Social media is a helpful tool for marketing and can be a great way to connect with customers and promote your business for free. By now we know, not all attention online is good attention especially when you’re trying to promote your products in a positive light. At best, these mistakes can lower your engagement but you’ve probably witnessed a few high-profile business’ online blunders or seen their headlines in the news. Learn from these common mistakes and avoid a PR nightmare for your own business.
Assuming more engagement will convert to more sales
Don’t bank on more likes equating to more sales. It simply doesn’t work that way for most businesses. Quantity matters for staying visible and appeasing the algorithms but the quality of posts that are directly related to your products will yield more sales. Growing your account and having satisfying engagement is nice but not the end goal. Keep that in mind and look at what content you’ve posted with the highest sales rather than only paying attention to what posts got the most user engagement. Attention is good but conversions are better.
Not diversifying your content types
With the exception of Tiktok and Youtube which are video-only or other platforms that are all one form of content, consider sharing a mix of images, videos, and text posts. This will keep your viewers interested in what you might post next.
Trying to grow on multiple platforms at once
You can grow multiple platforms at once but this can quickly become a full-time job. Make one your primary focus and then branch out to others. Consider which platforms are most appealing for your ideal clients and shift your posting power there.
Not having a plan
Before you dive into social media marketing, it’s important to have a clear plan with specific goals and objectives. Without a plan, your strategy can easily become disorganized and unfocused.
Not listening to customers
Engaging with customers is a key part of social media marketing, so it’s important to listen to their feedback and respond quickly. When you take the time to understand what your customers want, you can create better experiences for them.
Inconsistency
Consistency is key when it comes to social media marketing, so make sure you post regularly and at the same times each day or week. You also don’t want to overwhelm your followers with too many posts, but you also don’t want to be forgotten about by not posting enough. Find the right balance for your audience and stick to it.
Ignoring negative comments
Negative comments are inevitable, but it’s important to remember that they don’t always have to be a bad thing. You can use them to your advantage by addressing customer issues and showing that you’re willing to make changes.
Responding to public feedback harshly
It is better to say nothing or respond kindly when someone is behaving badly in your comment section. In some cases, it’s best to delete their comment altogether–but beware people may retaliate if there are multiple people sharing the same sentiments. Your (or your account manager’s) response is what other potential customers will notice in these interactions.
Not proofreading
Most typos are no big deal but sometimes they are. A misspelling or autocorrect error could make your brand look sloppy or worse, run by bigots. Double-check your content before hitting publish to make sure it reads as you’re intending.
Not tracking results
Last but not least, it’s important to track the results of your social media marketing efforts. This will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t so that you can adjust your strategy accordingly.
Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful social media marketing strategy. Take the time to understand your audience and create content they’ll enjoy, and you’ll be able to reap the rewards. If this sounds like a lot of work, that is because it is. You can hire a social media strategist with experience to push your accounts further.