The Biggest Social Media Blunders for Businesses | Business Unplugged

With all of the hype surrounding social media, businesses are now utilizing this powerful technology more than ever. But how you use it within your business is what is really important. Bad social media habits can be the kiss of death for your business.

So, the CarolRoth.com contributor network of entrepreneurs and experts have provided the biggest blunders that they encounter when using social media in business. Their answers are presented below in no particular order.

You may notice some similar insights, but I kept the concepts separate, as something in the way one is framed may resonate differently with you.

1. Respect Everyone

I get annoyed by tweeters who will tweet retail offerings from their sites a lot, by which I mean ten tweets in a row of wares. I use twitter for the same thing, but I think too many at one time too often are off-putting.

Thanks to: Anne Timmons-Harris of A.R.T. Precious Collectible Jewelry.

2. Who Invited You?

I am not sure which social media guru is teaching this but... posting your business information on my business wall (especially if you are a competitor trying to siphon off my customers), is rude, wrong and just plain bad business!

Thanks to: Brian Basilico of B2b Interactive Marketing, Inc.

3. Robbie the Robot

My pet peeve is overly automated social media accounts. Automated accounts always feel out of step with breaking news stories and trends and are so one sided that they discourage real connection.

Thanks to: Karen Southall Watts of Karen Southall Watts.

4. Be Social, for Pete's Sake!

The thing I absolutely HATE is when I see a company using social media as nothing more than their own egotistical bullhorn. If I wanted to know about how awesome you are, I'll check out your press releases. If you want to PROVE you're awesome to me, respond courteously when I gripe about you on Twitter. Sometimes, just knowing that someone cares can have a massive impact on how I feel about that particular business. Impress me and I'll likely tweet about that, too!

Thanks to: Micah Choquette of Rocket N0. 9.

5. Be Active or Don't Bother

My biggest Social Media pet peeve is when a business creates a Facebook page or Twitter account and does not engage or update their customers. It is not enough to just be a presence in the Social Media world; it takes much more than that. Businesses need to have constant customer interaction with their clients/customers, as well as have new updates available. It's not just having a number of 'Likes' or 'Followers' that counts, understand that it's called 'Social' for a reason.

Thanks to: Maria Lago of Three / Events & PR.

6. Do You Care About Me?

When people ask me to connect on LinkedIn, they do not change the form--"I'd like you join my network......." Please. If you want me to join your network and build a relationship with me, can't you spend a few seconds to send me a personalized note?

Thanks to: Kathy Condon of KC Solutions.

7. Social Media Littering

No, I'm not talking about tweeting "I'm home!" I just ignore people who do that.

I'm talking about the highest crime of all: creating your OWN social media network and letting it rot on the side of the road. Have you ever been invited to a network and found that a year later, there are only 25 members and nothing is happening? These dead shells of "networks" can degrade into spam machines.

Have you created a pet project network that you abandoned? If so, clean up your mess!

Thanks to: Dave Baldwin of Bottom Line.

8. Don't Use Frowning Emoticons

I help people find publishers for their books. People sometimes post frowning emoticons on my Facebook Fan Page because they haven't found a publisher or because they've received rejection notices. They have no idea that literary agents visit my page. The possibility exists that their book could be picked up, but those negative symbols will likely repel that possibility. Anyone posting on a professional Facebook fan page should be aware to always maintain a positive and professional tone.

Thanks to: Randy Peyser of Author One Stop, Inc.

9. #1 Social Media Pet Peeve

My biggest business-related Social Media pet peeve is one of bad manners.

When someone sends me a connect request without any type of greeting other than the perfunctory "I'd like to add you to my professional network", I equate that with passing out business cards at an event without ever really "connecting" with the person. It's similar to a person handing out business cards who assumes that I WANT their card.

Thanks to: Laura Morales of Energize Your Outlook.

10. I Pitch, Please Reply!

What ever happened to a simple no? I pitch dozens of media outlets daily. Being serious about what I do means that I hope that when I pitch an article, the publication I'm pitching takes two seconds to say no.

I have a thick skin and the word no is fine. Please just don't assume that ignoring me will make me stop pitching you.

So, remember the two words- Social Media. Social means good manners. And that means saying no. Or hopefully, yes!

Thanks to: Warren Bobrow of Wild River Review.

11. Counting on Social Media!

My pet peeve these days may be all the emphasis placed on social media. It's a neat tool, but NOT a primary business development strategy. Three questions: 1. What is the chance that your buyers will decide to follow you? 2. What is the chance that they will pick your value message out of the river of junk that is the average Twitter feed? 3. What is the chance that said message will motivate a buy? For most of us, the answer is 1. Low, 2. Slim to none, 3. Moderate. That's not a plan.

