll give up before you find one — and for good reason.

Social media has allowed us to expand our voice to places and people that would have previously been impossible to reach. But with great power comes great responsibility. The internet is littered with best practices, infographics and tips for using social media for your business — and most are really helpful. But rather than having to remember stats or times of day, or even types of posts, it may be easier to think about posting in a broader sense. You have undoubtedly heard of the seven deadly sins. Here, I’ve applied them to posting as your business and offered some tips for how to avoid falling into some of the more common traps.

SLOTH

Did you know that 41% of marketers spend less than 6 hours per week on social media? You may be thinking ‘That seems pretty reasonable’, however, we are quickly becoming a society that lives in the social sphere, and people are expecting immediate responses from the companies they interact with.

We know that time is valuable, so it’s important to use your time wisely. Here’s the first tip: If you don’t have time to invest in every platform — DON’T. Not having a Twitter profile or Facebook page is much better than having a page that hasn’t been touched or managed for 3 months to 3 years. Having a stagnant page makes the business look dated and out of touch with it’s consumers. You are much better off to simply shut down the page until you have the time to dedicate to consistent posting.

Additionally, you may have heard that many of the social algorithms are rapidly changing. In most cases, they require that the pages remain active and see activity and engagement in order to be bubbled up higher in the newsfeeds. Just another reason to remain active on the platforms you choose, and stay away from the platforms that don’t make sense for you.

GLUTTONY

We mentioned how “sloth” can damage your social image, so let’s look at it from the opposite perspective. What happens when you over post? There are more than 27 million pieces of content shared online every day. As consumers and businesses we are inundated with information at every turn, it is important that you respect the time of your followers. Don’t post too frequently or post the same content repeatedly as it will backfire and cause content fatigue. This will result in your followers disregarding your posts, or even worse un-following you because you have become too exhausting to listen to. There are 3 important questions to ask yourself before posting on social media. Click here if you don’t know what they are.

So, what’s the tip? Everything in moderation, and it must answer 1 of 3 important questions.

GREED

Did you know that there is actually a formula for how much of your own content vs. how much of other people’s content you should share? It’s called the 80/20 rule.

80% of the content you share should be valuable and relevant news or current events from people you follow, potential clients or other industry organizations around the internet. The remaining 20% of the content should be about your business, specials, or services you offer.

We know that it may sound contradictory, but your profiles on social media are exactly that — social. You might be amazed at how far you get sharing information from potential clients to your fans and followers. It builds an informal rapport and provides you with a friendly opening for formal introductions. Here’s the tip: Be social and share information from others; they will be more likely to share your content in return which will increase your visibility.

LUST

Don’t chase after followers or fans! 96% of B2B marketers know that social media is important to drive new business Remember, you may be a business owner or manager but, you are also a consumer. As such, you know how forced it feels when businesses try to stalk you on social media.

So, what’s the tip to overcome the odds? Sit down, look at your neighborhood, your consumers and the clients you are trying to attract. Rather than chasing them, give them the things they are looking for — how-to guides, check lists, video tutorials.

PRIDE

It’s easy to get caught up in how many followers, fans, likes, shares, etc. that you have on social media, but what happens when you stop trying to push the envelope because it’s become “good enough”. You may have 1 million followers, but if you haven’t gained more or haven’t converted them to clients recently, then how valuable are those followers, really? Make sure that you are constantly nurturing your audience. Your fans may not be clients now, but they could be. Stay top of mind by staying active.

Don’t get too comfortable with where you are in social media — always push forward, always want more. You converted 3 fans to clients last month? Go for 5 this month. Considering how often Google, Facebook and Twitter alone change their newsfeeds and algorithms, it is important to continue trying to one-up yourself on social media.

WRATH

Social media is good and bad for exactly the same reasons — it allows people to have a voice online without being held personally accountable. This allows for people to not only praise your business, but also say not-so-flattering things. I’ve found that it’s much like voluntary surveys — you will only hear from the extremes — either people who love you, want to tell the world, or people who hate you, want to tell the world.

Keep that in mind when reading comments, and reviews online. How you respond isessential to the future of your social presence. Those harsh posts, or bad reviews are actually fantastic opportunities to build brand advocacy. Nothing (and no one) speaks more loudly than when you turn a negative into a positive. Think of these negative situations as an opportunity to change someone’s mind and the positives as proof of all of your hard work paying off.

Tip: Before fighting fire with fire, sit back and think of why that person is upset, and think of a way to turn the situation into a positive experience FOR THEM. The key is to not be defensive; rather, be helpful and understanding. It will speak volumes for the way you do business.

ENVY

There are thousands of brands online that have certainly hit their social media stride. Think Red Bull, Gap, Taco Bell and even Pop-Tarts. It’s great to admire them, learn from them, and even borrow an idea that can be re-purposed — but don’t get caught up in being jealous of them.

Every brand is different, every company is different. Their secret? Story telling. Know what your story is and own it. Show your readers that you are in touch with what they want to read and make it fun. Why envy other brands when you can be a social media rock star in your own right.