4 Social Media Mistakes That are Holding Your Business Back

Social media can be an excellent way to boost your brand and business, but only if you’re using it correctly. There are a few ways that it could actually be holding your business back, rather than helping it grow. Read on to find out if you’re making any of these social media mistakes:

Not updating frequently, or at all

This may be the most obvious of all the social media mistakes that many businesses make. You created an account on the popular social media channels, added some information to your profile, linked to your website, and then simply let it sit. Potential customers do a quick search for you on the site, and are met with a dull, out of date feed.

There are several reasons why this may be the case, and they’re all easy to fix. One reason is that you forgot you created your account. Another may be that you can’t find the time to post. You may also be at a loss as to what you should be sharing.
First, if you’ve overlooked social media, stop right now. Make a commitment to updating your profiles and pages as soon as possible. If you’re struggling to find time to post, you need to outsource the task. If you’re not sure what to share, then that takes us to the next mistake you’re making.

Not having a strategy in place

It’s time to start looking at your social media accounts as a tool that you can use in your marketing plan. Come up with a strategy for posting and sharing so that you can maximize the value of your accounts.

And if you find it all too overwhelming, coming up with content and then sharing it on your accounts are 2 tasks that are ideally suited for outsourcing, too. This will allow you to avoid spending your time on content creation. You can simply approve the material and ensure that the editorial calendar is set up and executed throughout the month.

Not engaging or interacting with your audience

Think about the social media accounts of businesses that you follow. Your favorites are probably the ones that respond to their audience, reply to questions, and interact in a friendly way. Now ask yourself why you aren’t doing that, too.

Your followers are there because they want to hear from you. They want to be entertained, informed, and gain insight. They aren’t interested in being blasted with promotions or boring announcements about your products and services.

If all you’re doing is sending out links to your own site, advertising your products, or hyping up your own business, your audience is going to tune out. Shift your focus to be more interesting and engaging so that you’ll attract their attention and keep it.

Not staying on brand

If you do have your social media accounts up and running, updated frequently, and are building a following, there’s still another mistake you could be making. You may be posting content that’s unrelated to your brand and business, and it could be confusing customers at best, and at worst, driving them away.

Make sure that what you share is professional and appropriate. Remember that each platform requires different content. Not all content needs to be shared everywhere. And not all content is suitable for every social media platform. Stick with what your business knows and does best, and avoid social commentary on other topics. Your target audience will appreciate it.

Need help improving your engagement on your social media platforms? Struggling with what content to post? Give us a call at (978) 219-9788 or contact us here.