Firstly, you may be thinking, why do I even need social media? Well, the simple answer is that this is where your audience and competitors are. But more importantly, social media helps to increase brand awareness, engage and build relationships with customers, and generate sales leads. In fact, 68% of consumers follow businesses on social media to stay informed on their products/services.
With the ever-growing research and evidence supporting the positive impact social media has on businesses, many organisations are facing the task of getting up to speed or getting left behind. However, within the world of social media, there are a few mistakes brands make as they miss out on some crucial elements. Carry on reading to discover whether your business is making these social media mistakes.
1.Inconsistency
It is important that brands post content consistently by following a well-thought-out schedule. Posting on Instagram 5 times in one week and then zero the next is a prime example of inconsistency. A consistent posting scheduling shows your audience that you are committed, professional and trustworthy in your industry. It also helps to build a more reliable, yet authentic image of your brand.
In addition to posting consistently, it’s crucial to ensure your branding and house style is consistent. This means using the same fonts, colours, imagery, and your logo throughout each of your social media posts. Switching these elements up means that your content will not appear recognisable and may create confusion among your followers. A consistent and recognisable house style reinforces professionalism and trust.
2.The Impersonal Approach
Creating strong customer relationships over social media improves customer loyalty and creates a positive image of your brand. These strong relationships often rely on a more personal approach. This involves activities such as providing tailored customer support, listening to feedback, and sharing user-generated content (UGC). Businesses that fail to include these practices in their strategy are less likely to build strong customer relationships and encourage loyalty.
4.Selling Over Interacting
Whilst social media can be incredibly useful for promotional means, using it solely to sell can be a big mistake. Social media is built around interaction and users value authenticity over constant promotion. When a brand focuses solely on selling, it risks alienating its audience and losing their interest by coming across as insincere or overly transactional. Here are some ways you can interact with your audience and build a community:
- Use polls and questions to spark discussions
- Create quizzes – learn how to boost engagement with Instagram quizzes over on our blog.
- Showcase customer testimonials
- Reply to comments, direct messages (DMs), and mentions
- Highlight stories and share how products are made or be transparent about your practices
- Share behind-the-scenes glimpses
94% of business leaders found that social media has a positive impact on brand loyalty and reputation.
5.Following trends
A commonly overlooked practice is following social media trends. Being aware of current trends and following suit helps to build brand awareness, encourage engagement, and build positive perceptions of your business. Leveraging trends provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase your creativity and fun side, which helps humanise your brand and establish a more authentic image.
Participating in trending topics or challenges can also increase your visibility within the platform’s algorithms. By adding your own unique twist to trends, you can stand out and connect with a wider audience who may not have discovered your business otherwise. It’s also important to tie in your business and/or products to provide relevancy and generate leads. However, do not try to follow too many trends as this will dilute your content and they may get lost.
6.Ignoring Results
Social media now provides businesses with the opportunity to view page analytics and understand how their audience is engaging to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategy. If your followers show a stronger interest in educational or informative content, consider incorporating more of these posts into your content plan and schedule them during peak engagement times.
On the other hand, if promotional posts highlighting specific products or services generate higher engagement, don’t hesitate to share similar content more frequently. By paying attention to these analytics, you will gain a better understanding of your audience’s behaviour and can adjust your strategy accordingly. This should not be overlooked as it provides the valuable ability to create content that resonates and delivers results.
Social media for businesses is an invaluable tool that offers opportunities to increase brand awareness, build meaningful customer relationships, and generate sales. However, to truly harness its potential, it’s essential to avoid common mistakes such as inconsistency, impersonal interactions, overly sales-focused content, neglecting trends, or ignoring analytics. By staying consistent, engaging authentically, leveraging trends, and analysing results, businesses can create a strong, effective social media presence that resonates with their audience and drives long-term success. Implement these practices, and watch your brand thrive in the dynamic world of social media.
