Social Media War – What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

So, today we’re going to be taking a look at people who’ve gotten themselves and their brands into hot water on social media and ways you can avoid making similar mistakes (hint: the answer is usually “common sense.”)

That’s my sister, Nicole, and I. We’re clearly at war here. That’s why I picked this photo.

Twitter: Never use a trending hash tag unless you’re sure you know what it means. I’ve seen this happen a number of times, but the most recent faux pas was when a clothing retailer used the tag #Aurora to promote it’s similarly named line of dresses. In case you don’t know, Aurora is the name of the Colorado town where the recent movie theater shooting took place. The brand has since apologized, but this is a mistake that could have been easily avoided.

Facebook: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. That’s exactly what happened to a Canadian-based coffee manufacturer when it promised to send everyone who “liked” its Facebook page a 24-pack of coffe (a $17 value). The “likes” came flooding in, but the company didn’t have enough product to fulfill its promise. Guess what happened? People got mad and what was supposed to be a tactic to gain more fans turned into a promotion to create an angry mob of people who don’t like your brand. Know what you’re willing to give away and be clear up front!

Pretty much anywhere: Don’t offend your people. It’s a good practice to not really offend any people, but it’s a best practice not to offend the people who love and support you. Needless to say, Chrysler wasn’t reading my blog when they sent out this little charmer on Twitter:

 

YouTube: We can see  you! Please try to keep your photos and videos classy. If you don’t want your clients to see it, it’s probably a good idea not to do it (the paparazzi are all around you!). Think of David Hasselhoff on the floor eating that cheeseburger. Gross. Don’t be Hasselhoff.

Google Plus: Good news, you can do anything you want on Google+ no one is there to judge you. (Just kidding!)

My last words of advice, don’t start social media wars with other people and brands. It’s fine to express your concerns or address customer service issues online, but a full-scale social media war is not cool. Like my mom told my sister and I, “Take it outside.” Or, in this case, take it offline.