If you are truly serious about your business then you will definitely want to create an online voice in order to promote your services and gain more outreach. But in order to do this, you will have to invest a lot of time (and even money) in order to grow your page. There are many methods which will make the growth of your website possible including search engine optimization and social media practices. Nevertheless, the most important part of business branding is making correct use of social media. Expanding your reach and attracting loyal costumers can be very difficult, and it is not enough to simply set up a social profile and wait for people to come on their own.
In order to utilize the power of Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus or Pinterest you have to invest your energy wisely, learn how to be social and monitor your activity correctly. In case your strategies are not proving effective, here is a list of the most common mistakes, and how you can correctly fix them:
1. You’re Not Focusing on the Right Networks
I have read countless of blog posts about social media, where many make-belief experts state that the most lucrative way of attracting traffic is by being active on social networks. Although this tactic might work for certain businesses, in most cases it is counter-productive and I will tell you why. First of all, the average user isn’t active on all social mediums. A blogger might be active on all of them because he wants to attract readers, but you are searching for potential clients. Before setting up a social profile try to figure out where your ideal clients spend most of their time. For example, many business women between the age of 35-50 use Pinterest (this is important information because it is these woman that have a powerful urge to buy stuff). Facebook, on the other hand, is usually (ab)used by adults between the age of 18-29.
In conclusion, I recommend that you perform research prior to investing in your social media profile. If you find two or three platforms that meet your criteria, you can expand your reach on them. Remember, if you build an epic buyer persona profile, you will definitely take your business to the next level.
2. You are not Using Content Properly
I can honestly not remember how many times I have stressed the importance of creating high-quality content. It is true that content is king, but it is not only written content that you should worry about. Social media networks are the perfect place for you to post an interesting video, infographic or image. Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Facebook are heavily reliant on visual content, and failing to provide them will eventually be detrimental to your campaign.
The solution to this problem is quite simple: learn to use other types of content, especially if the platform which you are promoting it on is visually-dominant. Please note that brands which have stater to focus on images and videos rather than text and links have recorded a significant increase in engagement. Last but not least, you can’t use social networks simply to promote your work You should also curate and share other people’s content if you don’t want to seem pushy or self-centered. Use hash-tags, and stick to a healthy ratio of 12:1 original content in order to establish authority.
3. You’re Not Using Analytics
Do you think that the social success of your campaign is dictated by the number of followers, tweets, likes or shares you receive? If the answer is yes, then you are definitely approaching things the wrong way. Instead of having 20.000 likes from people who ignore your newsfeed, isn’t it better to have 3000 who constantly check your updates? Failing to track metrics means that you are superficial, and you will never receive the results you want as long as indulge in the gravest of all social media sins: ignoring analytics.
Calculating engagement and follower growth may seem like a daunting task but it can easily be done with the help of social dashboards and plugins that have been made available online.
4. You are Not Proactively Involved
The purpose of all social platforms is for people to be social, and if you think that posting content on these mediums is a one-way street you are definitely going to loose valuable clients. Don’t just post content or share images, also reply to people’s comments, like things that they have posted etc. If your social media strategy lacks time dedicated for engagement you won’t be able to nurture your relationship with others. According to recent studies 42% of social media users expect a response to customer service queries in due time.
As is the case with many businesses, you might run into some negative feedback, but if you choose to ignore it don’t think that it will go away. You have to solve problems, answer politely and try to make up for your mistakes or you will definitely lose your credibility. You many want to take a day off, but Facebook might not let you. Focus on solving customers’ problems, dedicate time to replying to comments and schedule posts.
In conclusion, these are four possible problems that might be holding your company back. Obviously, there are also other things you should consider in your social campaign like: failing to listen, not posting at peak hours, not optimizing content or simply not posting enough. We learn as we experience new things, and as long as you are open to change you will definitely evolve.