Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
Last Updated on April 22, 2023 by Work In My Pajamas
Never underestimate the power and importance of social media for your small businesses. One positive interaction can turn a casual visitor into a long-term customer. Social media platforms give your company a unique voice that goes an incredibly long way in determining the success of your organization’s overall branding and marketing strategies.
Alternatively, your web presence can work against you if you’re not careful. Let’s take a look at five of the most common blunders that businesses make on social media.
In This Post:
1. Inconsistent Posting Frequency
It happens all the time – a company kicks off their social media presence with a bang, only to dwindle off its audience’s radar shortly after. Successful social media use is an ongoing effort. Your goal is to strike the perfect balance in your posting frequency. Too little and you’ll be forgotten, but post too much and you’ll quickly lose followers.
There’s no guaranteed rule for success, but your approach should depend on how many followers you have. For example, if you have more than 10,000 Facebook followers, you can probably get away with two posts every day. If you’re a smaller business still growing your audience, you may want to post every other day to make each one have a stronger impact.
2. Not Interacting with Your Followers
Whether you’re focused on boosting sales, driving brand awareness, customer support, or event marketing, you must engage those who reach out to you. Depending on the size of your company, it may not be possible to respond to every single inquiry, but making an effort goes a long way in establishing your brand as accessible and transparent.
Social media involves more than just posting content – even if it’s awesome content – and hoping for the best. Today’s social media users expect fast, informative responses, not one-sided conversations. If you’re not capable of staying on top of your pages, you may want to consider hiring a social media specialist. That brings us to our next common error.
3. Trying to Do It All Yourself
Just because you’re comfortable using your personal social media pages doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to be successful as the admin of a business page. Hiring a designated social media specialist or team can really help you to get the most out of your social media accounts.
After all, today’s major business-oriented social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Yelp) have many features available that aren’t always familiar to the casual user. For instance, Facebook ads can generate amazing results, but they can also be a money pit if poorly executed. Hiring the right online marketing services maximizes your success potential.
4. Erratic Content
If you’re posting a stunning HD video of your products one day, then a grainy cell phone picture the next, you’re going to lose credibility. Your social media platforms allow you to establish your company as an authority in your field. Don’t sell it short by putting out content that’s not up to your standards.
Invest in high-quality camera and video equipment, or pay a professional to produce content for you. Hire a skilled copywriter and graphic designer. It may be tempting to handle your content production in-house, especially if you’re a smaller business on a limited budget, but the quality of your content really does speak volumes about your business.
Fortunately, social media is a very affordable marketing option compared to other outlets such as TV, radio, and other ad mediums. It may seem frivolous to spend money on producing content, but look at the bigger picture. Social media is here to stay, and quality content is going to grow your audience exponentially. The act of posting is free, so use those savings to invest some money into what you post.
5. Failing to Reach Your Target Audience
Even the best scuba gear company won’t thrive in the desert. It doesn’t matter how great your content is if it’s not being viewed by the right people, especially for small businesses that rely on niche consumers.
Depending on your business, recognizing and engaging your target demographic may be straightforward. For example, if you sell scuba gear, you could start by targeting people that live on coasts. If it’s not so easy to define, you may need to look into focus groups, surveys, online analytics, and other resources that help you to narrow your focus more effectively.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
If these common mistakes hit close to home, you’re not alone. Even large, successful companies make errors. Recognizing them is the first step, now it’s up to you to correct them. Today’s social media options and features aren’t as cut-and-dry as they were in the past, so don’t attempt to navigate them alone.
Hire a consultant to coach you if you plan on handling your accounts yourself, or work with a reputable internet marketing team. Social media isn’t going anywhere, so make the effort to be exceptional. In the long run, the results will speak for themselves.
