Even if you’re getting most things right, there are some mistakes that you might not even realize that you’re making. Do you know what is the biggest threat to successfully integrating social media into your daily marketing strategy? Is it the growing list of outdated posting habits? Inefficient engagement practices? When you’re integrating social media into your marketing, you have to learn how to use it properly and maximize your time so that you are not simply wasting your time. Most are unsure of where to start, but here are seven ways to recognize you might not be spending your time on social media productively.
1. You have no audience
Don’t make the mistake of joining every network. It’s an unrealistic goal to be fully active on all channels. Don’t spread yourself so thin that you’re not connected with your primary audience. You need to have an audience that wants to hear your message, and cultivating that demand across multiple channels can prove difficult and frustrating. You must target your outreach so your audience will grow. If you think you’re wasting too much time on platforms which aren’t producing results, then it’s time to narrow your focus.
2. Your content doesn’t resonate with your audience
You must create content that resonates with your audience’s interests and needs — this means having a content strategy! This will act as your North Star to guide you as you create social content that matters to you and your audience! Start by developing a template for the content you produce and getting a better understating of who your followers are, especially the ones you want to convert into leads and customers. Be sure to keep it relevant and simple, and provide clear paths to your audience for engagement. Focus on quality content that will increase brand awareness to your channels and ultimately, your following as well. Remember: Great digital content lives at the intersection of cultural relevance and brand voice. That means crafting your narrative around what people are actually talking about.
3. You don’t engage or include calls-to-action in your posts
Learn to manage and leverage the opportunity into a sale by giving your followers direction. The only way to build a relationship and trust is to invest the time to engage in conversations. The more you engage, the more people will see you in their timelines, and that’s the exposure you need in order to be seen as an authority on a given topic and grow your business. Offer solutions — if people need help, let them know they can reach you on social media by your consistent activity. People appreciate the opportunity to share their questions and concerns. Real-life rules apply online. Be human. Respond. Engage. Entertain. Care. The ROI of good feelings is brand loyalty.
4. You don’t have a clear social media strategy
Why are you using social media in the first place? How does it support your business goals? Your social media strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. Start off by answering the tough questions. A strategy is a clear explanation of how you’re going to get there. An effective strategy is a plan on how to reach your objectives. A marketer with a strategy has a framework through which to plan, prioritize, execute, measure and optimize. This will lead to better overall results. Determine what kind of content you’ll post, where you’ll post it, when you’ll post it, and what your goals for posting are. A consistent mix of raw photos, professional graphics, videos, GIFs, livestreams, infographs and curated content works best in most cases.
5. You’re tracking the wrong metrics
Social media is all about connections and relationships. It’s a two-way conversation, but a lot of people make the mistake of making it a one-way broadcast. The days of push marketing, which is forced down people’s throats, is gone. Success is no longer about page views. You should be focusing on how you can be useful to your connections and provide value upfront. Success on social media is much different than it is in traditional media. If you measure your success according to outdated metrics, that is a sign you might be wasting time. Click-through rates give you insight into what your target audience is actually engaging with. Keep an eye on social media shares that shows which content is interesting enough for your audience to spread throughout their networks.
6. You post too much or not enough
When it comes to your posting routine, consistency is key. You don’t want to overload your followers, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to post multiple times a day! Pay attention to the trends of your metrics. The content of your followers is influenced by an algorithm, so when you find out how often you should be posting, you will see an increase in followers. Just maintain balance by joining in on the conversation and sharing useful links and info. Your audience needs to know — and to be reminded of you and your brand. Even if you’re not dropping new content daily, follow-up in the comments and don’t leave people hanging. The number one way to organically boost content on Facebook and Instagram is comments – not likes or shares. Get active in the comments and your content will pop back into people’s feeds.
7. You’re broadcasting rather than conversing
Social media is as it suggests, social. If all your updates plug into your products, your audience will be turned off. Make sure you’re using your accounts to respond to questions, track mentions and engage in a dialogue. Link to blogs, mention the products and services you’re promoting, share before/after results, and plug any sales or promotions that are going on. Find a balance that works for you.
Social media can be a powerful tool for your business, but you need to know how to make the most of it. Focus your social efforts in the right direction and you’ll avoid wasting time and opportunities. If you don’t, it’s easy to make mistakes that cost you time, money and customers.
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