Avoid Social Media Marketing mistakes

Social media marketing holds incredible power in today's business climate. It's not only a platform that hosts conversations for friends, family, and old acquaintances - it has become our central hub of information for personal and professional use. Most people have a general idea how social media works; however, few have a comprehensive understanding of the type of mistakes that can be made.

Check out these 10 tips to get a better handle on your social media efforts, maintain that audience you've worked so hard to build, and avoid these common blunders!

10 Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Failing to Post

Posting irregularly or once or twice a week typically isn't enough to stay on the minds of your audience so that you'll be their primary source in their time of need. Regularly provide them with content that meets their needs and interests (content they can identify with or even rally against), rather than bombarding them with non-benefit driven promotions.

2. Putting Them on Hold

Not responding to audience inquiries or relevant comments is a HUGE mistake. The reason is quite obvious: a response is a fundamental customer service expectation. If a customer calls your place of business with an inquiry, you know their tolerance for being put on hold is very low. Don't put your followers on hold. Be proactive by responding to your social media followers' inquiries both on and off your page to make a connection with your audience.

3. Lack of Creativity

Competition is fierce. To survive, you must go beyond the norm and innovate or risk becoming obsolete. Be creative - grab your audience's attention through humor, shock, motivation, and even give them an offer they can't refuse. Give them a chance to ask the right questions, shock and awe them, and surprise them with something unique.

4. Not Watching Your Competitors

You're off to a good start by reading this post, but it's important to be mindful of what your competition is doing. Nearly everyone has adopted social media as a marketing weapon, so educating yourself on what "the other guy" is cooking up will help you generate ideas and innovate for your own success. Take good notes on what is working for them or looks appealing, and brainstorm some ideas of your own original content that will wow audiences even more.

5. Taking Negative Feedback Too Seriously

It's safe to say most people don't look forward to negative comments or feedback, whether in person or in writing. In social media, this can get out of hand because people have the advantage of speaking freely without penalty or posting anonymously, so they have no reason to hold back. It's important to focus on the "quality feedback" and constructive criticism, not just honing in on the negative and acting out. Feedback will help discover weak links and create opportunities.

6. Too Much Involvement

Good promotion entails advertising to the right crowd, at the right time, and without pushing their "off" buttons. Think about your favorite TV commercials you have enjoyed watching. Would you still have respect for the product being advertised if the same commercial was advertised every 5 minutes? Too much of anything can harm your business. Be original and have adequate timing to avoid annoying your customers.

7. Isolated in One Department

Marketing in only one department limits the multi-functional role that it can have on your business. Different agencies that are the most useful are: advertising, media buying, web development, SEO, PR and customer experience. This should be shared across your company so competitors and customers know you mean business, and see you aren't limited to strictly 1 area of a marketing push. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. This will help you in the long run and will help you establish a clear and varied road map for success.

8. Not Understanding Your Platform

You have to figure out what type of social network fits you and your business. For some companies with limited time to dedicate to social media marketing, it can be frustrating to try to keep up with every hot new social media platform available. Use the platforms your audience is most active on to avoid wasting time as well as have clear goals and a solid content strategy for each platform.

9. Ignoring Data

Having a goal and understanding what you're doing on social media sites is one thing, but keeping track of everything you're doing is equally important. Every click, like, new follower, article read or purchase can and should be tracked for your own benefit. Research the best ways to track and use this data so you can stay competitive and know what strategies are working. Sites like Hubspot have amazing tools to track how successful different social media platforms are and can recommend changes for your business.

10. Paying for Your Fanbase

You'll get about as much engagement out of a stone as you will by buying followers. Not only that, but it will jeopardize your account as more social media pages are taking action against unnatural practices. As long as you follow the above tips in social media marketing, you will never have to resort to "cheating" tactics like paying for fans, likes, views or any other campaign that will increase your fanbase.