While social media has become an important marketing tool, so many brands forget that it should be a social tool first and foremost. It’s a chance for brands to connect with their target audiences.
Low social media engagement can be frustrating. But, before you get too frustrated and throw in the towel, have a look at some of the most common mistakes brands make on social media to see if you can turn things around.
Here are 5 mistakes you might be making on social media.
#1: You’re too focused on the sale
If you are constantly talking about yourself through a continuous hard sell of your products/services, your target audience will quickly lose interest. It’s not very authentic – or interesting – if all you do is talk about yourself!
To avoid making this mistake, develop your content strategy with audience engagement in mind. If you set out to connect with people, you will find that your loyal brand community will grow. Two things to consider are:
- User-generated content where you post content that your audience submits.
- Curated content from third party sources acknowledges other viewpoints.
#2: Ignoring the comment section
In spite of the fact that studies show that 70% of people are more likely to stick with a brand if they respond on social media (and not with a copy and paste response!), brands ignore a staggering 89% of inquiries on social media. As a small business owner, you are probably trying to run your business and your marketing on your own. It can be easy to let things slip through the cracks, but you don’t want to lose customers.
Social media is all about connection and dialogue. Whether on purpose or not, you should never leave a comment unanswered. If you’re having trouble keeping on top of it, schedule 15 minutes every day to sit down with your online community and answer any questions or comments.
#3: Not providing value
If you are just posting for the sake of posting, you are likely just adding to the wall of noise that social media has become. It’s likely not going to attract the audience you had intended – if you attract anyone at all!
Remember, you are on social media for the benefit of your customers, which means you should be posting about things they want to hear about. Keep up on the trends within your industry and listen for questions that come up frequently about your products/services. You might even try asking your followers what they want to hear about.
#4: Focusing on size, not quality
The number of followers you have means nothing if they aren’t converting into customers and if your overall engagement is low. More isn’t always better. If your goal is merely to gain more followers on social media, you’re doing it wrong.
Instead, focus on building a community. If you have a highly engaged community on social media, it’s not going to matter as much if the number fluctuates a bit. You will notice an upward steady growth trend in your following, your engagement, and your revenues.
#5: Wrong place, wrong time
You set up your social media platforms based on their popularity and you are putting out content regularly, but the strategy just isn’t getting any traction… at all. Have you considered that your target audience doesn’t use the platforms you chose? If your target audience isn’t on a specific platform, why are you?
Do your research before starting any marketing strategy. In terms of your social media, figure out on which platforms your target audience uses.
As you are building or trouble-shooting your social media strategy, keep these common mistakes in the back of your mind. Remember that you should be having fun with your social media strategy because it is all about building a brand community of people.
Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.
Connect with Candace
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