One of the most important things to remember about social media is that even though it's a marketing tool, it needs to remain social! It's about people talking with other people.
If you're finding that your engagement on your business page is a little low - don't get frustrated! Here are some common mistakes people make with their social media, and how to change them.
Common Mistake: Selling Only
Having a conversation with yourself can be pretty boring. Soon, you'll run out of things to say. The same thing happens in social media. If you're not allowing conversation to flow, your audience can quickly lose interest - especially if you're being too sales-y!
How To Fix: Create content with engagement in mind. If you set out to connect with people in a more meaningful way, engage with them. Soon, you'll find your audience growing in an organic and loyal way.
Try creating initiatives that utilize user-generated content - your audience will appreciate that. Also, post links, quotes or comment on curated content you find from other sources - other than your own blog materials - it will give you a chance to connect with others on social media by shouting them out on your posts.
Common Mistake: Ignoring Comments
Did you know that about 89% of inquiries on social media get ignored? That's a lot of customers inquiries that go unanswered. Sometimes when a business owner gets busy, it can be easy to let things slip through the crack. About 70% of people are more likely to stick with a brand or company if they respond and connect on social media.
How To Fix: Social media is all about connecting. Whether you mean to or not, a comment should NEVER go unanswered, even if you just react to like it or responding with an emoji - this is the same across all social media platforms, including Instagram. If you're having trouble keeping up with everything, take 15 minutes out of your morning/afternoon to go through comments and responses. Soon, it will become a valuable habit.
Common Mistake: No Value
When you feel tired, you may not be able to accomplish as much as you want to - the same goes for social media. If you just post just for the sake of posting, without any thought or regard to what the content is, then you're likely not going to attract the audience and response you wanted.
How To Fix: It's not always about what you want to hear - but what your audience wants. Keep up on trends within your industry and post about them. Respond to any questions that come up regarding your product/service. A post about frequently asked questions in your industry is a great way to engage people. Remember you should be providing value to your community.
Common Mistake: Quantity Over Quality
Of course, anyone would want thousands of followers on their social media. But in order to grow your audience, you need to have a strategy. Don't fall into the trap of buying followers because having a large number is important for you. The number of followers you have means NOTHING if they aren't being converted into customers. More isn't always better. If your goal is to just gain more followers, you're going at it all wrong.
How To Fix: Focus on building a community - not an audience. Personally, I measure success by what type of engagement I'm providing. Don't worry if the number fluctuates a bit - but you should be noticing a steady upward growth in your platforms. The more you engage, the more you likely your community will buy into what you're saying or selling.
Common Mistake: Wrong Place & Time
If you put out content on certain social media outlets because of their popularity and not getting any traction - take a look to see if your target audience is even on that platform.
How To Fix: Do research before you start making any marketing strategy. Figure out which platforms your target audience is on so you can interact with them. It can be as simple as looking into what your competitors are doing. If you're a B2B business, some of the more consumer-focused platforms don't really make sense, but LinkedIn is perfect.
As you're building or troubleshooting your social media strategy, keep these common mistakes in the back of your head. Remember - have fun with your social media strategy because it's all about communicating with and building a brand community of people.
If you have questions or other concerns about your social media campaign not touched on here call us at (203) 429-9671.We're happy to help!
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Darien, CT & NYC. We service businesses with marketing strategies, social media and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com