Social media marketing is a complex process, but it doesn't have to be a mysterious one. You can overcome the challenges of social media marketing by avoiding these five pitfalls:
Not having a defined strategy
The first thing you should avoid is no strategy. This includes not setting a goal or having an unrealistic one. You should start by defining the problem, before thinking about how to solve it.
If you don’t have a specific goal in mind, it can be easy to get distracted by what other people are doing on social media. Don’t try and keep up with them! Instead, focus on yourself and your own goals- being ambitious but realistic with yourself.
The next thing you should avoid is an unenthusiastic attitude. This is something that can be very easily picked up by your audience, and it’s contagious. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, how can anyone else? So, make sure that even when things get tough, you stay positive and enthusiastic about your project.
Not using data
It's important to know your audience, but it's also important to understand how they act online.
If you're using social media marketing, your goal is to create a connection with potential customers or clients. To do this successfully, you need data that shows what works and what doesn't in terms of how people respond to the content you share.
You can use tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights for this purpose.
These tools are free and easy to use, but they only give you a limited view of what's going on in your social media marketing. If you want more details on how people interact with your content, consider using a tool like Sprout Social. This is an analytics tool that gives you a detailed breakdown of all the data related to your social media efforts.
No planning
As a marketer, you know that planning is key to success. Yet most people skip this step when it comes to social media marketing. If you don't have a plan for your social media strategy and content, how can you be sure that what you're doing is working?
What should be included in a good social media marketing plan? A good SMM strategy will include:
· Goals - what are your goals for each platform? How will success be measured? You should also set realistic expectations, since not every post will get hundreds of comments or shares on every platform (and if they do, there could be another reason why).
· Audiences - who are the people engaging with your posts? Do they have similar interests as those who typically engage with other brands' posts in their category or niche? If so, then it's likely worth continuing along those lines; however, if not then try something new!
· Strategy - how does this fit into our overall online strategy/content inventory management plan (OCM)? For example: if we already have an email newsletter but no blog then maybe we need one! Or perhaps we already have both but want more creative ways of sharing information externally via Facebook groups or Pinterest boards instead of just text-based emails versus graphics-based Facebook updates vs image-filled Instagram posts vs video clips broadcasted through YouTube channels etcetera.
Avoiding trends
The world we live in is a trend-based culture. Trends influence our shopping, media consumption and even the way we interact with one another. Being aware of these trends can be an incredible benefit for any business or brand that wants to reach new customers and increase sales. However, there are two types of trends: good ones and bad ones.
Good trends are those that provide value to your audience and help them solve real problems in their lives. Bad trends take advantage of people's FOMO (fear of missing out) without offering anything useful in return—like the infamous McRib sandwich promotion from McDonald's back in 2013 that only lasted three months before disappearing again from menus everywhere until 2014 when it made its second appearance on menus across America...and then disappeared again just three months later after being introduced by McDonalds again (2017).
Focusing on follower count
Follower count is not a measure of success.
The value of your follower count depends on how you use it, and what you're using it for. If your aim is to sell products or services, then having lots of followers may help with that. The more people engaging with your content, the more likely they are to visit your website and make purchases there as well. But if all you're doing is posting links to articles from other websites and hoping that people will click on them (or like them), then maybe it's time for an update on how you approach social media marketing at work.
A healthy follower count should have an active percentage of engaged followers who regularly engage with their favourite businesses in some way (liking/sharing/commenting). Some businesses may prefer this metric over another because it measures actual engagement rather than simply raw numbers. This means businesses can get more out of each follow-up post by capitalizing on existing relationships between themselves and their fans instead of just trying too hard at attracting new ones without much success.
Make a plan, know your strengths and failings, know your audience, and stay current. Be consistent and set goals.
· Make a plan.
· Know your strengths and weaknesses.
· Know your audience.
· Stay current on trends.
· Set goals for what you want to accomplish through social media, then stay on track with those goals by setting regular benchmarks and reevaluating them as necessary over time (e.g., "I'm going to post twice per day for 30 days, then once per day for 30 days," or whatever fits your needs).
In essence, the takeaway from all of this should be that social media marketing is not a get rich quick scheme. It’s a long-term process that requires dedication, patience, and consistency. If you can stick to these five rules you will find success on Facebook, Twitter, and any other platform for your brand!
Looking to boost your social presence? Contact us today. We’re happy to help.
