Some sins are forgivable and others are fun, but when it comes to your platforms, not cleaning up your act could lead to sitting in an unproductive purgatory while others steal your little slice of heaven (that perfect client). Here are the seven deadly sins of social media. Are you guilty?
You wake up blogless. Post-up blogless. Ride around in it blogless. Bey references aside, there are a dozen excuses not to have one, but zero reasons. We work in a personal industry where personality and point-of-view impact our ability to do our job. A blog is a significant way to showcase your expertise and share your opinion while creating keyword-heavy content that Google can identify. If you're a brand, you need a blog, bottom line.
You're fashionably late. Things that make you go hmm: Is a LBD fabulous if no one sees it? Social media is a real-time interaction which means that you need to stay current. Pay attention to current events in your industry and don't be afraid to swap out a scheduled post for something topical. Takeaway? Don't be tardy to the party and tuck a headline or two in your bag before you go.
Or worse, you're the only one at the party. Being selfish won't get you any friends or followers. It's not only bad form not to link to other sites and profile other people, but it's bad for business. Showcasing others is a great way to network, help acquire new readers and potential clients, and often leads to profiles of your own business, partnership opportunities and brand association. It can also up your google ranking. Generosity is rewarded greatly in life and online.
But first, a selfie. OK, maybe not, but don't ignore image selection, lovelies. A 2014 study showed that Twitter posts with photos have an engagement that is 200% higher than those with just text. Pick photos that represent your brand. Think of lighting, clean spaces and storytelling. If using other people's images, get permission and give credit.
Your site is not mobile friendly. Quick question: How often are you on your phone? With 3.6 billion smartphone and tablet owners and a whopping 189 million of Facebook's users being "mobile only," it's not hard to see how having a slow-uploading, PC-committed site will work against you.
You don't believe social media impacts your ROI. If you think social media is just a bunch of ego-petting, you're wrong. Nearly 29% of the world's population are active users of social media accounts. (There are over 3 billion active internet users and 2.1 billion of them have social media accounts) and the average user spends nearly two and a half hours a day on various platforms. Approximately 46% of mobile users look at social media before making a purchase.
You don't see the value in branding. Think about how many followers you have online and how many people walk through your door on a daily basis? Your platforms provide insight and access to your talents, vision, and brand personality on a large scale. Even if you have 300 followers, that's likely more than you would have in your office in a week. Your platforms can also show clients (existing and potential) your range and offer insight into the fullness of your ability going beyond what is exchanged in a meeting. Additionally, they can read comments from those who have taken the time to verbally appreciate your brand.