Just ‘being on social media’ is good, for starters.
But soon you’ll see that social media takes more than just setting an account on Facebook and posting a picture on Instagram.
If you feel your efforts on social media are not paying off, take the opportunity to check these four social media mistakes and make them behind you for good.
1. Using your personal account as a business account
We all know that social media was built for people to interact with friends.
Those days are gone. Nowadays social media is used for companies to interact with their customers.
There’s still a low percentage of small businesses that use personal accounts to reach their audiences.
By doing that, first, your presence online looks very unprofessional.
Secondly, you cannot use social media ads.
Thirdly, you are not allowed to analyze your performing insights.
Does this mean you cannot share your business posts on your personal account? No, you can (and you should) in order to spread your message.
2. Posting your content without a strategy
The truth is, social media won’t work without valuable, consistent and compelling content.
And better yet, social media won’t work without a content strategy. It will fail. Sooner or later.
So how to build a content strategy?
You need a plan. That plan can take the form of an editorial calendar.
In order to create content for your editorial calendar, consider the following:
- Your target audience.
- Your mission.
- Resources at your disposal.
- Unexplored Niche.
3. Using automated direct messages
There’s nothing worse than following someone on Instagram and receiving an automated direct message selling something or making you do something.
Yes, being ‘on’ at all times can be exhausting (if not, impossible).
But people want to intereact with–wait for it–PEOPLE! Try to engage with people as much as you can, and forget about spammy messages.
4. Expecting fast results, so you sell hard
Social Media takes time.
Because Social Media is not about selling, but educating, inspiring and entertaining your audience.
In other words, as Jay Baer says in his book Youtility, “Smart marketing is about help, not hype.”
Does this mean you cannot show your (new) products or your next event?
Absolutely not. You can (and you should) share those with your audience. But keep the promotional stuff to 20% or less of what you post.
Once your audience trust you, they will buy your products and/or services.
Remember: Trust is built by giving first.
Be Creative | Be Social