Thanks to: Troy Harrison of SalesForce Solutions.

12. Social Indifference

When a business establishes a social media presence, it must remember to be social, by investing time replying to blog comments, Twitter mentions, and other social pings. When companies ignore these attempts by others to engage, they’re treating them indifferently—as if they are unimportant and don’t matter.

While fans will make allowances for those brands that have taken the time to genuinely connect in the past, if lapses persist, their fan base—and influence—will gradually erode.

Thanks to: Steve Curtin of Steve Curtin LLC.

13. "Like" Means I LIKE it!

At least a few times a week, I receive Facebook messages from people asking me to "Like" their pages. Some subscribe to the "More Is Better" school of social media. I amend that truism a bit to say, "The more organically grown and well-qualified friends/followers/connections, the better." As a result, I will "Like" your page not because you ask me to, but because I actually LIKE your content, posts, interaction, and offerings.

Thanks to: Laura Orsini of Write | Market | Design.

14. Social Media Buzz

My biggest pet peeve business-wise is giving job tips in facebook land. What drives me crazy about facebookers is negative talk that doesn't make any sense and is a waste of time to post.

Thanks to: Sharron Dark of Serving Your Unmet Needs.

15. Once is Enough

My social media pet peeve is when a personal page and the business page always post the same post, within 1 minute of each other.

There's no reason for me to be a fan of your business page if you always post the same thing on your personal page.

Thanks to: Angel Tuccy of Experience Pros.

16. Friends Make Me Nuts!

I really hate when I get a note from a friend who wants me to sign up for another "friends" business opportunity. It's called "Affiliate Marketing" and it bugs me to no end. While sometimes the offer is unique and interesting, getting it from four or five different people drives me bonkers. It's obvious someone is trying to make $$ and the money they are trying to make is mine. If I get the same deal, offer or greeting more than once, I dump them all.

Thanks to: Mark Alyn of Mark Alyn Communications, Inc.

17. Junk Mail Gets Junky Results

The worst social media habit I have experienced is being invited to join the networks of people I do not even remember saying "hi" to and being put on the newsletter lists of people I have not opted into. I recommend that all social media marketers get clear permission to continue conversations and add people to their lists. A business owner's time is valuable, and no one wants to spend the time reading unsolicited materials.

Thanks to: Lisa Ditkowsky, CFP(r).

18. Don't Sell Your Soul

Social Media is all about connecting with the world using the web. I'm on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, have 3 blogs and 2 websites.

When is it enough? My biggest peeve is that it's never enough - everyone wants to know everything about your life- down to what you're doing every minute of the day (in 140 letters or less). Be careful that you don't give away too much of your personal life to gain social media coverage.

Thanks to: Mary Francis of The Sisterhood of Widows.

19. Bad Facebook Habits

Individuals who list 5-6 events a day on Facebook are annoying. Individuals who make inane contributions such as "I had tuna for lunch. Yum." are even more annoying.

Thanks to: Lewis Harrison of The Academy of Natural Healing.

20. Make a List, Check it Twice

The amount of SPAM I receive is incredible- a little from everywhere, but primarily on Facebook. If I get one more invite to a luau this weekend, I might scream! Please take the time to segment your list & be selective about whom you invite to your next event. It will make the invitation a little more meaningful when I know you are consciously inviting me. Mass mailing is just as unattractive in social media as it is in the "real" world & absolutely hurts your credibility in my eyes.

Thanks to: Teresa Cleveland of Your Success Clinic.

21. Read This and Get Rich Like Me

I am sick to death of all of the BS get rich business opportunity posts that seem to make up the majority of social media posts, especially on Twitter. I am also sick of people sending me auto response messages on Twitter telling me to go their website and learn how to make money or get zillions of Twitter followers and other garbage. There is so much garbage on social media sites that it is very difficult to know what is a legitimate business and what is a scam.

Thanks to: Peter Geisheker of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm.

22. Facts! Just the Facts!

You get an invite on Facebook to a major sale or dance club gala party. No phone number or address listed? No info on price or whatever else? Huh? What's up with this? Then, your attention span loses steam. Do EVERYONE a favor...
Cover the bases of Who, What, Where, Why... and YES anything in the gray area WILL get your intended pool of supporters upset. Do not assume anything. Cover ALL bases. Make it READABLE and UNDERSTANDABLE. It's ALL about getting YOUR thing promoted and understood!

Thanks to: Tony Marren of OPERATION JUST ONE CAN.

23. Reference the Conversation

Stepping up onto my soapbox...

