4 Reasons Why Trying Too Hard Ruins Your Brand

Social media is one of the most important marketing tools your business can utilise and can be an effective way to keep your brand looking fresh, on trend and in contact with your audience, in a fun and creative way. With so many brands scrambling to make a name for themselves on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it means that it’s becoming harder than ever for businesses to stand out in the crowd, with many often trying weird and wacky ways to win fans and followers. 

There’s a few brands out there that have really made ‘quirky’ work for them, including Innocent Drinks, Paddy Power and Dominos Pizza, however it’s partially down to the huge amount of investment and planning in their brand as well as the ideology behind the products and services they provide.

For many, trying too hard to be sassy can actually turn your customers off, sending them elsewhere to a brand that seem more professional and less try hard. For more reasons you should never have to try to hard on social media, keep reading.  

Hashtag Overload

Hashtags have done wonders across many social media platforms, allowing users and brands to join in one giant conversation using hashtags relevant to their content, campaigns or idea. They’re a great way to quickly show what you might be talking about without people even having to read your content and can also be a fun way to group all your content together, for audiences searching for or interested in that hashtag. 

However hashtags can also be one of the most annoying features of any social media site, with many opting to spam their content with too many hashtags, many of which irrelevant to the content. Trying too hard with hashtags can ruin your brand because it’s honestly annoying, nobody wants to see 100 hashtags after one sentence, use your hashtags sparingly and you’ll not only look cooler but soon be reaping the rewards. 

Trying Too Hard To Be Clever 

If there’s anything you need to remember about social media it’s that trying too hard to be clever can often cause brands trouble. From using words and phrases that could be misunderstood or taken out of context to cringeworthy attempts to joining in with current trends and conversations, unless you’ve a planned out, tried and tested clever persona, often trying too hard to be clever can really backfire. 

Developing a clear message that presents your brand accurately and planning just how you can get your message across in a fun, creative and unique way is all it takes, you can still engage with your audience without trying too hard and potentially getting wires crossed in the process.  

Too Many Emojis 

For the most part emojis are fun, they can add much more to your branding and can work well in adding personality to your company and your content. With audiences around the world relating to a crying face emoji or a heart, emojis are understood universally, meaning your brand can be spotted by a wider audience. The occasional emoji in your posts and replies can work well, making your brand seem fun and unique, however it’s important not to overuse your emojis. 

Creating over the top posts including emojis instead of words, using more than 3 emojis in your content and your replies and even using emojis that could be taken out of context, (looking at you peach emoji) you could be setting your brand up for failure. Try and limit the amount of emojis you use per post, being sure to only use them where appropriate and once you know they tie in with your product, not just because they happen to be cool right now.  

Stupid Slang 

Bae, slay, lit, fam, goals af, you might think your brand looks super relatable and fun using slang such as this but in reality, there’s nothing more uncool and off-putting than brands trying too hard to use on trend slang and phrases within their social media. By the most time brands have jumped on the latest buzzword or trend, it’s likely that your audience have already moved onto the next thing, leaving your brand left behind and looking pretty foolish. 

Unless you know exactly what each phrase means and unless you can really make it work and your audience agrees, it’s probably best to avoid trying to look ‘with it’. Trying too hard to look cutesy and cool can actually come across as pretty patronising, turning away younger audiences and making your brand look like a mockery. 

In 2017 there’s no reason your brand should be trying too hard on social media, trying to awkwardly communicate with young adult and teen audiences should come naturally, those using social media these days have grown up in a world where they can control who they see and speak to more than any other and if you’re trying too hard to speak with them, it’s likely to have an undesired effect.