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Five things you might be doing to piss off your audience.
Social media is, without question, one of the most powerful weapons in a marketer’s arsenal, especially when you’ve got a rock-solid content strategy to back it up. A successful social media presence doesn’t come overnight, of course. It’s an ongoing cycle of testing, measuring and finessing the program to meet your goals, and with every post, you’ll be wondering if you’re doing it right. That’s gonna take some analysis and time. So, while you’re figuring out what your fan base wants from your social efforts, let’s be sure you’re not giving them something they don’t want.
A recent study released by Sprout Social gets right to the heart of the top five things audiences find most annoying about brands on social media.
Posting too many promotions
While it’s true that ONE of the reasons people follow brands on social media is for promotions and discounts, it’s certainly not the only reason. In fact, 57% of followers cite this as the most annoying habit of brands on social. Remember, social media is about fostering discussion and building relationships with your fan base. What they love about your brand likely extends beyond promotions. Players crave content that makes them better players, whether it’s music lessons or demos on how to use your gear properly.
Using slang and jargon
Use of slang and jargon is an easy trap to fall into for brands, especially in MI, but 38% of survey respondents cite it as being a particularly annoying social behavior. Two things to consider. One of your brand’s roles on social media is to educate players. In doing so, never assume that your audience is as versed in your gear as you are. Try to avoid technical jargon that might alienate or intimidate your fans. As for slang—just don’t. We get that you’re trying to establish a connection with your audience, but you probably don’t sound as cool as you think. If using slang isn’t true to your brand’s voice, just avoid it altogether.
Not having a personality
Speaking of your brand voice, make sure it’s reflected in your dialogue. 35% of respondents find it annoying when brand social accounts don’t have a personality. Because you are an MI brand with passionate fans, players will have a certain expectation of you as a company. They want to know that you’re more than just a technical or customer service jockey. If you want to establish an authentic relationship with your fans, take the opportunity to show them the real you. Whatever your brand stands for, make sure it comes out in the tone of everything you say and post.
Trying to be funny when they’re not
Humor is definitely a great mechanism for fostering engagement in social paces. The problem is that you just might not be funny. Humor is a lot like the ability to play music. You’ve either got it or you don’t, and when you force it, the end product just doesn’t sound right. In the case of humor, however, if you get it wrong, you stand to piss off a lot of people. If humor doesn’t come naturally to you, or if it’s off brand, avoid using it as a dialogue tool.
Not replying to messages
Frankly, I’m surprised this behavior isn’t higher on the list of annoyances. If our brand isn’t replying to messages, I’m not sure why you’re using social s a tool. Your social spaces are among the very few ways in which your audience gets to interact with you. Players are a passionate bunch, and they want to feel like they’re invested in the brands they love. The best way to tell them you don’t care about what they think or say is to not reply to their messages or comments. We get that it can be overwhelming, but it’s a must that you have a plan in place to address as many comments and messages as humanly possible.
A huge part of getting things right in your social initiatives is avoiding doing things wrong. The great part of the social experience is that your audience will tell you exactly what they want and expect from your brand. Avoid these top five no-nos, and you’ll stay in their good graces.
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