Within the growing world of social media marketing, there are essentially two types of business owners – the ones who are seeing great results from sustained and consistent campaigns, and the ones who wonder what they are doing wrong. If you fall into that second camp, it might be because you’re making a handful of incredibly common blunders that stop you from engaging buyers in a meaningful way.
To help you avoid them in the future, here are seven errors I have seen time and time again…
#1 Personal Rants and Oversharing
Let’s be honest: very few people are going to actually care about the feud you have with your in-laws, or the rude driver who cut you off in the morning. That’s especially true when you start posting these kinds of items to your business feed. Don’t annoy customers with your pet peeves, and don’t share so many personal details that business contacts tune you out.
#2 Wading Into Sensitive Topics
It’s great that you have very strong views about politics, religion, and other hot button topics. But, unless your business is centered around one of these subjects, you should probably steer clear of them on your business feed. Otherwise, you’re likely to lose customers who don’t agree.
#3 Posting at the Wrong Times
A lot of business owners complain that they don’t have time to use social media marketing because they can’t post when people are online. However, if you make it part of your daily routine (like checking your email or brushing your teeth), you’ll find it’s quicker than you think. You can also take advantage of messaging apps that let you schedule future posts, but use a bit of caution (see below).
#4 (Mis)Using Automated Messaging Apps
If you’re too busy to post and tweet, you can schedule your social activity ahead of time. Just be sure you don’t go too far out, and that you keep one eye on your activity. Otherwise, you could find yourself sharing thoughts that seem tone deaf in the midst of a tragedy or news event (as many companies have).
#5 Failing to Branch Out
You probably have a couple of social media platforms you really like using. But, if those are the same ones your customers like using, then you’re wasting a lot of your time and energy. The solution here is to listen to your market, but also to branch out once in a while and try new things so you can see what works.
#6 Posting Without Listening
Social media marketing doesn’t mean you “shout” through your profiles at the top of your lungs. Like any smart marketer, you should always be open to a two-sided conversation. Make it clear that you’re listening, and customers just might share some very interesting (and profitable) insights with you.
#7 Ignoring Analytics
At the end of the day, all online marketing campaigns should be essentially driven by analytics. Pay attention to traffic sources, conversions, and other key statistics to figure out what’s working. Then you can make smart adjustments to your social messaging going forward.
Are any of these errors holding you back in preventing you from getting the kind of traction you’re looking for on your social media accounts? If so, it’s time to make a clean start and engage your customers and prospects in a way that makes them likely to do business with you in the future.
If you need help turning your campaigns into something special, don’t forget the Biondo Creative team in Philadelphia is here to help!