The Social Media Monster

There is a new monster that is beginning to appear throughout social media. Since its arrival it has begun to shape the social media environment slowly but surely away from how it started out. The scariest part of this monster is that everyone at one point has been it. Introducing the ME Monster, something that only talks about itself, limits brand interactions, and ultimately prevents brand awareness and growth.

The ME Monster is something being seen more and more in social media accounts. Companies are using their outlets as a broadcasting and bill boarding system, yelling out deals and promotions instead of interacting with their potential customers. Eliminating this monster is not always an easy task with companies always looking to be heard amongst the sea of their competition. The goal should be to build an interactive community around your social media outlets and not be the monster on the megaphone. Here are some signs you are turning into a Me Monster.

Staying in your cave

Don’t be afraid to venture out and interact with your fans and followers who reach out to you. They don’t bite. Sending out a message and expecting a response does not always work. Go out of your way to respond to others. Identify which group you should be reaching out to and what content they find interesting.

Hoarding all the treasure

ME Monsters have a tendency to hoard everything for themselves, wanting every bit of recognition they can get. Retweets, follows, favourites and mentions are Twitter gold for every user. Take the time to thank people for any interactions they have with you and do it in a timely manner. If people are saying good things about your business, give them the same courtesy. Provide them with a favourite or a retweet for what they said about you and thank them.

Going for the kill

Businesses more and more want to create direct sales from their social media in order to have a visible ROI. But often when you go for the jugular, you loose the lead or create a one-time sale. Put away your teeth and claws and start your interactions looking out for what’s best for your end consumer and create a relationship with your fans. This will help you not just build an audience but one that is qualified to need your sales and will come back.

Although the ME Monster is something that every business (including us) is guilty of, it is something that with the proper teamwork can be eliminated. An excellent rule to follow when it comes to trying to eliminate this social media monster is the 2/3 1/3 rule. Always try to be listening to your intended social media audience 2/3 of the time and learning about them. Spend 1/3 of your time talking about your business and how you can help them.