Getting started with social media marketing can be pretty overwhelming. There are a few things you can do to help make it easier; however, I've seen a lot of businesses making the same mistakes over and over so I wanted to focus on things to avoid as well.
The first mistake is not being active on social media at all, but if you're reading this article I'm going to assume you're getting started or already have some sort of presence. No matter which social media platform you're using there are some universal things you need to stay away from:
1. Don't Skip The Strategy
So many business owners feel obligated to use social media so they just dive into it without a strategy. Just like any marketing or advertising activity, it's important to take the time to plan ahead and set actionable goals for what you're doing.
2. Don't Stretch the Truth
It is really easy to create fake profiles to like your business page, or to post content that isn't 100% accurate to seem like you're on top of your game. Don't! The whole point of social media for business is to be transparent and give people the opportunity to get to know you and your business so be honest.
3. Don't Ignore Everyone
You have clients, you have competitors, and you have employees. Acknowledge them. Interact with them. Acting like you are the only brand out there is a quick way to isolate close you off to online exposure. Inject personality into your posts and comment on or share posts from others as well.
4. Don't Be Vulgar, Obnoxious and Confrontational
While it's important to let your personality show through in your posts, there is a fine line. It's important to keep things appropriate. For example, if someone is saying something negative on one of your posts, you should address it but make sure to do so in a polite way. If a staff member is handling your social media make sure they are given guidelines about what should or should not be discussed on social media.
5. Don't Overwhelm Your Followers
Just because people have liked, followed, etc. you on social media does not mean they want to be bombarded with your updates. Never post the same updates over and over again, and definitely don't send people private messages thanking them for following you.
6. Don't Make It All About The Sales Pitch
Self promotion is one of the main reasons businesses use social media to begin with, however only using social for self promotion is a mistake. For one, people are not logging onto social media sites to conduct business or make purchases. Use the social media platforms for what they were intended and share updates on your expertise, your products and services, and by promoting some of the products and services you use in your own business. This will help make your friends and followers much more receptive to your promotional posts when you share them.
Because social media is always evolving there is technically no right or wrong way to do things. However, these are some of the many best practices to keep in mind in order to best engage with your following. Have you experienced some of these pitfalls or are there any more you'd add to the list? Leave me a comment below to let me know.
Related Posts
6 Back-to-School Marketing Strategies
According to statista.com, the 2020 average back-to-school spend per family amounted to approximately USD $800 – and it’s not getting any lower! Of course, 2020 back-to-school spending was less about paperback, and more geared toward at-home learning. This bumped up the expenditure needed for laptops, headphones, and the like.
Social Media Management 101
It is more important than ever for your business to have a robust online presence, and social media is a great way to establish that. So what exactly can a social media manager help you do? Similar to any project, social media requires time, attention to detail, and, most importantly — management. On top of overseeing social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc., a social media manager creates, publishes, and analyzes content. This all helps you to engage with your online audience while building a strong sense of community online. Now that we understand the basics of a social media manager’s role, let’s explore why social media is essential for growing your business and success over time.
Sunny Moments with Our Clients
The past seven years have been noteworthy. We went from a small marketing business, to making a major difference for many companies. In this blog, we’d like to highlight some of our featured work and reviews from just some of our valued clients.