The best part of a do's and don'ts list? The don'ts. Now that you know what to do on social media, here are some mistakes to avoid.
Don't Use Auto-DMs
If you think you're adding a personal touch by setting up automatic direct messages to new followers, such as “Thanks for the follow! Looking forward to connecting with you!"—you’re not. These messages get generated immediately, so recipients will suspect they were automatically sent and may think you’ll be sending them spam in the future. They’re also disingenuous to folks you don’t even know and may never reach out to. If you do know the follower, it sends them the signal that they're getting the same impersonal response that you give to everyone else.
If you decide to respond with a DM, type it manually and personalize it to let them know you're paying attention to them—and your social media feed.
Don't Spam Influencers with @mentions or DMs
OK, so you know who the key influencers are among food writers, bloggers and social media personalities nationwide and in your city or region. They can help you get out your message, right? Not if you annoy them. Nothing will prompt these people to unfollow you more than a barrage of @mentions, @replies, and DMs urging them to check out your establishment or products.
Instead, follow influencers and share their posts.
Too Much Too Fast: Don't Over-Post
Just as you wouldn't send out four courses of a meal all at once, so too with social posts. You’ll dominate your followers' feeds and they'll unfollow you.
Instead, use a scheduling tool.
Don't Repeat the Same Marketing Message Over and Over
I wish we didn't have to mention this one, because it should be so obvious, but there is no value in using social media to blast out the same message each day. Use the 80/20 rule: talk about the industry and human-interest stories related to the industry 80 percent of the time. 20 percent of the time, promote the heck out of your specials, delicious recipes, etc.
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