Yes, I realize that the 140 characters of twitter limit our ability to be eloquent at times. However, what drives me crazy is that people respond to tweets without referencing the conversation. Use a hashtag or a link people. Give me some idea of what you are responding to. Don't assume that when you respond to my tweet four days later that I remember the conversation and the full reference. Just a hint... please.

Okay, off my soapbox I come.

Thanks to: Ben Baker of Ben Baker.

24. Social Media Titles

I really can't stand to look at the general Twitter Stream anymore. It seems that 1 in 3 post titles include the words, "Social Media," in their titles.

I know what social media is and does. Gimme something new, will you?

Thanks to: Joel Libava of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc.

25. Over Sharing Wastes Time

I love social media for the ability to quickly share things of value to people in my network. It has also been great in helping me reconnect with people. However, I couldn't care less what you had for dinner, when the last time you had sex was, or what your farmville is doing. When I post, I try to post things that are meaningful. If I don't have something I think would be worth saying to an audience, I don't put it out there. I think the networks would be more valuable if there was less noise.

Thanks to: John Paul Engel of Project Be The Change.

26. The Ever Annoying DM

Every darn day I get DM's from others such as, "Vote for me and please re-tweet!" or "I wrote this great article! RT for me!" or "Here's a link I need you to re-tweet!" or my favorite: "Your followers NEED to know about me! Please RT!"

Why? Why would I do this if I don't even know you? If we have built a relationship and I know you and we exchange tweets, I'll happily re-tweet something of value. However, if we have never tweeted with each other, and you demand that I RT you - no. Annoying.

Thanks to: Shara Lawrence-Weiss of Mommy Perks.

27. Personal vs. Business

It makes me crazy when businesses use their personal page for business and do not use their business page. What is that all about? Facebook created business pages for a reason.

Maybe it is a syndrome in my area, but I bet it is not!

Thanks to: Sandy Riser of The Next Level Business Solutions.

28. Lose the Twitter Autoresponder

Getting the twitter autoresponders annoys me. Twitter autoresponders can sometimes appear insincere and diminishes what social media is all about.

Thanks to: Bola Ajumobi of Slimy Bookworm.

29. PRIVATE!

My pet peeve is business owners and entrepreneurs setting their business page to private and then sending me an invitation and I don't have a clue as to what it is they do. The purpose of having a business page on social media sites is to connect to your target market. How will they find you if you set your page to private? It drives me nuts.

Thanks to: Eula M. Young, COO of Griot's Roll Film Production.

30. Personal & Business Do Not Mix

On business websites for social media like Facebook, many times I see peoples' personal comments about what is going on in their daily life. This is not the place to place that information. As far a liking a business on Facebook for coupons, you should not have to give up all of your personal information; all that is needed is a name and email.

Thanks to: Carol Coots of Practical Cost Reduction.

31. It's a Cocktail Party

The biggest mistake people make with social media that makes me crazy is the very first post or communication is some invitation to do business with them. This is Social Media, not business media - you have to build know, like & trust first. Treat social media like a cocktail party where you get to know people before you start talking business with them. Don't be a giant billboard screaming Hi, my name is, my company name is, & do you want to do business with me? The answer is NO, I don't, yet.

Thanks to: Diane Conklin of Complete Marketing Systems.

32. Don't Slam Me!

My biggest social media (and email) pet peeve is the person I'm following because they have good things to say - but then slams me with multiple posts (and emails) in a day. Often, these are on different topics and can get very confusing - as well as frustrating. First, share tips. Then, slowly build the relationship. Then, tell me about a product or service. Don't fill up my news feed (or inbox) with constant salesey chatter.

Thanks to: Heidi McCarthy of Toughest Customer.

33. Those Facebook Groups

Facebook, like all of the available social media outlets can be wonderful, but when people start adding you to those groups without your permission, it starts to get intrusive and annoying. It would be a kind gesture to ask people you would like to include in your groups to add themselves, instead of just taking the liberty to do it for them. Many mean well, but it's not a good practice to add others without their permission.

Thanks to: Sherell Edwards of The Christian Women's Leadership Ex.

34. I Don't Care About Your Pitch!

My biggest social media pet peeve is when companies and professionals just post their sales pitches on their profiles. Newsflash: everyone has a sales pitch - you're not doing anything special! Instead of talking about how great your company is, use social media to provide VALUABLE CONTENT to your audience. This will allow you to position yourself as a subject matter expert. If you build up credibility by addressing the needs of your consumers, you'll generate and nurture leads.

Thanks to: Tony Popowski of Grass Roots Marketing, Inc.

