What NOT to Do

I've posted much about what other companies are doing right in their social media strategy and what the general protocol is when developing a social media campaign; however, it's also important to know what the common mistakes are and what not to do. Sometimes that's all that's needed to steer one in the correct direction and away from the wrong one... so here is a list of three important starting mistakes to avoid:

1) Targeting the wrong network
Each social networking site (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc...) has its own use and not being able to focus your goal and align it with the site's will not achieve anything. For example if you are an HR recruiter of a company you will most likely want to scan LinkedIn for professional resumes as opposed to one's Google + or Facebook profile.

2) Sharing irrelevant material
It is extremely important to appeal to the consumer in a manner that is not only related to your product or service but sharing un related material in an overly repetitive manner without somehow tying it into your company's overall message may have the opposite effect and consumers may have a lessened sense of trust and respect in your brand.

3) Not tracking statistics 
The beauty of social media sites is that they can provide accumulated feedback of what exactly is happening on your profiles. It's extremely important to take advantage of these features and to learn from them before it is too late and you end up wasting time. Study WHAT is working and most importantly WHY it is working. Study when users are most active and engaged with the material so you get the most bang out of your buck.