5 Social Media Profile Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs

5 major social media profile mistakes are being made everyday by entrepreneurs and corporations alike. When launching a profile on a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or any of the hundreds of social networks the profile becomes the entrepreneur or company’s first impression within that social network. The following is a list of the mistakes that must be avoided at all costs:

1. Profile Instructions: failure to read the instructions on how to set up a profile on a particular social network can lead to less than intended results. Example: Linkedin has a robust internal search engine that is not going to index your profile unless the profile is 100% completed and keyword enriched

2. Assumption All Profiles the Same: profiles should be written according to each social network’s tone or rules. A one size fits all approach does not work. Example: a blogger’s About page should be a robust, detailed document page with links. A Twitter profile should be highly succinct; with only one link allowed, you must choose the best link for your intended purpose

3. Placeholder: like “7 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs” launching a presence that is merely a placeholder comprised of the bare bones  minimum requirements to launch is detrimental to your social media efforts. Nothing says social media “rookie” or too lazy to set up an account properly like a placeholder with NO photo of you or a company logo

4. No Photo: every social network provides entrepreneurs and company’s the opportunity to engage their audience. The very first step in engagement is to place a personal photo or a photo of a company logo in your profile. A picture is worth a thousand words never was more true. Example: Linkedin states that profiles with photo-pictures are clicked on nearly 50% more often than profiles that are without any photo or picture.

5.Transparency: the simple act of telling the truth and being honest about your work. In the Example: “John X Smith” has the title Quality Control Manager at LinkedinDicussionCritic. Yet, Mr. X  has no photo and a bare bones profile. Our comparison profile of John E. Smith shows the difference when including a photo and an accurate description of your work