35. Impersonal Direct Messages

My biggest social media pet peeve is the automatic direct message. There is NO reason to thank me for following you immediately, especially when it usually involves an impersonal message and request to "like" their facebook page. If I'm following you, it's because I know who you are - I don't need another message to remind me!

Thanks to: Brittany Haas of Something Borrowed NY.

36. Tweet, Don't Be a Twit

My biggest social media pet peeves are misspellings, bad grammar or bad writing. Yes, you may be limited to 140 characters, but that doesn't mean it's ok to butcher the English language: plz dnt make me figr out what ur tryin 2 tweet as if ur 14 yrs old. The amount of recent college graduates that think it's ok to use this mode of communication is ridiculous. Learn generally used abbreviations, look up synonyms and be creative, but don't contribute to the perception of American ignorance.

Thanks to: Lindsay Durfee of PR/PR Public Relations.

37. Don't Be a DuMass

If you send me a DM such as this one, "Remember it's not all about promotion. Add value for your followers. Will you let others know about me? Mybiz.Sucks," then you have only confirmed my suspicion you have no clue what you're doing. Honest and genuine attempts to connect no matter the tool never come off annoying or make you appear to be a DuMass. It is better to proclaim your ignorance than to promote your arrogance.

Thanks to: Nathan Smoyer of Chatterbox Marketing.

38. Why Can't We Be Friends?

Commercials on TV and the radio, spam ads in my email, telephone solicitations, junk snail mail, and you wonder why I will not "like" you on your social page? Each of us is inundated with a barrage of sales pitches every single day!

Do you want me to come back to your website regularly? Do you want my loyalty in the social media world? Then, go back to marketing basics and give me value for my visit! I am more inclined to click the "like" icon if you entertained me or gave me true worth!

Thanks to: Jerry Dollar of Jerry V. Dollar, Author & Blogger.

39. Profile Pic: Captain Douchebag

Photos are worth 1,000 words... so let's ask the obvious: what's your profile pic saying about you? Are you playing Captain Douchebag?

Thanks to: Jason Seiden of Ajax Social Media.

40. The Billy Mays Method is Dead

The most annoying aspect of social media is that many online business owners don't know how to use it effectively. Instead of employing these sites as a branding and bonding opportunities, these folks continually bombard their audience with marketing messages.

Buy this! Join that!

It's annoying!

Rather than using social media the right way by taking the time to build relationships with people on their friends or followers lists and their businesses, they're driving people away.

Thanks to: Pat Marcello of Magna Sites.

41. If it's Boring, Don't Share it

My social media pet peeve is useless posts. Some people are so desperate to participate but have nothing of value to add. I don't need you to tell me that it's Friday or the last day of the month. And frankly, I'm not interested that you're tired or that you had a baloney sandwich for lunch.

To get my attention in social media, say something amusing, interesting, relevant or informative. And feel free to keep all "the boring" to yourself.

Thanks to: Susan Greene of Susan Greene, Freelance Copywriter.

42. Gutenberg and Zuckerberg

Repeat after me: Marketing starts with a customer- not with a product, not with a tagline and certainly not with social media. Don't get me wrong. Social media is fundamental to the mix today. But, please. Enough already with the media tail wagging the campaign dog. You determine your media spend based on data about your buyer, not your favorite site. Selling is the same in the Age of Zuckerberg as it was in the Age of Gutenberg. You can never know enough about your target customer.

Thanks to: Stan DeVaughn of Write Angle.

43. Lunch Time Menu

My main peeve with social media is having to read what people ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now, if they were a nutrition coach or a top athlete where I can learn something from them that is one thing, however the time to have to see a post that someone is eating their corn flakes is not needed.

Thanks to: Todd Stofka of Philly Hypnosis Performance.

44. Soapbox Social Media

People thinking they're above engagement. Social media is about being social. It's about talking to your audience. It's about being generous with sharing information and being a part of a community. Too many people/businesses go onto Facebook and Twitter and just promote their company. They stand on their soapbox and preach the benefits of their product or business, but they have no interest in engaging with you. So don't preach. Get out there an engage. It will pay off in the long & short run.

Thanks to: Lauren MacEwen of SM Cubed.

45. The Facebook Double Whammy

Ok, scheduling posts in social media can be efficient, but don't overdo it. The audience knows! I consistently see Facebook Friend posts immediately followed by the identical Fan Page post. Rather than focus on how annoying this is as a news feed viewer, I'll instead educate on the impression opportunities wasted.

Save the second post for another day & time; you may capture audience you missed the first time. Be strategic; get clicks over blocks. Don't waste good online real estate!

Thanks to: Sue Koch of Soaring Solutions, LLC.

