Social Media Faux Pas and How to Avoid Them
How to grow your following organically and avoid those social media faux pas!
Social media is obviously a HUGE part of my business. I’m not going to lie, when I wanted to increase my Instagram following, I put a LOT of time and focus into growing it ORGANICALLY. I was not going to fall into the trap of paying for followers! I truly believe that by being yourself online you can attract the RIGHT followers . . . and a lot of them! Once you have a social strategy in place, it gets easier and more fun to be yourself while connecting with your tribe.
One thing I’ve noticed from honing in on my social media game and helping my PR clients with their own strategy is this: There are a lot of things you may be doing wrong that will inhibit your growth. Yikes!
The good news is, all of these social media faux pas are TOTALLY avoidable! Here are a few to watch out for as you strategize your next posts:
How many times do I post?
Do not post TOO many times in the same day, hour, minute... This can seem a bit spammy! I like to post on Instagram at least once a day, MAYBE twice! Because I am very strategic about my online brand, I believe that one great photo and a well thought out caption is plenty. Plus, with features like being able to put multiple photos in one post and Instagram Stories, you don’t want to be that person who is posting several photos in a row! Make your social media plan ahead of time with a great free grid-planning apps like Planoly, and save the spur of the moment posts for your stories!
What is the proper etiquette on tagging other accounts?
It’s no secret that I love the big brands — YSL, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade — you see them throughout my feed, and of course I’m tagging them! While it is super beneficial to tag the brands, vendors, photographers, stylists, etc. who are a part of the photo you’re posting, it is actually harmful to tag someone who ISN’T in the photo. To be honest, it comes off as a little shady! The moral of the story? Do not tag brands in your photos just because they have a large following.
How do I engage with my tribe?
Well, for starters, do not ignore their comments! This is a big no-no when it comes to connecting with followers! If someone takes the time to comment on your post, it’s in your best interest to take the time to reply! Now, I know some accounts may comment with just emojis... I also know that comments like that are tough to respond to. I say it’s ok to just reply with a “thanks!” and an emoji, or simply “like” the comment. Otherwise, be yourself and reply like you would reply to your BFF!
If you have a ton of followers and get a lot of great comments, that’s AMAZING. It’s probably a little too overwhelming to comment back to ALL of those, so make it your goal to respond to at least 3-5 a day. It could go a long way toward making connections or real friendships! Or, hire a social media relationship manager who can truly engage with your audience on behalf of your brand!
Where do I put my hashtags?
Of COURSE I am all for using hashtags, but I do hide them in the first comment. Why? Because I just don’t like how it looks to have a ton in my caption. It’s an aesthetic preference, but let’s be real, no one likes to read a caption where every other word is hashtagged!
Do not let social media rule your life!
This is the last point but by far the most important social media faux pas to avoid. We all know that Instagram was created to be fun, spur of the moment, and easy. It quickly became a crucial advertising component for millions of businesses and brands. Even if you’re not a business or a brand, it is still so easy to get caught up in the numbers game. How many likes, how many comments, how many followers, how many clicks to your blog . . . You can get swept away.
Remember that Instagram, while it IS important for growing your business, is not real life. The things you see on social media are not always REAL. Confession: my countertops are not all gorgeous white marble! I have a slab of marble that I style on. My desk is also NOT always so neat and tidy and full of big name goodies! It’s a highlight reel of my best, most stylish moments. Don’t let Instagram start making you get down on yourself or your own number of followers and likes.
While I believe wholeheartedly that real friendships can come from social media, it’s SO important to step AWAY from the screen and participate in real life. Have a real date with your love or a shopping day with your girlfriends and leave your phone in your bag! Stop counting your followers, too. If you’re being yourself, the RIGHT people will follow you, and that’s so much more important than the numbers!
