Social Media Habits Worth Breaking

David Spark, founder of Spark Media Solutions, wrote 50 tidbits of social media advice that I’d like to cover (okay not ALL of them, but three of the more controversial).

1. Don’t “Tell” Your Story

Telling your company’s story isn’t always necessary and it’s not always interesting either. Think about it. If you love a product or service then you just don’t really need to know their story because you’re already happy. Think about the products and services that you use consistently. Do you know anything about their company story? And if you don’t, does that affect your buying decision? My. Point. Exactly.

2. Your Brand Isn’t Human, Accept That

I’m not saying you have to be over-the-top-professional nor overly corporate but what I am saying is that you should accept that a brand and a human are different. Really different. In fact, a brand should never act like a human, because humans are often inconsistent and unruly. Another example: some humans express opinions that should be kept to themselves; which means that brands sometimes share opinions that should be kept to themselves when they get too humanized.

3. Don’t Ignore Those You Don’t Agree With

Not every customer is going to be happy. That’s a fact. And it’s pretty likely they’re going to write something nasty in your blog comments, on your Facebook wall, etc. but that does not mean you should just ignore them. You have your differences and that is okay. Take the opportunity to respond responsibly and thoughtfully. You might even be able to turn that customer frown upside down.

Take a moment and think about how you deliver your brand via social media. Are you using social media appropriately? Is your approach working? Do you know how to measure your approach?

Think about de-humanizing (is that a word?) your brand . . even just a little.

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