46. Bad Habits Lose Customers

Social media is one of the main reasons we have seen such a decline in proper spelling, grammar, and manners. The loss of these is costing businesses money. Spelling alone will lose more business than people realize. A recent British study found that one spelling error on a website can cut website traffic in half! Something as simple as spellcheck and proofreading should be a habit instead of the bad habits of poor spelling that we see are rampant in social media.

Thanks to: Doug Johnson of G. R. Johnson & Son Consulting, LLC.

47. Everyone is Doing it!

My biggest social media pet peeve is the proliferation of self-proclaimed “experts”. Lately, about 1 in 3 people I meet at networking events and about the same ratio for LinkedIn connection requests are “social media consultants”. Many seemed to have simply jumped on the social media bandwagon without much of a business plan. I cannot distinguish one consultant’s message from another, which may present an opportunity for seasoned and skilled marketing people.

Thanks to: Adam Drake of Highland Investment Advisors, LLC.

48. Separate Personal & Profession

I don't like it when people have one FB page that they say is personal, but is really professional. They talk about their business, upcoming events, etc. in a way that is trying to appear personal, but really is business. Have a separate fan page and personal page!

Thanks to: Julie Seibert of Healing through Organization.

49. Logo on Facebook profile

Where are your manners? Stop putting your logo on your Facebook personal profile! My pet peeve is people using their Facebook personal profile as their business fan page. When they invite you to be their "friend," it's the same as knocking on your door and trying to sell you something. It not only shows the person's ignorance about Facebook, but it's just plain rude. Why would I want to "friend" someone's business when I don't know anything about them personally?

Thanks to: Gail Kent of The Buzz Factoree.

50. Get Personal to Get Business

My biggest peeve is people who use Facebook only for business posts. It makes me feel used. If you're my Facebook "friend," you need to reveal your personal side and not always barrage me with biz info. I want to feel like I have a relationship with you, not that I'm a disposable prospect. And don't give me unasked for life advice. Follow those two rules and I might buy something from you.

Thanks to: Mahesh Grossman of AuthorsTeam.com.

51. Re: Bad Social Media Habits

I really hate it when I get email messages that have "re:" in the subject line when someone is trying to initiate contact with me.

This is a deceptive way of trying to get me (or anyone) to think that the person initiating the correspondence is responding to an email I sent him or her.

Some internet marketing gurus teach this tactic. I think it is sleazy.

Thanks to: Bud Bilanich of The Common Sense Guy.

52. Feel Free to Ask First!

My ONE big social media pet peeve in business and/or the bad social media habits that drive me crazy are when someone tries to post a link marketing their products on my home page without my knowledge. This really gets under my skin, especially if I do not know the person or have not been connected to them for some time. I do not mind people posting links on my home page, but good social media etiquette would first be to ask if you can do so. If not, this is considered selfish and very, very rude.

Thanks to: Kevin Benton of Kevin Benton Ministries.

53. Does NOT Drive New Sales

Social media itself is my pet peeve. As a marketer, social media does NOT drive transactions. Social media in business is effective for branding or repeat customers. However, it does not drive new customers to e-commerce sites. My pet peeve --- not reaching new customers via social media coupled with the hype surrounding social media.

Thanks to: Evan Saks of www.Create-A-Mattress.com.

54. Your Newsletter? Really?!

My biggest social media pet peeve?
I give someone my business card and within a day or two, I begin receiving their (stinkin') e-newsletter. It has gotten to the point that if I think it could happen (at conferences especially) I ask said card recipient NOT to add me to their mailing list up front, thereby avoiding my having to click UNSUBSCRIBE (which I know they will see). I can find much better, more creative ways to burn bridges! (Wow! That felt good to get off my chest!)

Thanks to: Rick Gillis of Really Useful Job Search Company.

55. Know Your Why

One of my biggest social media pet peeves is that quite often, people don't get the why and how of interacting with their community. They don't know what they want to accomplish, so they don't have a strategy, and then they don't know how to engage and interact. Which usually results in folks posting about nothing anyone wants to know more about or they're just pushing sales and products. When you know what you wish to accomplish and create that strategy, you'll know how to engage effectively.

Thanks to: Katy Tafoya of Success for Solopreneurs.

56. When Did I Sign Up for This??

A business card collected at a networking event is NOT an invitation to plunk the person down on your e-newsletter list! It took me an hour to unsubscribe from I do not know how many e-newsletters I did not sign up for in the first place. Junk mail is unwanted, whether hard copy or e-newsletter. You need to request permission to include a new contact. They will be delighted to be asked and you will not be wasting their precious time, or creating negative feelings about your business.

