By: Amber Bullis
For some education marketers, using social media is like being a kid at an ice cream shop. There are seemingly unlimited options for cheap and delicious fun, and there’s always something new to try. Indulge too much or without the right balance, though, and you’ll be left with a stomachache.
We’ve talked a lot about ways to do things right on social media: How to use SMART goals to guide your social media marketing, 5 tricks for getting ed tech social media right, and best practices for monitoring your social media activity.
But what about things you should not do on social media? Just in case you’re giving yourself a social media stomachache, review these five social media no-no’s in education. Just say no to:
- Using social media without a strategy
The ease and quickness of generating content and sharing posts on social media is both a blessing and a curse. It’s so easy to hop on your page and hit “publish” that it can be hard to stop and make sure your message moves your marketing strategy forward. Remember, anything you’re posting will be instantly visible to your customers and prospects and should align with your overall strategy. Avoid the temptation of posting a whim to ensure that you’re making a good impression and sticking to your plan.
- Only talking about yourself
No one likes spending time with the person who only talks about themselves. The same goes for social media. It seems obvious, but remember social media is about being social. It exists to foster collaboration and communication, and to see who can post the best memes (kidding…sort of).
People don’t log in to Facebook or Twitter to only hear what they should buy. Use social media as a way to share your helpful and engaging content, learn more about your prospects, and encourage two-way communication with your customers. Don’t only share or post content that encourages users to buy from you, try your demo, look at your product, or engage with you for nothing in return.
- Being too relaxed
Engaging with customers on social media feels more relaxed than traditional methods, but make sure you’re still representing your brand appropriately. Don’t forget to edit or proofread your content. Spelling errors and grammar mistakes will negatively impact first impressions and may also hurt your brand’s identity. Also, be sure that you’re responding to messages promptly and appropriately, and answer customer complaints in a polite and levelheaded manner. Keep your interactions positive.
- Using too many #hashtags
Using #hashtags on every #word in every #post feels #spammy and #annoying, and a little like the way your great-aunt uses social media. She tries, but it’s just a little off. Using hashtags incorrectly is an immediate sign of an inauthentic marketer or an out-of-touch user. Each social media platform is different, so make sure you understand how the specific community uses hashtags. If you’re new to creating social content and aren’t sure how to use them appropriately, HubSpot has some great tips and tricks on hashtag best practices.
- Using every social media outlet possible
Creating engaging content that both speaks to your audience and represents your brand or product is hard. It takes a lot of time, energy, and resources. Take some pressure off yourself and your team by starting with one social media platform that best fits with your goals. It’s always better to perform well on one social media outlet than to be not-so-great on many. Plus, the audience you want to reach may only be present on one or two outlets, making your efforts on the others lost.
There you have it. Five social media no-nos that will keep you out of trouble as you tackle the ice cream shop of marketing. Saying no to these common errors will help guarantee you aren’t harming your social media presence or your organization’s brand.
Thanks for sharing!
