11 Symptoms of Social Media Pollution

Social media marketing is all the craze these days. And rightly so! It is providing revolutionary results for many businesses. A common misconception is that you can jump on social media blindly and get instant results for your business. Social media marketing is more than just collecting Likes or followers on your profile or page. When done correctly, social media marketing is an inbound marketing technique. Results stem from a conversation, not from a one-way dialog.

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.    - Bryant H. McGill

1. They high-jack comments streams about any topic and start advertising their product.
2. They don't allow other users to comment on their walls. Are they afraid of what someone "might" say?
3. They are the same people you avoid during networking groups. In fact, they sound like some irritating networkers!
4. The only time they post, they are trying to sell you the next "best product EVER".
5. They tag ALL of their friends in a Facebook photo which is actually a flyer or advertisement.
6. They connect with everyone, thinking that this will get them more Likes.
7. They sign  up for your email newsletters to get access to your email and start spamming you.
8. They ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn and you've never done business with them.
9. They post 100 things at a time  and dominate your newsfeed for 15 minutes.
10. They "robopost" on all of their social networks at the exact same time (if they do #9, it's now 400-500 posts).
11. They blindly invite you to "Like" their page repeatedly, but provide no value.

Odds are, if you see any of these symptoms, you probably wanted to "mute" them. This is a marketers worst nightmare. It's a lot easier to get a fan the first time then to convince a "used-to-be" fan to "un-mute" you.

The days of "outbound" commercials are behind us. Consumers now have DVRs, satellite radio, do-not-call lists, etc. So, as consumers are getting better at blocking out traditional advertising methods, why would you replicate the same methodology in your social media networks? You are just asking to be "muted."

If you use social media the right way, you will be there when your prospective clients need you as a resource, and that's where the power of social media marketing shows through. You are able to establish a relationship between a prospect and your brand BEFORE they become an actual client.

At Impulse Creative, we teach our clients to adhere to an 80/20 rule:

80% of the time, post relevant information that is helpful and promotes conversation interactions.
If done correctly, you can establish credibility and awareness about what you do, and who you are. Ultimately, you will show your "friends, fans, followers, and connections" that you are in fact HUMAN!

A maximum of 20% of the time should you attempt to SELL on social media. This includes talking about new products, services, or even discounts and sales.

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