Thanks to: Anthonette Klinkerman of Courtesy Bootcamp.

57. Social Media Pet Peeve

My biggest social media pet peeve is when users set auto messages with no intention of responding to comments. All of this visual noise gets in the way of real connections.

Thanks to: Angela Denby of jsncafe.com.

58. For Real?

My pet peeve: When people falsely portray their business to get business. Example: We offer the lowest prices on auto parts. Problem: When you call them, they just sold out of every part you need all of the time. When you ask when the part will be restocked, no one can answer the question. Be prepared and honest about what you can and cannot provide as a business.

Thanks to: Troy Campbell of TROYBOY INTERNATIONAL.

59. Stop the Group Gang-Up!

My biggest pet-peeve is when people "add" you to their Facebook group without asking. Before you figure it out, your email has been bombarded with comments and messages!

Thanks to: Jennifer Lee of Coach Jenn Lee.

60. Sending Out 20 Tweets in a Row

It drives me crazy when I pull up one of my Twitter lists and there are 20 plus in a row from the same person. There is no way I am going to read all of them in this situation and it makes it difficult to read other tweets on the list. If you are too busy to tweet, then don't!

Thanks to: Sheena Edwards of Lizzie Lou Shoes.

61. Don't Be a Facebook Zombie!

My biggest pet peeve? The Facebook Zombie. I engage with B2B pages on Facebook (FB). Sometimes, I comment on B2B pages’ posts and they don't comment on mine or others’ pages. Then they wonder why we stopped commenting on their posts. Sometimes, they’ll post on my page, selling their services or products. It doesn't matter if I try to educate them on FB etiquette: they are clueless zombies! If you want to succeed in Facebook B2B, engage with others' biz pages. Don’t be a Facebook Zombie!

Thanks to: Donna Saliter of In Touch Promotions.

62. Why Bother To Connect With Me?

Do me a favor. Don't connect with me and then send me a sales letter. Also, don't bother to connect if you're not ready to start a relationship. I'm proud to have you -- a stranger -- as a connection, but I want to get to know you, not sell to you, and not be sold by you. Social networking is about relationship building; let's talk and build a relationship on LinkedIn.

Thanks to: Maria Marsala of Act Now Seminars.

63. Can U RD This?

Social media is a great way to leverage our marketing budget on a shoestring! It is a godsend for us as a small literacy nonprofit.

I ask only one thing: PLEASE read your potential client's contact "ground rules." If the profile or contact policy says "don't send pitches," don't do it! Pimping ONLY your book/product (or stringing together quotes from famous people) as your "stream" turns people off.

Not only won't they follow/like you ... they'll avoid you and your business.

Thanks to: Terry Doherty of The Reading Tub(r).

64. Reality Ck Pls!

Business owners bombarded with "must do social media" because it is today's latest new toy. Not all businesses are candidates for SM! Many are not able to handle the execution or management, but do it anyway because they have been lured into thinking it is the "magic bullet” their business needs. Result? Disappointment because it didn't match the hype. Ad agencies sell it and charge ridiculous fees with no real understanding of their business, industry or needs.

Thanks to: Lana Rice of TARGET SOURCE MEDIA GROUP, LLC.

65. Avoid Keyboard-in-Mouth!

Social Media offers businesses, individuals & organizations the ability to spread their message to a wider audience than ever before. Just remember - everything you share can affect your image, your success, and your profit!

The acronym TMI (too much information) is important here - be careful WHAT you share - because it lives forever! Nothing is ever truly deleted online - be sure before you post that photo or message that it's TRULY what you want to be known for...because it WILL be found!

Thanks to: Dianne Daniels of Image & Color Services.

66. Overusing Exclamation Points

To me, an indicator of an amateur social media campaign is the overuse of exclamation points. I use them, but not with every post. I've seen Facebook updates or Tweets like "Come in today for free coffee! Yay!!!” or "Happy Friday FB Peeps!!!" These posts are okay, but they evoke the image of a squealing teen. If this is your target market, then maybe it's okay. If the executive in charge of social media doesn’t post the updates, make sure the person posting is aware of your company's tone.

Thanks to: April Harter of Mustang Marketing.

67. Don't Flood My Stream

The biggest distraction I find in all of social media is when people flood my user stream and inbox with many, many posts about odd and weird things that are off-topic for that individual.

Most of the time, those posts are just a distraction. Occasionally, it will cause me to remove that person from my feed.

Give me great ideas only you can see. Show me resources I missed. Then, I'll enjoy knowing you. Flood me with "stuff" (so I see you) and you will lose my attention completely.

Thanks to: Bill Gluth of Bill Gluth, Creative Thinking.

