Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
All effective digital marketing strategies involve an integral component, that component is social media. Start-up or not, it is one of the best digital platforms for propelling businesses forward rapidly, provided that that social media marketing is done right.
For newcomers in the digital marketing industry, making a good first impression on social media is extra critical as you only get once chance to make it right. Losing that chance means falling behind competitors and repairing reputation which in itself is not an easy chore.
Don’t fall behind or fall into a social media trap. Be informed, and know these common mistakes to avoid
1. Having no social media strategy at all
Businesses that do not have a social media strategy will never deliver an effective message to their audience. To execute a successful social media marketing plan, a strategy must be in place.
Amongst those strategies, include having a distinct social media voice conceptualizing measurable goals, develop a policy for social media and plan a social media calendar.
2. Spreading Yourself too Thin
Many businesses create accounts on a number of social media platforms at once, despite their inability to post quality content and engage with their audience. One minute you are using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and the next thing you’ve abandoned all the platforms. Keep the focus of your social media strategy narrow, then simply branch out from that point.
3. Buying Likes and Followers
If you have thousands of likes or followers it may help leverage a business’ prominence and validate its social proof, it won’t help with increased return on investment (ROI) nor will it help with engagement if its spam or fake. In recent times, Instagram deleted millions of accounts to prevent its users from paying to gain more followers. Overnight, many celebrities and businesses had lost tons of followers.
4. Oversharing
Posting content within minutes (or even hours) is a good strategy……..if you are aiming to shun or turn off your followers. As much as possible, strive to share posts regularly and consistently. Create an online posting schedule and make use of online scheduling tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite.
5. Neglecting The ‘social’ Aspect of Social Media
People on social media expect responsiveness from businesses. They want to feel like they are dealing with real people and not robots. It is not necessary to respond to each and every comment, however responding to them builds trust. It also helps if you are able to develop a voice that is light, interesting and witty.
Let your brand’s personality shine through when responding to queries, addressing concerns and involving your brand in forums or communities. Humanize your brand and in doing so, you can make your audience feel more connected to you. While the idea of going viral and earning thousands of shares and likes is exciting, businesses should always keep in mind that social media is a tool within a broad, overall marketing strategy—every aspect of which must be laser focused and executed. By avoiding these social media marketing mistakes, marketers can prevent setbacks and further grow their online presence.
If you are still requiring assistance or just a little direction or require assistance to put together your own digital marketing strategy, feel free to call our office for a friendly discussion with one of our Social Media Marketing Managers.
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