4 Mistakes Your Business is Making on Social Media

Social media has become such a huge part of our everyday lives; it’s no wonder businesses have turned their marketing strategies to include posting on it. However, marketing on social media for your business can be a little more complex than it initially appears. Here are a few common mistakes you may be making and how to fix them. 

1. Failing to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy

Being present on social media takes so much more than simply creating a business page with your contact information, a description, and a few posts throughout the week. You need a strategy! Without a proper plan, social media can suck up a large amount of time or cause your following to dwindle. Social media should help you build a strong presence online. Thankfully, with a good social media marketing strategy, you can improve your social presence within your time constraints.

When developing a social media strategy, ask yourself the following:

• What is my primary goal? Why?
• Who is my target audience?
• What tactics will I need to use?
• How much time will I need to invest? How much can I budget for?
• Who will my social media team be composed of?

Through answering these five questions, you will be set on the right track to implement a strong social media strategy for your business!

2. Treating all Social Media Networks the Same

Just as different stores specialize in specific types of merchandise, each social media page specializes in its own kind of content. Instagram is primarily for photos and short videos; LinkedIn is more formal and business oriented; Twitter is for quick, short posts and GIFs; Facebook is for formal and informal content, videos, and pictures. Each has similarities, but each has many differences. You cannot share something on Instagram that is not visibly stimulating and expect it to do well, nor can you create a short message and GIF on LinkedIn and expect it to produce positive results. Failing to adjust your content to the source you are posting on can lead to an indifferent audience and will not foster conversation. Through making sure to adjust your content to the page you are posting, you will keep your followers engaged and produce more interactions.

3. Focusing Content that Only Self-Promotes

Promoting your business and services on your social media is important; it’s probably part of why your business created the account. However, there is such a thing as self-promoting too much. You want to make sure your content provides value to your audience. You want to make sure to share content that follows the three E’s: entertains, enlightens, or educates. Sharing only business promoting material will not be enough to keep your followers interested. Try a 50/50 ratio of creating content that promotes your business and services, and creating engaging posts, like wishing your followers a Happy Monday or displaying a fun picture, video, or GIF that relates to your industry. Through social listening, you will be able to develop an understanding of where your followers’ interests lie and construct posts that fit into that sphere.

4. Forgetting to Add that “Human Touch”

Be personable! People like people. Social media is all about interactions from one person to an audience of people. Although you are posting as a business, it is still important to give your company a face and personality that fits your brand. Make sure your posts don’t sound robotic; give them a voice. But, be sure the personality and voice you give your business’s social media channels is consistent and matches your brand, along with the page you are posting on (e.g. a more formal voice on LinkedIn and maybe less formal on Twitter). When you are responding to followers, be sure to address them directly. Being personable and conversing with your followers will help increase your social presence and the trust your followers have in your business.

Social media is always advancing and can be tricky. If you are interested in improving your social media presence further, contact Stellar Blue Technologies today! Our knowledgeable team of marketing experts is ready to help your business maximize its online presence.