68. Spam!

Many people don't understand the difference between 'Spam' & extent of access via 'Social Media'. My pet peeve is when people send me unsolicited offers, MLM programs, partnership or job offers, tag my pic on FB so they can show up on my page, lottery conspiracy offers & @ mention me with a spam link on twitter... Is there an end to this list? Guess what, I would bear with all your requests if you'd have built a relationship & rapport with me before sending such requests. Until then, it's spam.

Thanks to: Devesh Dwivedi of Breaking The 9 To 5 Jail.

69. Don't Overdo It

Social media may be a great way to get the word out, but if all you do is bombard your readers with messages to buy things, they are going to "unlike" you or filter you out real fast. Mix it up a bit. Give out useful or funny information and every now and then mix in the marketing every now and then.

Thanks to: Mike Saxton of Science Fiction Author.

70. No MBA Required to be "Expert"

It seems as though everyone is an expert these days!
Could I have saved years of hard work and 100k to attend a private university and just gotten on Face Book!?!? The proliferation of social media and marketing experts on social media sites is frightening!
With an MBA in Marketing, I feel as though I am often competing with a ghost. There are thousands of people who have never created, managed or executed a marketing plan or program, & yet they make "social media expert" claims.

Thanks to: Cassaundra StJohn of F7 GROUP.

71. Are You Kidding Me?

People use Facebook as if it was the same as mass-e-mailing. They post an invitation and they figure everyone got it, or they post their latest product information and then wonder why no one has heard about it. Hello, maybe the rest of us aren't as addicted to the Internet/Facebook as YOU are. I check my page maybe once a week, if I find the time and if I remember. If you want to get info to me, Call me, Text me or Email me, but don't think I am logging on to Facebook every other hour.

Thanks to: Gary Christensen of Christensen's Delivery Service.

72. Tweets on Facebook? What?

I'm linked to many members of my network on several social platforms. My biggest pet peeve is getting the exact message on each site because they didn't take a second to make their messages platform-appropriate. For instance, @name is not a Facebook notation just like a 4-part message is not a kosher Twitter post. Of course, businesses are no longer drummed off sites for etiquette infractions such as these; however, if we are playing in the social sandbox, it's only right to play nice.

Thanks to: Candrina Bailey of Pebble Road Marketing.

73. Are You Cross-Posting? Don't!

There is nothing more irritating in a business social media setting than to see people indiscriminately cross-posting their content- content that often does not apply to that venue. For example, the party pics tweeted and shared on LinkedIn or using a family picture on your LinkedIn profile. So many social posters are not paying attention to the venue and sharing inappropriate content with the wrong audiences.

Thanks to: Carissa Newton of Full Circle.

74. Do I Really Have to Poke You?

...or maybe I could PM you instead. Not that I mind poking you, as long as you poke me first. Maybe we'll end up doing business. Maybe we'll friend each other in life.

No, I still don't want to poke you. What I mind is that every poke I make, every adorable quiz that I answer leads to all of my personal information and all the personal information of every one of my closest (and furthest) social media friends, followers and fellow suckers being sold to advertisers. Creepy...

Thanks to: Sondra Lowell of The BizzyBodies.

75. The Downfall of Social Media

The biggest issue that I have with social media in general is that people are quick to write when they have a negative issue. And when they do, they give so little as to who they are, what is the issue, and what we can do to solve the problem. Sometimes, they just put something negative out there and no matter how many times you try to contact them, they never respond. We genuinely want to help and ensure that everyone, whether they are a student or not, enjoys using our website and services.

Thanks to: Dan Schemerhorn of www.REIKnowledgeTree.com.

76. What is This Off-the-Wall ***?

My time is precious – so is yours; please don’t waste it by repeatedly posting completely irrelevant, off-topic garbage on your social media sites. Of course, it’s nice to make your fans laugh once in a while, but it’s best to find funny videos or quotes that are related to what you do. Business coaches: link to a funny video about the worst business meetings. Fitness experts: post a funny quote about exercise. Restaurants: don’t post an obnoxious video about skateboard crashes.

Thanks to: Tina Nies of Be Happier Today.

77. Drives Me Bananas!

Utterly shameless self-promotion in spite of requirements not to on sites like LinkedIn Groups- it drives me bananas. Most people who persist in doing this use very thinly veiled gimmicks to try to circumvent the restrictions to selfishly abuse the system. Ideally, we would only use social media business-oriented sites for real BUSINESS, real information, real advice and real resources. Wouldn't you love to be able to email them a worm that would shut down their system?

Thanks to: Daniel Feiman of Build It Backwards.

