Technology has triggered immense advancements in marketing. What used to be a field dominated by TV and print advertising is now an entire universe of SEO, social media, digital ads, and the like.
However, marketing remains the same at its core: just like with advertisers in the past, coming up with customer-focused and emotion-rich strategies serves as your springboard to success—except that every other facet got a lot more complicated.
Because of the dynamism and intricacies of the modern social media marketing world, it’s easy to get caught up in the trivial and forget the essentials. As such, it’s not surprising just how many social media marketers commit mishaps without even realizing it.
Are you one of them? Check out our list of some of the most common social media marketing mistakes to find out!
Using the wrong platform
Different platforms work best for different objectives. Each has their own unique quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. Using the right platform for your business will serve as the gateway to maximised returns.
When it comes to brands that fare well with visual expression, Instagram is king. Twitter nests its own unique dynamics in terms of connecting and communicating with an audience. YouTube is also a major player that seems to cater best to specific niches—such as vlogging-based marketing. And of course, there’s Facebook—the most popular social media platform today.
Study each platform closely and weigh their characteristics against your business objectives, budget, marketing strategy, and target audience. You can also be on multiple platforms—and if so, customise your marketing plan accordingly.
Using the wrong content strategy
Using the right posting strategy is vital in establishing a lasting connection with your audience. To put it simply, the right strategy should add value and enhance your customers’ social media experience.
To craft the right social media content strategy, you should think about:
- What to post. Produce content that resonates well with your audience. Always aim to go for posts that generate engagement and add value, as this will ensure that your customers will look forward to (instead of dreading) your content.
- For whom to post. Personalised content will always go farther than generic ramblings. Know your audience and leverage this knowledge to generate content that touches them to the core.
- When to post. In determining the best time/s to post, social media analytical tools should get you covered. However, you should also go beyond this technique and incorporate other thoughtfully-timed content. For instance, if you’re announcing a major sale or launching a new product, it’s best to time the announcement during relevant periods, such as paydays or local holidays.
- How often to post. Find that sweet spot where you’re posting frequently enough that you’re always within the customer’s radar—but without being annoying or downright obtrusive to their social media experience. Study your audience carefully and experiment with different schedules to guide you.
Neglecting your profile
This one should be pretty obvious, but many marketers still fail to maintain their social media profiles in tip-top shape. Go to your page and check if the following have been optimised, or at the very least, taken care of:
- The username or handle
- Business name
- Profile picture
- Bio or description
- Bio URL
- Interests
All of these elements play a vital role in maintaining a social media profile that appears fresh and well-maintained. Remember: you have to make a great impression the very first time your profile is viewed by a potential customer. A neglected social media profile is downright uninviting—and in really bad cases, it screams incompetence.
Take a look at Uber Eats Australia’s Instagram page:
This is a great example of an optimised social media profile. The logo used as profile picture is unique and clear. The bio reflects exactly what the brand is all about. It also shows interest on its clients by encouraging them to share their meals via the #TonightIllBeEating hashtag. Lastly, the URL leads directly to valuable information on how customers can get started with the app.
Sticking to obsolete techniques
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by how much the landscape of social media has changed over the years—but the fact is it will keep on evolving nonstop. There’s really no other choice but to keep on keeping up.
Several years ago, creating a business profile on social media mostly meant being more attuned to your customer’s concerns. After all, it’s a great medium for answering questions and addressing complaints instantly. Today, however, business profiles have evolved to be an all-around marketing weapon.
It’s not enough anymore to simply post pictures of your product and leave your contact number on the About section. The most effective social media profiles today are built on entirely-new dynamics with their audience. Whether it’s by producing entertaining-yet-meaningful content like a mini-series or video tutorials or using livestreaming to interact with your audience in real time, you have to realise that every time a social media platform rolls out a new feature (such as vertical video ads on YouTube or shopping on Instagram Stories), you can find a way to take advantage of the said feature in one way or another.
The main takeaway here is this: never stop adapting new facilities to connect with your customers. We all know that social media marketing is a cutthroat industry, and failing to continuously update your strategy is the fastest way to get left behind.
Not taking advantage of available tools and resources
Tools and resources like Facebook and Pinterest Analytics should be integrated to the core of your marketing strategy. Why go to the battle blindly when you can make well-informed strategies beforehand?
Analytics tools and resources help you customise your marketing tactics according to what techniques actually work best and what actions drive real, tangible results. When using these said resources, make sure to take note of the following:
- Noticeable trends in your audience reach and retention
- What types of posts actually drive engagement
- What types of posts cause spikes in your follower count
- What actions, if any, result to loss of followers
Analysing the data will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses so you can adjust your strategy accordingly. This will result to improved efficiency, effectiveness, and consequently, higher ROI. I mean, that’s what we all really want, right?
If you need extra help in producing kick-ass social media strategy, you may always give us a call or send us an email. Our team of social media marketing ninjas will be glad to help you out.
