Almost everyone who owns a smartphone today has an account on at least one of the most popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
So it’s safe to say social media has and continues to make a mark in everyone’s lives. If statistics are anything to go by, over four billion people are currently using social media as one of their communication tools.
As such, any entrepreneur can tap into this market and grow their brand. All you need is a little creativity and a working strategy.
However, some entrepreneurs still find it hard to attract new customers via social media despite all the resources found online. Other business owners have been able to incorporate this technology into their business effortlessly, but there are some rookie mistakes that they commit from time to time.
If you’re looking to reap maximum benefits from social media marketing, here are some of the most common marketing mistakes that you should avoid at all costs:
Like any other successful mobile marketing campaign, the main idea is to grow your brand and bring more people on board. However, some business owners take this as an opportunity to brag about businesses and spam their audience’s timelines with unnecessary posts.
While this will still give you the publicity you crave, the disadvantages outweigh its benefits.
For one, you’ll be disturbing your potential clients. Remember, you’re not the only reason why most of these people are online. And trying to push your content without any clear strategy in mind does more harm than good.
Many prospective customers might lose interest in your brand even before learning more about it because of your constant posts and push notifications.
Effective engagement on social media, especially for an upcoming business, demands that you try the ‘wingman technique’. In other words, you’d rather let people sing praises about your brand rather than having everything come from your handle.
Apart from the enhanced credibility, the number of posts will be distributed across various accounts, making it less straining to any social media user.
Perhaps one of the reasons many people end up spamming their audience is because of trying to gain consistency. There’s a massive difference between consistency and spamming, which any online business owner trying to make a mark in social media must know.
However, a significant percentage post new content once in a while without any specific pattern, which can be a deal-breaker for any potential customer.
To avoid making this mistake, you must know that you should come up with an excellent strategy to guide your times of posting.
Let people know when to expect new posts from you, and make sure you follow this schedule to a tee and post regularly. Remember, the aim is to gain more potential customers, engage them and reap the benefits of social media marketing.
Some business owners have already mastered the art of consistency, but what’s still dragging them back is whatever they post on their accounts. This is a mistake that can significantly affect how people view your page.
For instance, if your business sells healthcare equipment or your service involves delivering first aid courses, try as much as possible to base your content on the medical industry.
More people will be attracted to your brand in the long run because of how relevant and helpful your posts are to their problems. However, trying to mix two or more unrelated subjects will only confuse your audience, and that’s one sure way of losing even the most loyal followers.
In the same breath, avoid irrelevant hashtags at all costs. The fact that a subject is trending on Twitter doesn’t mean you should use the hashtag to push your brand. Many people make this mistake with the hope of gaining more consumers. Of course, it may work for you, but it could also bring more disadvantages than benefits to your business.
For one, people might see your irrelevant posting as being desperate, spammy and untrustworthy, especially if you’re targeting clients in finance. Also, using an irrelevant hashtag means the customers you want to browse your products and services might not be able to see your posts.
For example, if you’re into gaming and you used a hashtag focussing on online banking, there’s a very slim chance of you reaching your desired audience. Therefore, relevance should always be your priority in your social media marketing strategy.
You can always post relevant content and still be entertaining. Social media isn’t only a mode of communication, but also a source of entertainment for many people.
Therefore, being too serious in your posts may be informative, but that can eventually become pretty boring for the audience. Remember, there’s a lot of competition in every field, and yours is no exception. As such, consumers have various alternatives, whenever they feel that your page is dull and less engaging.
To avoid losing your loyal customers, you can use videos and images as part of your posts. Memes, for instance, have become a mainstay in today’s social media engagements.
Leveraging this strategy can go a long way in attracting new followers while keeping the current ones. However, be careful not to go overboard in your memes and videos; after all, you’re still working on building a reputable brand.
Conclusion
Social media marketing has become one of, if not, the main marketing channels in the 21st century. Regardless of their size, every business has at least one social media account to update their customers and advertise any new products.
However, many marketers make the mistake of spamming potential consumers with frequent adverts on social media. Doing so may only irritate the audience, and that’s something you’d want to avoid.
Others have the following they need but are inconsistent in their content creation. It’s important to schedule your posts and make it a habit so that your followers will know when to expect new content.
However, consistency may not win your customers if your posts are not relatable to whoever is reading. Therefore, make sure you consider relevance throughout your marketing. Do these, and you’re sure to grow your business with social media.
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Mashum Mollah is an entrepreneur, founder and CEO at Viacon, a digital marketing agency that drive visibility, engagement, and proven results. He blogs at BloggerOutreach.io.
