Social media has become a fundamental resource when it comes to marketing a business. Although being exposed in this vast platform brings plenty of attention from the public, how do you know you’re using social media properly for your business?
Understandably, start-ups and businesses who are new to the social media game tend to use this platform in the wrong way. Although it can become a bit complex in the beginning, the important thing is to have fun and learn along the way. Additionally, keep in mind that negative feedback can be used to improve the experience for the customer and the business as well.
One common mistake that small businesses do on social media is post the same exact status update to every social media account they have. For example, linking the Facebook account to their Twitter and Instagram, therefore sending the same update to all accounts. All social media platforms serve a different purpose and reach a specific audience. What works on Instagram might not necessarily work for Facebook. People’s attention to your updates and posts may become skewed due to lack of authenticity since they see the same post throughout different platforms.
Another frequent misstep is using your personal account as a business account. Although most people begin their social media journey with a personal account, keeping it separate from your business is essential. It makes you look more professional and you can leave all personal things behind like politics and religion, which may interfere with a potential customer’s ability to pick you. Not only is creating an account completely free, but it’ll also help you keep a healthy balance between your personal and professional life.
Spreading yourself too thin by wanting to be in multiple social media platforms is also a common mistake. Trying to be in too many platforms will eventually cause a business to lose focus and perform at a mediocre level on all their social media accounts. The best way to handle this is focusing on the top 3 platforms which receive the best feedback and provide superb results for your business. This will allow you to invest enough time and effort in order to master the craft.
The frequency on which you post (or don’t post) is also a common error most businesses overlook. Like most things in life everything needs a balance, even a social media account. Posting too often can cause your audience to want to tune you out and ignore your updates. On the other hand, posting too little or infrequently can cause you to blend in and be forgotten about. A good tip is researching statistics on how often to post according to the social media platform. Remember, all platforms are different and the audience’s voice is the ultimate priority!