There is a fine line in the type of social media presence you (if you are a personality) or your company (your brand) can have. Is the voice associated with your brand (the types of posts) too personal, or too robotic? Your social media efforts should come across as genuine and personable. It will help customers (or fans) approach you with more ease and become a participant in what you are communicating to them.

Here are 8 Important Don’ts in Social Media.

1. Don’t Create Profiles (Pages) on multiple platforms if you can’t service them all efficiently.
If Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the platforms your audience uses most, then that’s where you reach them. Don’t spread yourself thin by creating profiles on places you will never be active on. Your energy and social media calendar should have specific dates servicing the sites you consistently plan on using to engage fans or customers.

2. Don’t try to sell to your audience all the time.
Try to inform, entertain and educate your audience with information they can use. Invite followers to visit your business’ official website. It is there where they will see what you offer, and eventually become loyal customers. If you always try to sell them on your goods and services, they will unfollow, and abandon you.

3. Don’t discount social media advertising.
You have to spend money to make money. Social media is not all that different. Only 9% of the people who like your Facebook Page will see your latest posts and updates. Nowadays, Facebook wants you to pay for additional engagement. Yes, it used to be a lot easier. Those days are gone.  If you want to reach a larger audience, using the $5-$15 boosts make a big difference. Set a practical budget and boost the posts that are important to you.

4. Don’t ‘Like’ your own posts.
If you posted it, then it automatically means you like it. Don’t “like” or “favorite” your own material. Encourage your employees, to share and like the material that is posted (using their own profiles of course).  Your employees are the best brand ambassadors for your brand.

5. Don’t delete negative comments.
Facing complaints and addressing upset customers will show your willingness to resolve issues proactively, and it proves customers that you are willing to listen and correct things and earn their loyalty.

6. Don’t buy followers.
Why? Because the profiles are almost always fake, and they offer no real value to your page or brand. They don’t ‘like’ anything. They don’t share your posts. Using such inflated numbers to sell ads will end up harming your medium and its promise. You will lose your advertisers once they realize they aren’t getting the expected results.

7. Don’t automate everything.
Too much automation comes across machine-like and phony. Customers can spot an automated message or response and get turned off. Humanize the experience, by expressing a voice that’s uniquely yours. It will help you create engagement and interaction with your clients and fans.

8. Don’t forget Live Streaming.
Live-streaming is very popular. It allows you to engage with your fans/customers and interact in real time and find out about their feelings and concerns. It also puts a face to you and your brand, making it human. You can hold a Q&A session, use it to announce upcoming events and news, event or give your audience a glimpse at new products. Make it a special and exclusive treat whenever you can.