Isn’t it always better to learn from others mistakes so you don’t make them yourself? Here are some common mistakes that other businesses have made on social media sites that you may be making as well. Don’t worry, it’s never to late to fix the problem, and we are here to help you!
1. Separate Work and Play
Unless you are an independent contractor of some sort, separate your personal social media accounts and your company account. Most people don’t want to see your vacation pictures from Hawaii if they are trying to do business with you. There is a time and place for everything, and your company profile page should reflect the business world.
2. Incomplete Profiles
This one should go without saying, but so many companies fall victim to it. If you’re going to be on social media sites, be on them. Have a full profile with the company logo, pictures where necessary, company information and address. Also, keep it current and reply to posts by others in a timely manner. You don’t want your page to be outdated because it will draw people away.
3. Spamming
Just say no! You don’t want to spam and annoy people you want to gain credibility with. It’s all about finding a good balance between over posting and staying active on social platforms. Your main goal is to listen and engage to receive more brand exposure and a loyal fan following.
4. Lacking Focus
It is quite hard to get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going. Set up goals that you want to achieve using social media sites in order to create a plan around it. Don’t jump on the bandwagon of being on social sites because everyone else is and you feel like you need to be too. Have a purpose in mind.
5.Unrealistic Expectations
Unless you’re Coca-Cola you aren’t going to have 46 million likes. That is a great thing to strive for some day, but focus on more obtainable goals. Utilize social media sites as a stepping stone in gaining new customers, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you are using.
6. Not seeing the BIG picture
When worrying too much about your social media platform, keep in mind: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Nothing happens overnight, and you need to build up your following. Reeling in one good customer will lead to more. You are developing a relationship, so treat it like one. Don’t develop a good connection with someone then never talk to them again. Keep building on the relationships already developed in order to gain new ones.
7. Too much talking
People have two ears and one mouth for a reason; so you listen twice as much as you speak. Social media exists to make connections, and more people will be drawn towards your company if you actually listen to what people have to say. Imagine what could happen if you give your customers what they want. Simple laws of supply and demand…as demand increases so can your price! Don’t force your message on people, but truly talk to them and listen to what they have to say.
8. No filter
Let’s face it, we are all human and we all get mad sometimes. Placing your negative thoughts about deals gone wrong, competitors or disgruntled employees will not show you in the best light. Follow the golden rule: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. This goes for company pages as well as your personal pages if the two are connected.
9. Lacking relevance
Too many postings that don’t pertain to your audience will push people away. Don’t always make the posts about the company, post about things that you think your audience will enjoy. If they don’t find value in what you are saying in your posts, they also won’t see a value in your company.
10. Expecting Social Media to do all the work
Have you ever been around someone that constantly talks about how great they are? No one likes to be around them, so don’t do this to your followers! Yes, you want to talk about your company, products, and new releases, but leave your opinion out of it and stick to the facts. People expect you to think your company and product is the best, so there is no need to shove it down their throats. Ask people for their opinion of what they think, it will either give you things to improve or it will be a great testimonial for others to see. Again, it’s all about building a relationship, not bulldozing people to like your company.