10 Ways You Are Doing Social Media Wrong and How It’s Holding Back Your Business!

Lots of people ask me why their social media posts aren't getting traction. And there are some fundamentals you need to have in place - like a strategy for your social media for example! Who do you serve? How do you help them? What main problems do you solve for them.

If you have all the fundementals right (an article for another day), then you are probably making one of the following mistakes. Once you identify that, it's easy to put it right.

1. You are not creating a buzz?

Don’t you love being the first to know about something and that buzz you get when you tell your friends or work colleagues something which they are surprised / happy / shocked about?? Yeah – well, so do your potential customers.?

So, please,? DON’T BE BORING.? No-one likes a ‘me,me,me, buy my shit’ social media account.? But they DO love learning new and interesting stuff they didn’t know before, or having a laugh, or having a WOW – experience that they can pass on to their mates.?

So, get the word out about your products and services in a way that promotes conversation and increases engagement.

2. You sound like a brochure instead of a conversation with a friend.?

People don’t want to read stuff on social media that sounds like a brochure or a technical manual (expanding on the first point).? Be yourself, and talk like you would talk to me if I was sitting here next to you.

Trust comes through honesty and sincerity. And people don’t trust a soundbite – so be yourself.? No using big words to impress – even if you DO know what they mean!? If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it.?

Or, more importantly, if your target audience wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it.? Talk in their language and they will love you.?

3. Branding

It is extremely important for a small business to create a recognisable identity for your product or service. Most small businesses or solopreneurs don’t get this.? Your Brand is NOT your logo – it is what you want to be known as and for.?

So, don’t be vanilla – which is a great ice cream flavour but NOT good for branding.? Let people know what you stand for – however controversial.?

You cannot be liked by all the people all of the time on social media. And the more successful you get, the more chance of attracting a few haters.??

Get over it, and don’t worry about it.? In fact, feel sorry for them.? Some people have nothing better to do with their lives than to try and bring down people who they are (though they would die rather than admit it) jealous of.?

So – let the world know who you really are, what you stand for and what you believe in.? If some people don’t like that – good – they are not your customers.? More people WILL love what you are saying, and become raving fans.? It’s better to be Marmite than Bran Buds (exactly – you never heard of them).

4. On and off posting

Most business owners are very busy creatures.? If you don’t have time to spend an hour or two a day on social media (and you shouldn’t have) – then make sure you have a solution to that.? Get someone else in the business to take responsibility or outsource it.? (Maybe access our digital apprenticeship for an existing staff member?)

Nothing says – “we have possibly gone out of business” or “we are not really a serious/modern business” like not having posted on social media for a few weeks.? Oh dear!

5. It’s not SALES Media it’s SOCIAL?Media

People hate to be sold to but they love to buy.? Most people like spending money on things THEY have chosen to spend money on.? They DON’T go on social media to be sold to.? They go to be SOCIAL.?

It’s online networking.? So, get to know people and show them you are the authority in your field.? With Facebook, LinkedIn, and X formerly known as Twitter (among many, many others) you can hold personal conversations with each of your customers.

Tell them about new products, sales and coupons, suggestions and tips – the topics are endless! Just don’t be selling all the time.??

And really – this is where social media is going.? With the changes in algorithm that makes it impossible for 95% of your followers to see your posts on FB, it is about either advertising CONTENT (not trying to make an immediate sale) – or seeking out one to one conversation opportunities.??

6. Small businesses thinking social media is not for them. ?

Wrong!? In the past, it was very difficult to compete with the advertising and marketing budgets of large companies. And many small businesses still have this mindset – that it is something that big brands do, but it is not for them.? And so they don’t do it.? What a waste!?

With the right type of viral social media, you could potentially get an immense amount of traffic which keeps coming for a long time. And you can test FB and Twitter ads for a couple of pounds a day.?

If you don’t know how to do that – outsource it and use the power of social media advertising.?

