You might not even know it but you could be inadvertently spamming followers and connections and poisoning your social media strategy.
There is a big difference between intelligent commentary in a blog/article and straight spam...no matter how cunning your attempt may be.
Most people appreciate comments that promote conversation, are educational and are an exchange of ideas, but you will alienate your audience and get booted off a social network ASAP if you continue to spam. If you aren't sure if you are guilty of spamming, here are some black and white examples of social media spamming to steer clear from:
1. You are being too promotional. You troll websites, Facebook and other social media forums either manually or with a software program in order to post the same inane comment with a hot link to your site such as "See How You Can Make BIG $MONEY$ ON TWITTER!" Although this is an overtly obvious example, it can be done in many ways.
Even if you are posting your product on a site that is relevant to your product or service, you will get much more leverage with the readers and moderators if you actually post a piece of useful information rather than an advertisement.
2. You are being too promotional. Instead of a not-so-casual name drop of your business or website, bring up opposing or controversial material to object to a claim, or offer knowledge that others may not be privy to. This will increase your 'expert' status and organically draw people to your website.
Related: The How and Why of Twitter Engagement
Many social media sites allow people to click on a bio associated to your posts, so put your information there instead of in the comment section but always follow the site's rules and regulations so that you don't get deleted once you post something. If you're posting on a forum, your best bet is to put a link to your website in your description. This social media strategy will generate the most referral traffic once you prove to be a valuable contributor.
3. You are being too promotional. You act according to the rules of a forum or social media website for a brief time, say a month or so, and then as part of your social media strategy, you start dropping one liners like, "Hey everyone, you can win $1000 if you are one of the first 10 people to visit my site - starting right now, so hurry over!"
Don't waste the credibility you've gained on a forum or with these types of social media spamming practices. They will only hurt you in the end. You will just end up alienating all the people who started to read your posts. Instead, stick with it and respond with intelligence and sincerity when you make a comment.
4. You are being too promotional. Do you visit websites or blogs and post comments like, "Nice site! Come visit mine at www. . . ? This is the most ignorant type of spam of all and there are entire software programs dedicated to finding these types of comments and deleting them without the moderator even having to lift a finger. Don't use this type of spam as part of a social media strategy.
Related: Founder of LinkedIn's BIGGEST Social Media Group Shares His Secrets
Instead, make a well-though out comment about a posting and then offer your website address. It should either augment the material already presented or add a viewpoint that has not been addressed. It should never just be a one-line infomercial for your business, social media just doesn't work like that.
I hope this post has helped you! If so, please share by clicking the share buttons below! Have you been spamming as part of your social media strategy without knowing it? Share your experiences in the comments below.