#1 Being everywhere is being nowhere

There was a time when social media managers had to battle to keep multiple branded juggling balls in the air at once. But in 2016 it became apparent that all social media platforms aren’t necessarily right for every brand. For instance, what would a security company be posting on Pinterest, and how can a hairdresser compete with topical news on Twitter? Be selective and stick to platforms where your target market is most active – platforms where you have something valuable to add. Focus on one or two channels, and really give it your all.

#2 Build a real community

When social media first became popular, everyone was fighting to have the most likes, retweets and followers – but this metric has since shifted. Nowadays it’s not so much about how many followers you have, but rather about who those followers are. Forget the numbers and focus on acquiring loyal customers who actually care about your brand. Target your ads as closely and cleverly as possible, so that you grow the quality of your following, and not just the quantity.

#3 Don’t talk for the sake of talking

Nobody likes a try-hard. A poorly timed or misinformed comment can hurt your brand in more ways than one, and even earn you a big “uncool” label in the social sphere. If you spot a trending topic, don’t throw your opinion into the mix just for the sake of being part of the conversation. If you’re going to have your say, make sure you’re highly informed and that you know what you’re talking about.

#4 Lay off the auto-posting

We’re not saying you should close down all your social media tools and stop scheduling posts for next week, but the time has come to start being more hands on. Your fans are taking time out of their day to talk to you – don’t you owe them a real-time conversation? Scheduled posts can also cause your brand great harm or come across as insensitive – for instance, imagine if your “don’t worry, be happy” post goes live in the middle of a crisis or natural disaster!

#5 The customer is still right

Yes, the world has changed, but some aspects of customer management will always stay the same. No matter how harsh your customers react on social media, don’t allow yourself to get involved in arguments. More importantly, don’t get defensive and give your customers a reason to rise up against you – be the bigger brand. Always aim to take care of the situation as swiftly as possible, and move the conversation offline and out of the public eye.