7. Online reputation management?

Social Media is a good way to keep an eye on what other people are saying about your name, company, or brand online – and if any problems or complaints arise, they can be dealt with.

As in real life, a genuine complaint (as opposed to a troll) is an opportunity to Wow your customer.?

Any old company can play nice when everything is going well, but it takes a proper company to pay nice when things go wrong.? And that is where social media can work powerfully for you.?

Listen to what is being said about you so you can respond appropriately.??

Most companies aren’t doing that – but it is easy to set up and really important for you to know about.? It is vital to jump on any negative noise sooner rather than later.?

And if there is no noise – well that is telling you something and you need to listen!

8. Thinking Your Big Following Are Seeing Your Posts

We have a client with 12,000 followers.? Of which between 120 and 480 at most see any one of their posts. ? Organic is no longer enough with FB's changes of algorithm.?

However, the good news is social media marketing shouldn’t cost a small business nearly as much as traditional advertising. If you do it yourself it shouldn’t cost more than your daily cup of coffee.

It will however cost you time. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire someone to help with your social media marketing.

9. Not finding out exactly what your customers want?

Social media is amazing in so many ways, as you can see from the last 8 points.

And maybe one of the most amazing things about it is that you don’t have to wonder what your customers want. You want to know what they want? Just ask them!

This is something many businesses forget to do.? They talk about what THEY find interesting and exciting (which is fine) but if that is not what your CUSTOMERS also find interesting then it is going to fall on deaf ears.?

So, have a look at what they are talking about/commenting on and then provide the answers.?

10. Google Ads are great but Social Media Works Better for Small Businesses. ?

A lot of small businesses waste money they can ill afford to lose on Google.? Google CAN be a very effective way of finding new business but you have to have a BUDGET for it.?

If you don’t then you can waste what - for you - might be a lot of money, but for Google – is pigeon feed.?

But if you’re not high enough in the search engines for potential customers to find you, don’t worry, they can still find you through social media.

Even if you’re not on the front page of Google, it doesn’t mean you can’t receive traffic. And Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and Twitter are much cheaper options for driving traffic.

So, there you have it.

All small businesses should take advantage of the benefits social media can provide you with, it’s a no-brainer!?

Till next time

Carole Fossey

The Social Media Mentor

Creator of the LinkedIn S.M.A.R.T.S. System

Founder of Strategy Social Media and co-founder of Social Media Kickstarter Training Ltd.

Owner of Socially-Sorted - Hootsuite Beating Social Media Software

Connect with me here on LinkedIn

If you want to use social media to promote your business and you know you should be doing it, but you don’t know where to start, then go here to hop on a 20 minute call with me to identify the top 3 ways you could be using social media better for your business.?

Here is what some other people think of our services.

Mark Pitcher

“I was looking forward to launching my coaching business ‘Smash The Box’, but really nervous about potential clients seeing my Facebook page with 12 followers!!? After engaging Carole to do it for me, in July, we were able to soft launch the business in September with 9,000 genuine facebook followers on the Fan Page.? Social proof is so important these days, and it has certainly made me more confident to give our my business cards and direct people to look at my Facebook Page”.

David Walton

“As the recently appointed MD of a fairly traditional finance company, I needed help dragging them into the 21st century.? Carole organised some Facebook and Twitter competitions and ads to promote, which got hundreds of comments.? The winners of all the competitions have since become clients and referred us to others, so it has been money very well spent.? Not only that but Carole’s webinars and video training have been invaluable for getting our staff and contractors involved in promoting the business through social media”

Cheryl Chapman

“This weeks blog was perfect, as usual.? It is like Carole looked in my fridge at the remnants left in there, and came up with a 3 course gourmet dinner.? Thank you!”

Emma Bumpstead

6 months ago I had no experience within Digital Media, and now I have an outstanding portfolio that has landed me a job in a big London Media Agency. Without Carole’s training none of this would have been possible. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with her!???