By Christina Gaines

So, we took a little creative license with the title.

Lucky for you, however, we’re not that annoying semi-distant family member that lives to point out all your flaws. Nay, we here at Social Media Delivered believe in constructive criticism.

Let us take the time to tell you about that metaphorical open fly…before someone else does.

1. You haven’t found the sweet spot between professional and robotic.

People often use Facebook as a way to “test-drive” your product or service, evaluating both your brand personality and your specs. How you appear on your social is more often than not a deal breaker for shoppers nowadays. Don’t be tactless, but don’t be bone dry. (Click here for more tips on social media etiquette.)

2. Using poor quality photos.

Mark Zuckerberg himself is silently face palming at the thought. Strive for clear, high-quality, vibrant, professional looking images. If your pictures look shabby and amateur, what will your potential clients think of you?

3. Not monitoring what is being said.

Listen to your public. Guess what? They’re literally handing you a precious treasure-trove of information. And if you’re not keeping an eye out, you’re missing out on crucial feedback and areas of improvement.

4. Not responding to what is being said.

Engage with your followers and clientele. Build a relationship with them. After all, the point of social media is to create a more “human” profile of your brand. Act human.

5. Thinking it’s okay to skip the analytics.

This should go without saying. How are you supposed to tailor your social media correctly if you have no idea how it is being received – or if it even is being received? The first step of improving is knowing. (Need more pointers on this topic? SMD has written several blogs on analytics, which can be found here.)

6. Not asking questions.

Interact with your audience by asking them pertinent questions. Engage them in a meaningful (or possibly just light and entertaining) discussion. This will build your engagement and hopefully encourage people to check in and weigh the responses. Just stray from those left-field ones. (I.e. If you’re a healthcare brand, don’t pose queries on cookies. Kapeesh?) The more your customer feels they have a say in things, or that they themselves are a part of your page, the more likely they will feel the relationship blossoming.

7. Not staying relevant.

Include current, “happening now” news and features articles and commentary. Important note: if you are writing for the next monthly cycle of content, tread cautiously. Will your information still be relevant a few weeks from now? If not, scrap it. Relevancy is key in social media.

8. Not converting to your website.

What’s the point of social media endeavors if you’re not driving business?

9. Not varying up your content.

Mix it up! Add trendy handmade graphics versus photos, highlight your staff members, create polls for your followers, and whatever you do, don’t re-post articles. Try new types of posts and measure the reaction. Your consumer doesn’t want to see the same old thing – in fact, they will likely take your page off their feed.

10. Not offering giveaways.

The customer should see a tangible benefit from reading your posts. What if they miss a giveaway or discount? It’s always crucial to think of why social media is beneficial to your company, but ideally, it should be a two-way street. This sort of thinking lands you with greater returns for you in the long run. Embrace contests with open arms.

Another way you’d be screwing up on Facebook social media marketing? Abandoning this fabulous list. Don’t make me write a #11!