Top Social Media Marketing Mistakes Made In Business

I'm not sure if "mistake" is the right word, as social media changes at the same rate as people do. After all, social media, especially in business, is reflective of the needs and habits of people.

That said, there are some behaviours less ideal than others. For a safe check list of bad behaviours and remedies, I've listed below top mistakes I see businesses make and suggested remedies.

No intentionality!

Also called the "Spray and Pray" method, this means being on a bunch of platforms, often for no reason, and posting with your gut and in the heat of the moment. Be intentional about everything: from what platform you're going to be on, why, what your options are there and what you'll do.

Direct cross posting.

It is a big social media marketing no-no to take the same post and post it at the same time on the same time to multiple platforms. This turns off users for many reasons, as we know users go from platform to platform learning about us. Instead, use a scheduler to space out content and put pieces in-between them.

No idea of target market.

Who's your ideal customer? Also, Everybody! is not a valid answer! Know them specifically: age, marital status, political leanings, hobbies and social circles. This will inform how you talk to your audience, how you engage and how you do business. Create three customer avatars and design social media posts for your audience members specifically!

Not responding.

This is a huge YIKES! in my book - not responding. I mean to everything: positive and negative reviews, comments, messages, you name it. If someone talked to you in real life, you wouldn't just not respond, would you? Instead, respond as you would in the real world on social media.

Relying on schedulers.

Too many people get lazy when using schedulers. While a scheduler helps you plan and deploy content in a manageable manner, the best content and engagement comes from real time activity. Be sure to balance using a scheduler and logging onto the platform.

Relying on schedulers.

Automation makes life easy, and keeps your social media regular...but relying on it too much appears fake, one sided and drops down engagement. Be sure to balance scheduling posts with logging on and engaging.

Missing information from posts.

Ever posted something, and then nobody followed through? Make sure all information consumers need to complete an action are present.

Being spread too thin.

This means trying to be in too many places at once, and can include such things as being on too many platforms, trying to post too often or not knowing where to start. Have a concise plan of where you are online, what you can do and what you want to do.

Inconsistency.

Inconsistency in posting, presence and engagement reads poorly across the board: we may think your business is closed, doesn't care about your customers or are spread too thin. Use a scheduler or work with a professional and make a weekly task of doing social media.

Having no engagement plan or strategy.

Posting is only half the story: make sure you're engaging! Engagement means liking, commenting, sharing or following. Balance this as a task with posting.

Inappropriately using hashtags.

Hashtags don't work the same across all platforms, and best practices aren't the same. See how others use hashtags, and keep them audience centric.

Not using data.

Without data, you are working on gut feelings. Know where to find your analytics on each social media platform, and review what your best posts or months were. Brownie points for recreating them!

"One note" content.

Content should have variety in content, colour, artistry and topic. One type of content will drop engagement levels and follower counts. Know what your business is about and opportunities, and diversify posts.

Focusing on quantity over quality.

Sometimes we get so eager we post, post, post - but in the quantity we lose the quality. Quality is what will always attract followers, build community and drive engagement. Ensure every post, every comment and every interaction is a quality one.

Having no brand identity.

If you have no idea what your brand is about, your messaging will be all over the place, make no sense and not help achieve your goals. Know your mission, vision and values, and what you really do for people.

No experimentation, play or creative use.

Stagnation kills brands, so keep an attitude of exploration and play alive in your social media. Mix and match options, combine strategies or explore cross-platform opportunities.

Need help with any of these?

Shoot me an email - I'd be happy to chat.