10 Things You are Doing Wrong with Social Media

 

Social media is a major marketing tool for any business in today’s world. As much as this is advantageous, you could be missing out a lot. Even worse, you could be causing more problems for yourself or brand because of how you’re handling your social media.

I have decided to give you a quick list of 10 things you’re doing wrong with your social media. Ultimately, these may be responsible for the low performance your social media is into right now. So, let’s get to it…

 

#1 You are ignoring your followers

The mistake a lot of people make is that they fail to respond to the one comment they keep getting. Sometimes, it’s that one person that keeps commenting on your every post. However, you need to realize that responding to that one person is important. Doing that is what encourages the vast number of other people to comment and engage with your posts.

If you’re running a business, you need to give your followers or customers that exclusive customer service experience. That’s exactly what social media is about. Think of social media as an extension of customer service department.

Also, customers who are dissatisfied with your product are more likely to reach out to you on social media. If you aren’t monitoring this, then you’re setting yourself up for customer service problems. Believe me; you don’t want that to happen.

Photo credit: Small Pond Enterprises

 

#2 You are using just any picture as your profile picture

When running any business, you need to look the part. Yes, especially on social media! This is the case with the traditional business system, but even much more with social media.

You need to be able to give your best even with your choice of profile picture. The worse part of this is people who use a low quality picture as their profile photo.

Social media is a visual world as much as it is a virtual world. Your profile picture alone paints a perspective in the minds of your followers. So, if you want good business, then, appear ready for business!

 

#3 You are trying to be everywhere at once

There’s the silent belief for most people that drives them to want to be on all platforms. That’s completely wrong!

Of course, be on as much platforms that works for your business as possible. However, you need to know the limit. You need not be stressed over being on every platform… And no, there’s no rule that says you must be on all platforms.

What you can do instead is to take your time to understand your kind of business, and what platform suits you best. Then you can go ahead to understand the interface and language of those platforms, establish, and build up from there.

 

#4 You are probably treating social media like it’s a boring, tedious chore

This probably applies to people who fall in the “not-so-social kind of person” category.

If you feel social media is too much work – especially the idea that use have to post another new content. Then, you end up treating it as just one other item on your to-do list – chances are; people can feel your negative attitude.

It cripples your creativity! Two solutions to this; either change your attitude – and get a better grasp on how fun and effective social media can be. On the other hand, you could hire someone to run your accounts for you.

Photo credit: farogbarn.no

 

#5 Your posts are disconnected from your mission

Social media can be used to publicise and push anything. However, your social media should be an extension of your organization.

Your posts should be connected with your “brand,” or mission. Always constrain yourself to stay on topic.

Your mission is what attracts people to your organization on social media. It’s what people are interested in, and that’s what you should share with them. Keep people engaged with the reason why your organisation exists in the first place.

 

#6 You are not telling people you’re on social media

You really can’t build a social media presence by just setting up an account. Get people to know you’re there. Use every opportunity to let people know you’re on a particular social media channel.

Everywhere you can think of. Include links in your email, on your website, in your newsletters, and so on. You should even publicise them at events as well.

Commenting on other peoples’ posts is a good way to establish a presence in the community. This is a good way to announce your presence on any channel you set up.

 

#7 You are not integrating social media with your website to get people to take action

You have a website? That’s great! But you haven’t integrated your social media to get people to take action? That’s bad, bad!

If you can place a lot of information on your site like your contact info, photos, services, staff bios… You should as well link your website to your social channels. Link your website from your social media posts.

Once you’ve engaged people, then you can send them to your website for different reasons. Whether it’s to buy, to support, volunteer or give, and even to represent you and your cause.

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#8 You are not posting consistently

Social media has its optimal number of posts. Post too much, and you might end up chasing people away. Post too little, and you might get your audience disinterested and unexcited with you / your social presence.

Read on the Optimal LENGTH of all online content here

However, not knowing the optimal number of posts is not the only mistake you can make. You can as well post unpredictably or inconsistently. Don’t wake up one day, and go ahead to post 4 times without any spacing; …and then nothing more. Rather, you should spread them out throughout the day.

Instead of posting six times in a week and then disappearing, rather post twice a week over three weeks. People need to constantly be reminded that you’re there.

 

#9 You are trying to sell your product or service immediately

Social media selling is quite different from the traditional selling. You are not expected to only try to sell to people with every slight opportunity you get.

There’s a relationship build up that’s expected to take place first.

When you connect with new people, the worst thing you can do is to “push” a sales pitch at them. People are not interested in getting bombarded with sales offers.

Rather, have a deeper look at their profiles, get to know them, identify their needs, and their pain points. An important part of a sales process is getting to know your prospects and establishing relationships with them.

You probably appear like every road vendor out there when you try to just sell to people. Which in most cases, you actually appear to be just intrusive. So, it doesn’t look good. Just stop it. Besides, it doesn’t make you any good sales.

 Photo credit: Naijalife Magazine

 

#10 You are responding unprofessionally (and having a bad day is not an excuse)

I think it has somewhat become a trend to troll customers on social media these days. Customer service couldn’t have gotten worse than that!

I always say; relating with customers on social media is not supposed to be different from the offline interactions. Customers are said to be always right. In the same way, responding / interacting with customers ought to match our offline practices.

Just because we are not having a face to face discussion with a person doesn’t allow for disrespect. Responding to customers or prospects unprofessionally is perhaps the easiest way to ruin your reputation or your brand’s.

It is not always easy to accept criticisms or negative feedback. However, it is essential to have a professional plan on how to deal with that.

Anything that’s said online practically lives FOREVER. Even when you try to delete and rephrase some comments, you sometimes end up realizing somebody already has a screenshot.

So, be entirely good natured, whether you’re responding to negative comments or positive posts as well. Social media is a two-way communication channel – it´s about conversations. Every word you speak represents your brand!