Social media mistakes cost business time and money they can’t afford to waste.
Social media marketing is an indispensable tool in any local businesses’ marketing toolbox. It provides incredible benefits that help reach millions of potential customers worldwide. Most businesses know how important it is, but few excel at using social media marketing the right way. Social media mistakes are common and costly. Many businesses end up jeopardizing their public image by committing avoidable mistakes. Here is a look at some of them:
Not having a social media plan
You cannot simply jump into social media without having a plan in place. It’s like trying to navigate through a jungle without a map. You need to have a master social media plan that defines your business goals. It helps direct your efforts, resources, and time towards specific objectives. A social media marketing plan also helps you measure your results. It allows you to make changes to your social media strategies as you go along.
Not identifying the target audience
A crucial part of developing a social media marketing plan is identifying your target audience. You cannot simply direct your social media communication towards everyone on the network. Your social media target audience is the specific group of people who are most likely interested in your product/service. They are the ones you want to reach through your social channels. Your target group is usually united by common traits such as demographics and behaviors. Once you define your potential buyer/social media audience, direct your social media communication specifically towards them.
Using too many social media networks
Some businesses find it very exciting to jump into all social media channels at once. Exciting it may be, but it could be unnecessary and counterproductive. Remember, every social network isn’t for every business. Find out where your target audience is and focus on those social channels. There is ample research available online that can help you decide which social networks your target audience is on. Once you identify your target social audience, you can create content that’s more precisely targeted. That will enable you to adjust content and tone accordingly. Depending on your business, your target audience may be on Facebook and Instagram, while other businesses may have their audience on other networks.
Not interacting with the audience
Many businesses simply keep posting content but do not engage in meaningful conversations with the audience. Your social media posts won’t do much good if no one shares them or responds to them. Your content should be designed so that it elicits reactions and conversation. It is equally important for you to respond to any comments on your posts in a friendly way. By boosting your engagement rates, you can appeal to both your audience and social media algorithms. Another common social media mistake that businesses commit is that they delete negative comments. Rather than deleting the comment, businesses should try to resolve the underlying issue.
Not planning the content-too much/too less content
Many businesses do not know how frequently they should post on social media and end up posting too little or too much content. Either way, it can annoy the customers and hurt your business. The idea is not to underwhelm or overwhelm them with content. There is some great research available that can help you decide how frequently you should post content to get the best from your social media presence.
Not planning the content
When you post content without giving much thought to it, you are bound to fail. It is important to have a strategy behind your social media content. It should be based on what you are trying to accomplish. You may post content to boost engagement, create awareness, generate more leads or sales, or become a thought influencer. Have a strategy in mind before posting anything on social media.
Ignoring Analytics
Once you launch a social media campaign, it is essential to track its performance. Quite often, businesses keep posting content without ever checking the metrics. Worse still, some businesses keep measuring the wrong Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). They become happy with the increasing number of followers on social networks. However, your social media efforts should translate into some real results in terms of increasing leads, sales, or other business metrics.
Lack of professionalism
When someone visits your social media page, they should get a sense of what your brand stands for. Some business pages on social media look too unprofessional. It can quickly turn away customers and they may never return. It is important to pay attention to aesthetics and quality of content so that it reflects your business in the best light.
These common social media mistakes can cost businesses substantially. If a business lacks in-house capabilities to run their social media campaigns, they should hire a professional company. Remember, a poorly managed social campaign can do more harm than good and the damage can be irreversible.