Social media has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, offering a platform for companies to connect with customers, promote their products or services, and build their brand. However, as with any form of communication, it’s crucial for businesses to be mindful of how their actions on social media can impact their audience and reputation.

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses can make on social media is failing to consider the values and perspectives of their audience. This can lead to controversial or offensive content that alienates customers and damages the company’s reputation.

One high-profile example of this is Nike’s ad campaign featuring former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. While the ad was praised by some, it faced significant backlash from others who viewed the protest as disrespectful to the American flag. As a result, Nike’s stock price took a hit and the company faced calls for boycotts. This serves as a reminder that it’s important to carefully consider the potential consequences of aligning your brand with a controversial figure or issue.

Another mistake that businesses can make on social media is failing to handle crisis situations appropriately. One notable example of this is United Airlines’ handling of the “United Airlines incident,” in which a passenger was violently dragged off a flight after refusing to give up his seat for a member of the airline’s staff. The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to a significant decline in the company’s stock price. This highlights the importance of having a plan in place for handling crisis situations on social media, including issuing a timely and appropriate response and taking steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

It’s also essential for businesses to listen to and address customer concerns and complaints in a timely and genuine manner. This was a lesson learned the hard way by SeaWorld, whose initial response to the “Blackfish” documentary, which exposed the inhumane treatment of killer whales at the theme park, was slow and defensive. This only served to fuel the outrage and led to a PR disaster for the company.

In addition to considering the values and perspectives of their audience, businesses also need to be mindful of the hashtags and phrases they use on social media. DiGiorno Pizza learned this lesson the hard way when it tweeted “Why I hate domestic violence: it’s wrong #WhyIStayed #WhyILeft” in response to the hashtag “#WhyIStayed,” which was trending on Twitter at the time and being used by survivors of domestic violence to share their experiences. The tweet was inappropriate and caused a significant backlash against the company. This serves as a reminder to thoroughly research hashtags before using them in social media content.

Finally, businesses need to approach sensitive topics like race, gender, politics, etc, with care and have a well-thought-out plan in place. Starbucks learned this lesson with its “Race Together” campaign, in which baristas were encouraged to write the phrase “Race Together” on customers’ cups and engage them in conversations about race. The campaign was met with widespread criticism, with many accusing Starbucks of using the issue of race as a marketing gimmick.

In conclusion, it’s important for businesses to maintain audience-focused values on social media. This includes considering the values and perspectives of their audience, having a plan in place for handling crisis situations, listening to and addressing customer concerns and complaints, thoroughly researching hashtags, and approaching sensitive topics with care. By following these guidelines, businesses can avoid making costly mistakes on social media and maintain a positive reputation with their audience.

If you need further guidance, I provided one-to-one online training on all things social media including how to build a robust social media strategy step-by-step, specific to you and your business.

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