Alright, let's face it. Mistakes happen.
And guess what?
X (Twitter) doesn't have an edit button, so it's basically a breeding ground for human error. But fear not, my friend! We've got your back. We've compiled a list of common X (Twitter) blunders that you should steer clear of.
But before we dive in, let's get one thing straight. We've all been guilty of these mistakes at some point in our X (Twitter) journey. So don't beat yourself up about it. This article is here to help you put your best foot forward on this ever-evolving platform.
Now, grab a cup of coffee and sit back. We're about to take you on a wild ride through the most common X (Twitter) mistakes.
And if you're serious about stepping up your strategy and elevating your and your client's account to the new rights, then access our X (Twitter) Audit Checklist.
The Power-Packed Twitter Audit Handbook for Social Media Managers
Supercharge your Twitter strategy with our comprehensive audit checklist designed to uncover optimisation opportunities, evaluate performance, and boost your return on investment (ROI).
X (Twitter) mistakes to avoid as a social media marketer
#1 Link out in every post
If you find yourself constantly linking out in tweets, you are doing it wrong. Schedule tweets in advance with images, participate in national holidays, reply to mentions, upload videos and create polls to mix it up.
#2 Make spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes
Companies have no excuse for bad grammar or spelling. Spell-check and schedule your content in advance. Remember, each blog post can be tweeted a few times as long as you change the takeaways and images.
Approve posts before scheduling them
Be on the same page with clients for each social media post. Create Twitter content in bulk and get approval from another team member or your client to ensure your Tweets are mistake-free.
#3 Insult others or leave negative comments
Social media is the wrong domain for spreading negativity, and it should be avoided at all costs. All negative feedback received should be handled with extra care by your company's support team.
Learn more about the worst practices for social media customer service.
#4 Burst-tweeting
Tweeting multiple posts when you’re on the computer or phone and then falling into silence for a day or two.
Instead, spread posts out evenly to have a higher chance of reaching more audiences - your favourite social media management tool can help with that. This, of course, is different to using Tweet threads.
Efficient Twitter Publishing
Sendible's Twitter management tool allows you to schedule tweets effortlessly, and discover the best times to post on Twitter for maximum impact.
#5 Complain about your job or company
This goes for everyone who has a personal or business account on X (Twitter) - never complain about your company or job role on social media. This never ends well.
#6 Use #too #many #hashtags
Avoid sounding too promotional and making your tweets look messy, especially when it doesn't add value. According to the main rules of engagement X (Twitter), you shouldn't use more than two hashtags per post. It's also best to research the hashtags before you use them.
Grab our list of niche, trending, and industry-relevant X (Twitter) hastags.
#7 Over-promote your products
Stick with the 80/20 rule of marketing - share 80% that will add value and only 20% of that which is promotional. Keep product plugging to a minimum and find ways to tell your story rather than going in for a hard sell.
#8 Constantly retweet others
Sharing too much can become an issue. Don't blindly retweet every message you see - read the article and share your comment in relation to it. Take the time to check the link in the tweet and share your favourite bit from the article or video if you're sharing one.
Learn more about content curation and how to find trustworthy sources to share.
#9 Schedule duplicate content across multiple X (Twitter) accounts
Don't act like a bot and schedule duplicate messages to X (Twitter)! Did you know that to eliminate future “malicious activity targeting the crucial conversations taking place on X (Twitter)”, X (Twitter) decided to make changes to TweetDeck and X (Twitter) API? From March 23, 2018, all social media management tools and X (Twitter) users have to be in compliance.
If you don't, you risk your account being suspended, and that's the last thing you'd want for your client's X (Twitter) profile.
#10 Go off-topic
You might love animals, but posts of that nature often have little to do with your company's X (Twitter) feed (unless you’re a pet shop or a charity that finds homes for animals).
Follow and add to a X (Twitter) List your favourite companies and industry influencers to always have great quality content to share. If you have a bigger budget, find a social media tool with a content library that has RSS feeds on all the topics your readers would find interesting.
Source & share quality content
Add your trusted RSS feeds or set up Google Alerts to automatically post meaningful updates to your profiles.
#11 Welcome every new follower with the same message
There's nothing wrong with welcoming your followers as long as you do so to strike up a conversation and not to sell your product or service. Avoid being overly promotional, repetitive or impersonal.
Create messages with a purpose, e.g. to introduce your blog or share a part of your company story.
#12 Get involved in sensitive topics
Political and religious beliefs are sensitive subjects to discuss on X (Twitter). Avoid them when possible, especially when speaking on behalf of a business, unless you are campaigning for a great cause or partnering up with a charity.
Learn more about cause marketing and how you can benefit from it while helping others.
#13 Interrupt a X (Twitter) chat to try to sell something
Be respectful towards others, and don't just jump into conversations to make a sale. Social listening is all about giving advice, not directing customers to product pages. Search for conversations on X (Twitter) by using keywords and reach out only when you have something valuable to add, for example, advice or directions.
#14 DON'T CAPITALISE YOUR TWEETS!
See what we mean?
#15 Share trivial information
Thing is, everyone is too busy doing their own thing, so you need content that will cut through the noise. Offer something they can't find on other social media networks or by solely visiting your website. Always think about providing value first.
#16 Take all the credit
If you find a great source or piece of content, always make sure to credit the right person and source. Retweet the best messages and tag the original creators.
#17 Be inconsistent
Your followers on X (Twitter) have followed you because they’re interested in what you do, and they expect the same quality of tweets throughout. Never disappoint them.
#18 Automatically follow everyone who follows you
According to X (Twitter), 23 million of its active users are actually bots, so be mindful of those who follow you without engaging with any of your content. Make sure that the accounts you do decide to follow make sense as prospects, industry influencers, or are your customers.
#19 Automatically share images from other networks
There may be a big temptation to simply blast one Instagram photo and automatically share it on X (Twitter) and Facebook, but refrain from doing so. Take the time to post a unique post with a different copy for X (Twitter). Besides, images don't even count towards the character limit.
#20 Jump between tones of voice
Every company should have one tone of voice, so make sure it's consistent throughout your profile, tweets and branding. It's equally as important to follow through with your strategy and keep your buyer persona in mind. To help you keep track of all of that, why not download our X (Twitter) Audit Checklist? It will save you heaps of time.
#21 Lie
There may be a temptation to over-emphasize how well things are going. Avoid being overly promotional of your own success, and make sure it's always authentic.
Wrapping it up
To wrap it up, always remember to be genuine, provide valuable content, and avoid excessive self-promotion. Mastering X (Twitter) for business can be challenging, but with an understanding of best practices and pitfalls to avoid, the task will become much easier!
Just like any other social media platform, X (Twitter) is subject to algorithm changes, privacy policy limitations, and shifts in your target audience's needs and behaviour. Therefore, the best approach is to stay true to your brand's values and utilise data to discover optimisation opportunities that will enhance your social media strategy.
