Every industry or profession has rookie mistakes to avoid. Social media marketing is no different. Even though our version of marketing hasn’t been around for a very long time, seasoned pros have learned from their mistakes and tweaked their approach. If you’re just starting to represent your brand on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Pinterest, you might find yourself making the following mistakes:
1. Inconsistent posting. When you first sign up, you might be all gung-ho about social media. And then, it hits you. You start to realize that this stuff takes a lot of time and effort. And guess what? There’s no break. Each of your social media accounts needs a consistent stream of both original and curated content so you’re always in the forefront of your customer’s eye. If you post something every other day, it will turn to every other week, then every other month, and so on. After a while, you’ll forget all about social media and your brand will suffer for it. Daily posts are necessary. Of course, this is where scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Buffer are life savers. You should have a week’s worth of content on deck and ready to send out to your content-hungry masses.
2. Failing to use imagery. So you’ve spent all that time crafting compelling copy, and no one is paying attention to it. What’s the problem? Without some form of visual aid, a social media post will only get so far. Be sure to incorportate a variety of videos and pictures into your brand’s strategy. What kind of images are you drawn to? Most people’s eyes flock to bright colors, action shots, simplistic fonts, and clear-cut focal points.
3. Ignoring the data. There is a lot of data when it comes to social media marketing, and it might be a tad overwhelming. Trust me, all this info can be both a blessing and a curse. But whether you’re trying to understand current trends or analyze your engagement rates, data is available to help. Every piece of the social media puzzle is worth your time. Many marketers that are new to social media will keep on doing the same thing over and over again, regardless of their failure to compel an audience. Instead of adapting, they’ll blame the social media marketing system. But they have the solution in the form of analytics. Data allows you to alter your approach in an educated way. Is something not working the way it should? Change it!
Social media marketing takes time, creativity, and analysis. Let’s face it, folks – it isn’t easy. However, it can be a whole lot easier if you avoid these three rookie mistakes! Having patience with yourself is also important. Every social media pro had to try and fail and try again to get the hang of this industry and they continue to tweak their strategy every day.
You’re not alone! From our many books to ecourse, our resources are available to you! Contact us today to jump on board!
