The biggest hurdle I see [a legacy] industry face as it tries to adopt social media is that posts tend to read like magazine advertisements. Social media is… well, social! Users are there to be entertained, to interact, to get the latest news, and to learn.
So what is the “right” way for a business to do social media?
One of my favorite quotes is “Twitter is like a water cooler, not a bulletin board.” It is all too easy to “do social media” by doing nothing but posting your product or sharing your content. Only one out of five posts should be shameless self promotion, the rest should be relationship building.
I Repeat: Traditional Advertising Strategies Don’t Work on Social Media
I challenge you to get out there and have some fun, interact, use emojis. Show some personality. Run a contest; make a quiz. Share content from others. Picture your accounts less as a salesman in a business suit, and more as a trusted, intelligent, and entertaining friend.
Originally published in DHI’s Growing Social Newsletter