Are You Failing at Social Media Marketing? Here Are 5 Possible Reasons Why:
The Sprocket Report
Social media platforms may wax and wane, (We’re keeping an eye on Twitter!) but since they are so crucial to your business marketing, read on for mistakes to avoid.
We all have had failures in our social media marketing. Maybe we used grammar more suited to a three-year-old than an executive or we made a snarky comment that not another soul found even remotely amusing. But in the world of social media, we can always post again tomorrow, so it’s best to learn from the mistake and move on.
Better yet, learn from the failures of other businesses and get that much ahead in the game. Sure, you’re bound to still make a mistake, but it won’t be one of the five listed below!
The Top 5 Social Media Fails:
1. You aren’t doing any social media.
If your business doesn’t have active social media, you’re missing out on 16% of traffic to your website, according to HubSpot data. https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5092/how-many-visitors-should-your-site-get.aspx That’s a pretty compelling reason already and it doesn’t even count business you conduct solely on social media. For instance, FAQs, customer feedback, discount offers, and much more can be taking place on the platforms where your audience spends their time.
2. You post sporadically.
You know how your fitness plan suffers when you don’t get to the gym regularly? The same goes for your social media marketing. Consistency is the key, even more so than quantity. If all you can manage is once a week, then do that consistently. At least you won’t look like you went out of business.
3. You never analyze your social media statistics.
Do your customers spend more time on Facebook or TikTok? At what time of day are they more likely to see your posts? If you were a sports coach, you would change the game strategy once you know more about the players, the condition of the field, and other factors. As the social media coach, you need to know the data.
4. Your social media person doesn’t know or care much about your business.
Whether you’re using a service or you assigned a staffer, they are your representative, a very important role. Just because someone is comfortable with the technology doesn’t mean they understand your target market or how to speak with your voice. The social media presence of your business should reflect your corporate culture as well as appeal to your company’s audience.
5. You have a capable social media person, but you don’t hold up your end of the partnership.
In social media marketing, the emphasis is more on “social” rather than on “marketing.” Rather than hard-sell advertising, think of it as a cocktail party where you share interesting and personal stories. The goal is to get people to know and like you.
Interesting and personal stories for a business might include an employee’s birthday, the not-for-profit you sponsor, or that funny story about the day the pipes froze in the bathroom. These would all make great social content, but they can’t be written about if your social media person doesn’t know about them. A brief call on a regular basis is all it takes to get your business’s news in the right hands so it can be shared on social media.
Online engagement with current and prospective clients has never been more necessary. Fortunately, adding social media to your marketing mix doesn’t have to break the bank since you can participate at whatever level makes sense for your business. Our Sprocket team creates social media posts, images, and ads for all kinds of clients. Find out what we can do for you! Just give us a call to talk over your specific needs.
This article is an update to “5 Ways You’re Failing at Social Media” dated 12/8/2014.
Failed Grade by KGingold CC-BY
Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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