If you're new to social media, it can be tough to tell what's right and what's verging on dangerous. As the world of social media changes, so do people's expectations around how they should use it. We've given some examples below of 10 social media mistakes businesses make in their marketing strategy and, more often than not, they're doing it because they don't fully understand why people use social media and how to use it properly.
10 Social Media Mistakes Businesses Make
1) Making it all about you: Your company has a great story to tell but can we stop interrupting everyone with information that no one cares about? Put yourself in your customer's shoes and think about what information they would like to hear, not what you want to tell them.
2) Forgetting the community: Your customers are part of a community so creating genuine interactions is key in building stronger relationships with them. If you don't focus on your customers and their needs, they'll go elsewhere - it is that simple. You need to know your audience and what makes them tick.
3) Not staying current: Staying up-to-date with the latest social network is one of the most effective things you can do for your business. Whatever your budget, there are tools out there that will help you stay on top of your game - some are free! So if something is working, make sure you keep it up. It's also important to remember that the social media landscape changes quickly so what is appropriate now might not be in a year or two.
4) Posting too much: Please don't misconstrue this as being about posting frequency - it's not. The truth is most businesses are guilty of posting too many self-promotional posts. Just because you want to shout about something, it doesn't mean your community wants to hear about it. It's important to keep the balance of promotional and conversational posts. Ask yourself - what's in it for my community?
5) Posting too little: On the other side of the coin, posting once every three months is never going to work. This is especially true now that businesses are beginning to take social media seriously (although some still don't). If you've committed to using social media as part of your marketing strategy then you need to provide some kind of content more regularly. The frequency will vary depending on your niche, but there's no doubt that if you're not posting regularly, your customers won't be coming back.
6) Allowing spam: Some brands like to send out direct messages (DMs) or posts containing web address links which might look like a shortcut to a piece of content or a coupon. You wouldn't click on a banner advert or pop-up, so why would you do it on social media? If you're going to post links make sure they are genuine and make sense in the context of your conversation.
7) Not using other platforms: In theory, this shouldn't happen. In practice, it does. You may not be a fan of a particular platform but if you're going to use social media then you need to make sure that your message is consistent between all networks. It's also important that you embrace new platforms as they arise and integrate existing ones into your strategy.
8) Using the wrong network: Communicating via the wrong social media channels is like trying to give a presentation without using your audience's first language. If you're not sure which network to use (and there's always one that gets left out), ask your community which platform they prefer and how they would like to engage with you.
9) Taking it all too seriously: Your business is a serious endeavor but that doesn't mean social media should be serious too. It's the opposite - social media is all about engagement. So take some time out from your day-to-day activities and have some fun on social networks.
10) Not listening properly: If you're going to use social media, you need to listen. Listen to your customers and what they have to say about you. If they are happy then great, but if not then take the feedback on board and use it to drive improvements in your business. Listening is a powerful tool that can be used for good or evil - which do you want? There you have it - 10 social media mistakes businesses make. If you need help with your business's digital marketing needs, then look no further than We Love Digital Marketing. We're a digital marketing agency in Kolkata, and we're on a mission to make sure businesses in India are armed with the best digital marketing strategies possible. Our staff is experts in their field - they know what works, and what doesn't. So what are you waiting for? Why not give us a call or drop us an email and find out how we can help you today?
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