Stop Doing These 4 Things on Facebook
Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m posting on my Facebook business page one a day, like she told me to, and now she’s telling me to stop doing these four things on Facebook?!”
It’s really not that bad, I promise, and there are easy ways to remedy each of the following faux pas…
1. Posting Photos with Watermarks
You’re looking for some Monday Motivation or a cute picture to promote National Puppy Day so you do a quick Google search, saving and publishing the first picture that you see. The first picture that you see also happens to have watermarks all over it. There are a couple of problems with this. First, if there are watermarks blemishing the photo, they are there for a purpose- the image’s owner does not want people to use their photo without purchasing or giving credit. Not only are you misusing someone else’s photo, it looks unprofessional. Sharing a photo with watermarks tells your Facebook followers that you don’t mind misusing someone else’s photos and that you were in too much of a hurry to find an image that you do have the rights to use.
The solution:
There are loads of websites where you can find free stock photos. Some of my favorites are Pexels.com and Unsplash.com. Instead of searching Google, tighten your search by first heading to Unsplash.com and searching “puppies,” “business people,” or whatever it is you’re looking to share.
2. Adding Your Logo to Photos That Are Not Yours
Similarly to posting photos with watermarks, adding your logo to photos that are not yours is a misuse of photography and can be illegal. You do not want to misrepresent yourself by implying that you took a photo, created an image, or own the rights to a photo that is not yours. While offenders may not intend any wrong doing or to mislead their followers, they’re still doing just that.
The solution:
Instead, get creative! Sites like Canva.com are perfect for creating your own quote images, social media templates, and product/service features. Canva.com even has a partnership with Unsplash, that allows you to search and use free stock photos without leaving Canva’s platform.
3. Ignoring Comments
You may think that a comment does not warrant a response or, maybe you simply missed the Facebook notification.
Engagement breeds engagement- the more comments, likes, and shares a post has, the more likely Facebook is to distribute it across more people’s timelines. Respond to every comment that your posts receive.
Don’t know what to say? Let’s say you shared an article and someone commented with something generic, like an emoji or “great post!”. You can respond by saying, “Thank you for your comment!”, “What did you find more helpful/interesting?”, or reciprocate with emojis yourself!
Find it difficult to keep up with your Facebook notifications?
The solution:
Try a third party tool, like Loomly! You can stay on top of interactions for each of your social media channels all in one place. However, if you already have trouble keeping track of your logins, tools, and other sites, do not feel like you have to use a third party platform.
Facebook is also making it easier to stay on top of your Facebook and Instagram engagement through you native notifications. Regardless of what tool you use, make sure you’re logging on and checking for comments and messages at least once a day.
4. Posting Third Party Content Without Vetting
There are so many scams, hoaxes, and satire sites that you HAVE to read every piece of content carefully before commenting or sharing. While sites like The Onion and Clickhole can be entertaining, taking them seriously is bad news bears. In addition, just because a site isn’t considered satire, does not mean that it is reputable.
Now that you’re on the lookout for trustworthy sources, you also want to vet content to ensure that you’re not promoting your competitors. For example, if you are a Realtor and you found a great article that discusses the market in your area, you aren’t going to want to share that post if it was written by or references another Realtor.
The solution:
READ. Read carefully. Not familiar with a particular site? Click around, read additional articles, and use your trusty friend Google to research if the site is reliable.
Another way to avoid sharing third party content you may regret is to create your own content! Blog posts, quote images, text tips, and informative videos are all great types of content that you can create first hand that can provide value to your followers.
Have you thought about creating more first party content but just don’t have the time? Message me and let’s talk about how I can help!
Social media can feel tricky to navigate. If you have fallen prey to any of these faux pas, don’t stress! Tomorrow is a new day and following these guidelines can help you stop doing these 4 things on Facebook and be the social media pro you always knew you could be.
Questions? Comments? Let me know!