78. How to Make FB Frienemies!

My social media pet peeve concerns friend request etiquette. I hate when someone that I don't know personally requests to add me as a friend, but doesn't send an inbox message along with their request introducing themselves or why they are seeking my virtual friendship. Facebook is like a backyard BBQ, not a Chamber of Commerce Speed Lead event! Social networking means BE SOCIAL and get to know people, not just collect names.

I also hate being added to Facebook Groups without my permission!

Thanks to: Unique Dvine of Major Mogul Marketing, LLC.

79. Go Easy on the Twitter Quotes

On Twitter, quotes should be sprinkled, not poured. Yes, they can be fun and inspiring, and are often retweet magnets, but so many newbies go overboard. They end up squeezing an occasional personal or topic related tweet into their steady stream of famous quotes. When I follow someone, I want to know who they are and what they have to say. Yet, quotes are wonderful in their place, especially when they come with a link to one of your blog posts attached, which is pure twitter gold.

Thanks to: Julie Isaac of WritingSpirit.

80. The Tsunami of Self Promotion

Marketing's purpose is to attract attention and build relationships. Far too many people look at social media as an excuse to sell from the global market stage. These self promoting individuals don't care about building relationships. They care only about lining their pocket books. Social media has become a tsunami of self promotion by the "buy this" in the Tweets, Facebook or LinkedIn postings. What is even more annoying is that many of these stage sellers are sales or marketing experts.

Thanks to: Leanne Hoagland-Smith of ADVANCED SYSTEMS.

81. Got Fluff?

If you are filling your social media pages with fluff, I would rather you keep it to yourself. A pet peeve of mine is when a business posts numerous statuses a day that are really not relevant or insightful. Stick to a topic and make it matter. Do not just post to have your name out there 20 times a day.

Thanks to: Patricia Singer of Follow Me Social Media Consulting.

82. Updates Only About You

When businesses do nothing but constantly blast their own company news or reviews, it can be annoying. I've found myself guilty of this on many occasions and we get very little response to this compared to sharing quality news, tips, products, & great links elsewhere around the web.

The customers following you on Twitter or Facebook feel as if they voluntarily signed up to hear ads. Most often, you will be followed by fans. Just remain a good source of info and they will remain loyal customers.

Thanks to: Ashli Norton of Fine & Dandy Games.

83. No Tweets to the Face

As an author on the topic of social media, I speak to groups of professionals all the time. Those newer to social media are often eager to demonstrate their social media prowess and at some point during an event, choose to tweet me, as opposed to starting a conversation. Social networking tools are fabulous for engagement in the absence of other channels, but when you have the opportunity for a one-to-one relationship, never let technology stand in your way. Still true: Handshake beats a tweet.

Thanks to: Sherrie Madia of Author, Social Media Survival Guide.

84. Social Dating 101

My biggest social pet peeve is when someone introduces themselves on my wall or in my inbox with the "Greatest Opportunity" I will ever see. I'm not that type of guy...

You have to wine and dine me first!

Build a relationship, add value, and then, through natural communication in a relationship an opportunity may be introduced.

Just like dating!

Thanks to: Kevin Jimeno of Social Entrepreneur.

85. Social Criminals

The headline you want to avoid: Face Book Fan Steals Entire Business. The rest of the story goes on to detail that the entire photography studio was stolen while owners were away on a dream vacation... The moral of the story: please wait and post any photos (that indicate you are away from your business) until you return.

Thanks to: Kelly Isley of Corcoran Associates.

86. Crimes Against Common Sense!

In the UK, folks get 4 years At Her Majesty’s Pleasure for inciting riots on Facebook and Twitter, but anyone using Twitbook socially deserves the slammer for Crimes-Against-Common-Sense! I talk of privacy– or the loss of it... professionals sharing every detail of their lives with ‘friends’ from Baghdad to Boston invariably end-up trying to erase these embarrassments from that indelible record otherwise known as the web... particularly ahead of job interviews and mergers – please note!

Thanks to: John Giacobbi of The Web Sheriff.

87. Stop Being a SM Lemming!

It really gets my goat when someone tells me a list of rules for social media. If this happens to you, it's time to move on. Social Media (and Online Marketing in general) is the new Wild West. Anything and everything goes. If you try to do the exact same thing as the last 10 people, you will be lost in a sea of boring. Think of something different that you have never seen anybody else do and experiment. This is the best way to stand out, so your name and brand will be the one that make people smile.

Thanks to: Patrick Allmond of Focus Consulting and Training.

Do you know another business related social media blunder that wasn’t included? If you do, please share it below. And as always, many thanks to everyone that contributed to this article!