Social media is becoming bigger and more popular. 72 percent of Internet users are active on social media. To ensure your business succeeds, it is now imperative that you are also active on social media, which is only part of the story, however. You must also make sure that you are not committing errors that could actually harm your social media presence and ultimately your brand.
Always the Salesman
One of the most common mistakes that brands make on social media is continually trying to sell something. Obviously, your goal is to promote your business, but it should be recognized that consumers have become naturally wary. If all of your posts are sales-related, it can turn off your prospective customers. Take the time to develop a well-rounded content strategy that includes posts that are of true value to your readers and which are not obvious advertisements.
Lack of Originality
There is nothing wrong with sharing content from other sites on occasion if you find it to be relevant and believe it would truly be valuable to your readers. Do not make the mistake of doing this too often. Your readers have opted to follow you for a reason. Respect that and post original content.
Posting Randomly
Far too often, brands make the mistake of posting inconsistently and randomly. This can create a number of problems, as your followers may forget that you even exist if you do not post consistently and regularly. The best way to avoid this problem is to create a content calendar and then stick to it.
Not Understanding the Nuts and Bolts of Social Media
If you do not have a solid grasp on the mechanics of social media, you could be misusing hashtags, tagging, and @ replies. This practice can make it clear that you are a novice at social media and could potentially prevent people from following you or seeing your posts.
Not Developing a Social Media Policy
Does your company have a social media policy? If not, you could be committing a serious social media mistake. If there are no guidelines for your staff to follow while interacting on social media on behalf of your brand, then you can virtually guarantee that something will go wrong eventually. A solid social media policy should clearly outline expectations regarding how employees are to represent themselves and your brand online.
Approaching All Social Media Platforms in the Same Manner
Do you believe that Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest are all the same? If so, you are setting up your social media strategy for failure. Every social media platform is unique and should be approached differently to achieve optimal success. It is imperative that you take the time to learn the neighborhood, so to speak, of any platform on which you plan to develop a presence. Too often, brands make the mistake of posting the same messages on every platform on which they are active. Rather than bolstering their brand, this type of strategy often does more harm than good. In fact, it can cause your brand to come across as unauthentic, or could cause your message to seem like spam. That type of approach can quickly cause you to become unfollowed.
Focusing Solely on Numbers
Are you more concerned with the number of followers that your brand has on social media? While it is certainly important to try to cultivate a large following, keep in mind that a large number of followers may not equate to more business if your followers are not quality followers or fans. Ultimately, it will be more valuable to your company to have a smaller number of people who are engaged than a large number of followers who rarely interact.
Social media can prove to be a tremendous boon for businesses of all sizes. Regardless of whether you are just starting out or your business is already established, it is important for your brand to have a social media presence. With that said, making vital errors on social media can derail your social media marketing strategy and open up your brand to public scrutiny. Reviewing your strategy frequently can ensure that you do not make major blunders while giving your social media campaign the best opportunity for success.
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