This afternoon I once again had the opportunity to meet with my #CCUSocialMedia Student Advisory Group. For this particular meeting I decided to present to them the Top Ten Mistakes Social Media Professionals Make. As most in the room want to work in social media upon graduation, it was a very relevant topic.

However, I wanted to have fun with how I presented it. For each item on the list I created a stupid meme to go with it. Since not all group members were present at today’s meeting, I decided I would make the material available to them via this blog. Please know that each meme involving me is completely fictitious (I was explaining what not to do). During today’s meeting, each item on the list was complemented with a full slide of information. For tonight’s blog post, each item will be complemented with just a couple sentences.

1. Posting to the Wrong Account

Believe it or not, this happens a lot. Social media managers must make it a habit to pay special attention to their smart phones to ensure they are posting to a personal account as opposed to their employer’s account.

 

2. Duplicating Content

All social media accounts are different and should be treated as such. Unless you want your company to come across as lazy and lacking in social media understanding, never post the exact same content to multiple platforms.

 

3. Not Well-Thought-Out/Insensitive Posts

We live in a world of political correctness and whistle blowers. To avoid controversy and embarrassment, don’t post anything that someone can get mad about or offended by.

 

4. Sacrificing Quality

You represent your employer with the content you post. If you have a team that includes designers, videographers, photographers, etc….use them! Anything that is blurry or looks like a third grader did it should not be used.

 

5. Not Respecting Analytics

It might not be the most glamorous part of a social media professional’s job, but it is important to analyze and respond to analytics. The top way to make your social media program better is to make adjustments based on what analytics tell you.

 

6. Not Staying Ahead

More than most professions, staying ahead of the game in the social media industry is critical. Talk to people younger than you, read newsletters, experiment, and never get complacent. Make sure to put yourself in a position to be at the forefront of new trends.

 

7. Engaging in Social Media Feuds

The above meme is in reference to the dialogue our @CCUChanticleer Twitter account had with the Twitter account from the University of Wisconsin this past March. Respectful and witty banter with competing/rival social media outlets is okay but ugly feuds are not. Remember, no one wins when official voices for universities/companies act like kids.

 

8. Not Treating Your Audience Right

We have jobs because of our audience. Always treat your followers well and kill the negative ones with kindness.

 

9. Not Realizing That Social Media is a 24/7 Job

You want to work in the social media industry? Get ready to always be on the clock. However, don’t go overboard. Realize that 24/7 doesn’t mean you are tweeting from your official accounts for no reason at 3 a.m.

 

10. Not Knowing Your Worth

Social media is a legitimate career route and the value of professionals in this industry is only rising. You are working in a position that is highly influential and highly scrutinized. Make sure you are compensated appropriately for it.

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To my fellow social media professionals…do you have any “mistakes” I should add to the list? Believe me, I would love to create additional memes. To all the aspiring social media professionals out there…I hope this taught you something or made you laugh (hopefully both). Don’t Blink.