Have you found yourself struggling to stay on top of social platform updates and the "latest" changes?
We don't blame you. New features and functionality are rolled out on every single platform, daily, and if this isn't the only hat you're wearing, it can be tough to keep up. We've broken down the latest best practices tips and flipped the script; instead of telling you what TO DO, here are some things NOT to do based on the latest industry changes.
So, what are the most common mistakes that brands make on social media?
We’re breaking down the top 5 mistakes made on social media every day so that you can avoid them:
Over-posting:
Gone are the days when brands are expected to or rewarded for posting 3x/day on every social media channel.
Given how crowded these platforms are and how much content is shared on each channel every minute, the best practices have shifted in recent years.
It’s better to focus on quality versus quantity when it comes to content marketing as a brand. Posting three valuable and humanizing pieces of content a week is a smarter strategy than posting six semi-decent pieces of content a week. Keep your posting frequency consistent so your audience will know when to expect your latest updates.
Keep in mind that every channel has its own unique algorithm that takes into account so many different factors when deciding when and how often to showcase your organic content. Because of this, over-posting might mean that you’re literally competing against yourself for eyeballs in the algorithm.
Pro tip: If you’re going to post multiple times per day on the same channel, space your posts out by at least 2 hours to set yourself up for the best chance at getting both pieces of content shown to your audience.
Not Having A Target Audience:
If we asked who the target audience for your content is, and you answered with “everyone,” we’re here to share the tough reality that it’s actually no one.
One of the biggest mistakes that brands make is not taking the time to develop a customer avatar/buyer persona. A customer avatar is a fictional representation of your ideal customer, and you need to have one in order to create great content.
By developing an avatar, you will know exactly who you are speaking to; you’ll know what keeps them up at night, what problems they have, what goals they want to achieve, what brands they love, the music they are into and the platforms they spend the most time on.
Having this audience base defined is critical so that you don’t waste time crafting content that doesn’t resonate with them.
By using buyer personas, you will ensure that your content is valuable, informative and engaging for your ideal audience.
Pro tip: Develop a buyer persona(s) and think of this specific customer as you create your content.
Promoting Too Much:
In case you forgot, social media is called social media for a reason; we’re here to be social.
While you absolutely have the right to include calls to action in your content and try to drive sales from social, that should not be your main objective when being on social media as a brand.
Social media is a tool for building relationships and creating community; your main focus on these platforms should be to craft interesting, valuable, and engaging content that you know your audience craves. That is what drives organic reach and engagement; by focusing on your organic efforts, you will be able to amplify your paid marketing efforts on these channels.
However, focusing too much on sales and being overly promotional in your content, could threaten to be offputting for your fans, and ultimately could affect your engagement causing your organic reach to plummet. The algorithms are smart enough to know when you’re being salesy.
Pro tip: Use the 80/20 rule when it comes to promotional content. 80% of your content should be value-based, helpful, and informative, whereas 20% of it can be sharing about your latest product or asking your fans to purchase.
Waiting For Perfection:
We know that you care about the quality of your content, especially videos.
Here’s the thing: so many brands make the mistake of waiting for perfection in order to get started on social media. The result? >> They end up doing nothing.
Nobody is going to come knocking on your door and begging you to create better content. Nobody is going to hand you a permission slip to make a video sharing the story behind your brand.
You have to stop waiting for everything to be perfect and just get started where you are, with what you have.
Your smartphone is typically fully equipped to make a high-quality video that shares the WHY behind your brand. Your smartphone can easily capture moments of your team working on a project behind-the-scenes to share on Stories or turn into a Reel.
Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress because your production value and equipment matter a whole lot less than your message.
Pro tip: Pick one goal that you’ve been putting off and make a commitment to start it today. Maybe that’s starting a live show for your brand OR doing a talk-to-camera InstaStory.
Not Using Video:
Last but certainly not least, the biggest mistake that we see brands making is not using video.
Video is so powerful and one of the best ways to cut through the digital clutter and create a connection with your audience.
Video content is prioritized as the form of content for every social media platform algorithm, meaning it can be a game changer when working to capture attention and build brand awareness for your business.
While it can be intimidating to start, it’s actually not as hard as you think. You don’t need a professional camera and/or an in-house videographer. Your team is talented enough to get started and once you start putting your face out there as a brand, you’ll see how much more engagement you drive!
Pro tip: Record one video this week - sharing about your brand and why you started the business - that you will post on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Bonus points if you post it to ALL of them!
Putting It Together:
Social media is one of the best ways to connect with your customers and share information about your business. However. there needs to be a strategy behind how you leverage your platforms.
By avoiding these five social media mistakes, your brand will effectively use these platforms to capture attention, articulate your message, build relationships and deliver exceptional experiences to your audience that drives repeat and referral business for years to come.
What do you think? What are some things you've done with your brand that might not have worked out how you expected... and how did you remedy the issue?
We’d love to hear from you to add it to the list!
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