Some business owners think social media marketing involves little more than posting an attractive photo online and waiting for comments to roll in. But this is a trap that leads to hard work with little reward. To get it right, and enjoy the full advantages of social media, you must first understand what not to do.

5 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Social Media Marketing

1. Focusing on Quantity Over Quality

Many brands think that by posting four or five times per day, they can extend their reach and gather more audience members. But social media is more complex than this tactic. To illustrate, the Facebook algorithm prefers quality posts that resonate with readers. This means that by limiting your posts, you may in fact touch more people. Carefully choosing your content also ensures you post only the best and most relevant information from your catalog.

2. Engaging on All Platforms

Each platform your business engages on requires time and effort. You must create content tailored specifically for each platform, engage with audience members, and review analytics. Such labor makes it difficult to know where your target audience really is.

We recommend you consider your social media profiles and identify which are performing for your brand and which are not. Perhaps Instagram yields better results than Snapchat, meaning you should move away from the latter and focus on the former. The extra time you suddenly have will help you double down on your efforts and enjoy even more engagement with readers.

3. Sharing Only Your Own Content

If you’re like most business owners, you probably focus on posting your own content exclusively. After all, the goal is to drive fans to your website, not your competitor’s, right? 
Again, the answer is more complex than it might at first seem. Marketing to your audience isn’t necessarily the same as growing your fan base, and you want to do both on social media. Mixing up the content you share, provided it’s well-written and engaging, can increase your brand awareness and allow you to speak to a larger audience. In short, you should share content from other brands when it seems appropriate to do so. 

4. Ignoring User-Generated Content

At its heart, user-generated content is a vote of confidence for your brand. Fans write reviews, snap photos, and publish blog posts that promote your products and services. Others find this content more trustworthy than simply listening to your own descriptions of your products and services. Content generated by real customers also gives footing to your brand’s promises and increases your credibility.

5. Forgetting to Brand Your Content

Branding is your identity to the world. Even if you regularly post great content that imparts value to your audience, your efforts are in vain if you lack consistent branding. This doesn’t mean your images all need to be identical, but a common theme should link all of them. Think about Nike, a brand known for sharing messages of action and activity. 

Knowledge of common social media mistakes can help you create a thriving online presence and generate more engagement. But the pitfalls listed here aren’t the only ones you must be aware of, meaning you may need help spearheading your social media efforts. That’s why we’re here – to connect you and your customers using smart, engaging content. Learn more about our services by contacting STAT LEAD Marketing today.

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