Now more than ever, businesses are harnessing the power of social media to expand their reach and connect to their customers in new and exciting ways. While social media is a great marketing method which is currently working wonders for many small and large businesses alike, there are a number of errors you can make which will severely hamper the benefits you see from your social media presence.
First and foremost, your company should have its own social media account – not an employee’s personal account – which should be made public to followers. Here’s a mistake avoidance guide when managing your company’s social media profile.
- Know why you’re posting and drive engagement with every post you make
- Limit your direct selling, in favor of value-added content
- Always link to your website on your social media platforms
Don’t Post Without Reason
Social media is known for its interaction and easy engagement, but there’s a different between engagement and a one-sided conversation. Many businesses make the mistake of thinking they need to post frequently, so frequently that they lose sight of their message and brand awareness.
While posting often is encouraged to keep a solid presence on many social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, each post should have value which can benefit your company and drive activity on the platform.
Social media posts should either come from a place of careful planning and purpose, or spontaneous inspiration. There’s an in-between of banal conversation for conversation’s sake, and this should be avoided.
The truth is, social media followers have a fairly accurate sense when companies are posting simply to stay relevant and make people hyper aware of their brand, but this effect is usually counterproductive.
Don’t Mix Up Your Game Plan
Social media is great because results can be directly tracked and monitored. Your company should have a great feel on which posts are working to drive engagement and which are simply floating in space, being ignored by the general populace.
It’s always a smart idea to keep up with these results and alter your social media strategy and presence based on the results you collect; for instance, don’t try to stay in the same lane as posts which aren’t garnering a high engagement number, and stick with any new strategies which emerge and catch fire.
Just because you have a plan for posting doesn’t mean you have to stick to it religiously, especially if that plan isn’t working or you find another plan which works more effectively. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your posts and find new and exciting ways to interact with and relate to your targeted demographic. Trends change, and your social media strategy should adjust with the time and culture.
Don’t Directly Sell Too Often
Relatability and honesty are two of the most desired traits by social media users of any age. Managing an account which is loose and “goes with the flow” is a great way to establish trust and get your followers to love and share your content.
However, the number one way to destroy your long-building trust is to try to take advantage of it too early or too often. Social media users aren’t on their platforms to be advertised to, and their senses for this are at all-time highs.
Instead of selling your product directly as something that will make your customers’ lives easier, try to find other needs in their lives that they need met. The absolute key here is building a relationship, a partnership of sorts with your audience which makes them feel valued and taken care of.
Once you’ve established this relationship, you can start selling directly tentatively, but not a second sooner. A great ratio of product promotion to healthier content is about 1:4.
Do Know Your Brand And Create Synergy
What makes your products or services unique? This is a valuable question to answer before you establish a social media platform, and it’s a great question to keep answering as you grow you following and become solidified.
Your company should forward its brand by providing consistent and quality content which doesn’t seem monotonous or tedious. Ensure your content is branded and stays within your brand’s desired aesthetic choices.
Your brand is, or should be, unique already in the world, and you can carry this uniqueness into social media. There’s no reason to copy another brand’s style or content when you can create these things while staying true to your own brand’s values and mission statement.
Combine elements from your demographic and your values and outlook on life. Promote on social media what your brand is already promoting in the real world to create a sense of genuine honesty.
Don’t Use LinkTree As Your Instagram Bio Link
This may seem highly specific, but it’s a mistake which is made by many companies. You only get one link to post in your bio section of Instagram, and using LinkTree is a massive, wasted opportunity for your company.
LinkTree is minimally adequate, but if you want the most bang for your social media buck, you can’t go wrong with using your own website as your bio’s link. First, this method will drive eyes and clicks to your website and create consistency and connectivity within your digital platforms.
Additionally, LinkTree is not optimized for conversion, meaning those who are interested in your company and products will slip through your fingers at a greater rate if they’re not taken directly to your website or a specific landing page.
Finally, your website is the best tool in your arsenal for forwarding your brand and creating the crucial synergy brands strive for nowadays. Using LinkTree will prevent you from branding opportunities and won’t expand your business as quickly or efficiently as your website.
Final Thoughts
Social media is a great way to spread your brand’s message and reach to interested customers, but there a number of mistakes to avoid. Don’t post without purpose, but don’t be beholden to your posting schedule and style either.
Create a flexible plan and always use your website as your most linked-to site within your social media platforms and strategy.