Key pitfalls to avoid in social media

The increased use of social media can be a huge asset to your recruitment business' marketing strategy. In our previous blog we outlined how to make social media work for you. This blog outlines common pitfalls that are best avoided. 

Don't post or share inappropriate content

Social networks are a representation of your whole brand and whatever you post on there is perceived to be the company's opinion. Stay away from sharing anything that could be deemed inappropriate.

Don't knock others

Social media channels are not there for you to vent - don’t knock others in this public environment.

Don't moan

No one wants to read about your problems, social networks should remain a positive place.

Don't overshare

Your followers don’t need to know what you had for breakfast or what you are doing at the weekend - your posts should remain informative while at the same time adding an element of fun.

Don't overdo it

Don’t sell, sell, sell on social media, as this could have the opposite effect from what you desire. Social media can help you recruit but people don’t only want to see that. Keep a mixture of content, fun and hiring through these channels.

Don't like your own posts

You wouldn’t do it on your own social media so don’t do it on your company’s either.

Don't ignore comments

Even negative ones. Social media gives you the opportunity to hear your customers feedback, so make sure you respond to them.

Don't delete negative comments

Instead, turn a negative into a positive, show that you are listening and make a change if necessary. This will reflect well on the business as it shows that you care. Then take the conversation offline.

Don't abuse hashtags

Hashtags can be great but don’t over use them or use ones that are not actually relevant as this can cause annoyance among your followers.

Don't reuse content

No one wants to see the same content multiple times, as this could lead to you losing followers. When resharing content try to post it at different times. Here at Volcanic we try to share a piece of content once on Facebook, twice on Linkedin and five times on Twitter, as our research shows this is the most effective way to reach our audience.

Don't use auto dms

Auto dms can be a turn off for followers, because they like to think of a business’ social media being run by a person not a machine. Auto dms can take the personality away from the pages.

Don't fixate on numbers

The success of social media can be difficult to measure. There are a number of softwares available including Hubspot, Google Analytics and Sprout Social that help you to measure the success of your posts. These should be used as a tool to help you see what content is best received and the different times of day that you seem to get the highest interaction.

It is important to remember that social media use can be trial and error. Try posting at different times, sharing different content and interacting in unusual ways. Monitor the different levels of interactions with these posts and use the results to help you to refine your strategy.

For more tips and tricks on how you can use social media to benefit your recruitment company download our free guide.