Can We Get Rid of Stupid Social Posts?

I don’t mean to keep coming back to the Boston Marathon Bombings, but another article in Digiday this past week got me thinking about meaningless social posts such as “Happy Friday” or “Our prayers are with you.”

While I understand the purpose of racking up these posts, such as joining the conversation, getting fans engaged or to show the public you are aware of major stories going in, it truly provides no value to your fans and just clutters up the online space we call social media.

I have said it before and I will say it again, fans follow brands on Facebook to either get discounts or to find sharable content that will make themselves stand out in their group of friends. All of us in the business know the leaps and bounds we have to go through to break through the clutter of all those messages out there. Needless to say, pointless posts like those mentioned above do not go toward discounts and will have no fans sharing, commenting or probably liking. Where is the engagement in that?

Perhaps these posts were the norm when social media was still coming into form. Now, simple-minded tactics like these do not work like they once did. When it comes to holidays, national tragedies, or major events in our society, do not join the conversation unless you have something valuable to share. With Boston, you should have kept quiet unless you were truly affected by the tragedy, know someone who was, or was doing something to make a difference. Same goes other talkable events.

Come one people, let’s graduate to the net level of social media strategy.