Social media is vital to the success of a business. That's a given these days, but making the jump from simply having a social media presence and having a successful one seems to be the unicorn of digital marketing. Bigger companies and well-funded start ups can pour the GDP of a small country into financing apps, pay per impression campaigns and an entire team to manage content. But for unfunded creatives the time spent pouring out blogs, status updates and tweets can feel like banging one's head against the wall. When frustration hits, the thought of throwing in the towel and heading back to the days of email lists and paying for adds can be pretty tempting, but before packing it in hear me out: Maybe the problem isn't social media.
Maybe the problem is you.
Put away the pitch forks and douse those flaming torches! It may be hard to hear, but it's time for some tough love. Because truth be told everyone at some point has made one of these mistakes. As business owners we get so wrapped up in the drive to pull in customers and grow that we forget the "social" part of social media. The good news is these common errors are easy to correct, and with a little forethought they're even easier to avoid.
1. Don't Talk Only About Yourself
The first step to successful social media is to remember that it's all about developing relationships. The most successful companies gain fans and clients by connecting emotionally with their fans. As such, most advice that applies to dating, applies to your social media. And what's the first thing you learn when you start dating? No one likes a person who only talks about themselves. If the only content you're putting out into the digital universe is sales pitch after sales pitch, then you've not given users any reason to care. You don't want to be bombarded by a sea of ads on your newsfeeds, why would your fans? Instead, try listening! Ask questions in your posts, and encourage conversation. Check out trending topics or hashtags to find conversations that your fans are already engaging in. Remember The Golden Rule: 70% of your content should educate, entertain, or enrich, not be an advertisement.
2. Don't Fit Square Pegs in Round Holes
This is the number one biggest crime committed on social media on a daily basis. I'd be hard-pressed to name a single business that hasn't been guilty of this at one point or another. In short: don't assume that what works on one platform will work on another. Fans of Gary Vaynerchuck will be familiar with the term "native content". That means not treating Twitter like Instagram, and not treating Facebook like your blog. Take the time to learn best practices for each of the platforms your brand has a presence on and keep them in mind with every single post (don't worry we'll be delving into these ideas in upcoming blogs!). 30 or more hashtags may be perfectly acceptable on Instagram, but it's a sure fire way of getting ignored on Twitter. And did you know Facebook updates with 140 characters or less rank best in engagement?
This may sound daunting. Juggling content for three social platforms and a blog on top of actually running your business can feel like more work than it's worth. The advent of social automation allows you to post one piece of content across multiple platforms may see like a God send, but think it through. In an ideal world customers become brand ambassadors that follow you across multiple platforms (helping to spread your message on every site). But if following you on Pinterest allows them to see every photo from your blog then why should they ever click through to your site? (I'm looking at you Apartment Therapy!!) And if every picture you've ever taken ends up on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook why would users want to follow more than one? Decide what content works best where, and then use other platforms to give teasers and create a conversion funnel!
3. Don't Be Spam
There are two kinds of party guests that no one likes: The One Who Won't Stop Talking, and The One Who Interrupts. In the context of our party, these are easy to spot. In the world of social media that can be harder. The notion of "more is more" can be very appealing, but it can also be a quick way to have your brand's page hidden or muted. A thousand posts a day might make your brand noticeable but not in the way you want. The same goes for brands that interrupt ongoing conversations, particularly when that brand is only jumping in to advertise for itself.
Take food magazine Epicurious for example. After the terrible bombing during the Boston Marathon, the magazine tweeted their condolences along with a recipe for Cranberry Scones. We've all heard that the way to a man's heart is through their stomach, but I can guarantee you Epicurious wasn't winning anyone's heart that day.
Jumping into trending conversations can be a great opportunity to raise brand awareness and gain new fans, but make sure your brand has something to say that is unique and helpful to the conversation. And for God's sake read it over before you post!
4. Don't Go Negative
We've all been there. You're under the gun for a deadline, not enough hours in the day and the client from hell is emailing yet again with some crazy demand. The temptation to head to social media and tell the world about it can be intense. Maybe you'll even try to convince yourself you're just "educating future clients" on proper etiquette, but at the end of the day negative is negative. Social media is a lot like shouting in a public square: everyone hears everything. Even if by some miracle that oh so lovable client happens to not see your post, you never know who else is reading. Complaining, or talking down to your audience can ultimately alienate potential clients and reflects more poorly on your brand than it does on those problem clients. On days when you can't resist venting try turning it around. Ask your fans for advice in a general way that doesn't call anyone out, or simply ask how they turn a bad day around. One thing people love on social media is sharing their opinion. Take a bad moment and turn it into an opportunity to connect.
Social media for business doesn't have to be a mystery and it most certainly doesn't have to be a chore. By avoiding these douch-making sins, your brand has the opportunity to foster real relationships that turn fans into loyal customers.
What do you think? Did I miss any? What's your biggest social media pet peeve?
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