Simple Social Media Marketing Mistakes That You Should Learn To Spot And Correct
Social media marketing is practically a "must" in today's fluid shopping environment. If you aren't using social media to market your business, then you appear out-of-touch and behind-the-times to customers. However, using social media poorly can actually be worse than not using social media at all. Clumsy efforts can drive away would-be customers and can cost your business. While there are sound principles that you should learn about social media marketing, many of the mistakes made when using social media to advertise are transparent and easy to correct; below are some of these simple, but potentially deadly, mistakes and what you can do to keep them from derailing your social media marketing campaigns:
Misspelled words and grammar mistakes
Two of the easiest mistakes to make when using social media advertising are misspelling words and using poor grammar. This can happen in any marketing campaign, of course, but the problem becomes more acute on social media due to the failure of business owners to use professionals to manage campaigns. As such, social media messages are often sent without proper checking for spelling and grammar.
When using social media, performing spell checks and grammar checks can benefit your efforts greatly. That's why you should utilize word-processing platforms to create and edit your social media messages; once you are satisfied with the spelling and grammar, then you can cut and paste the content to the social media platform for distribution.
Inappropriate content
Another mistake that can cost businesses is the use of inappropriate content on social media. Using "edgy" content may seem trendy, but it is likely to alienate a substantial number of potential customers if the content is carried too far or crosses certain boundaries. That is why avoiding the use of content that references race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion will help prevent your social media marketing from falling into controversy. If you aren't sure if something is appropriate, then test it with trusted friends or hire a marketing consultant who will respond with an honest, confidential assessment of content appropriateness.
Confusing message
Another problem that can affect social media marketing is conflicting or confusing messages. This can easily occur if you aren't careful to keep your messages aligned with one another in a strategic sense. Each message should fit into a larger, overall plan and keep the flow of marketing information consistent, with each message building off the previous one. Before you send a message to customers, check that doesn't conflict or counteract what was previously said, promised, or done. Customers will spot inconsistencies quickly, and you may find yourself in an awkward spot of having to explain why you changed your business direction without warning.
Poor timing
In business, timing is critical, and using social media at the wrong time, either too early or too late, can cause your marketing to fizzle. This means knowing when to broadcast your message is key to making it as effective as possible. If you miss out by sending a message too early, then you may lose momentum and sending a follow-up message may not make the same impact. Of course, sending a message too late is obviously problematic.
Though timing may be obvious in certain situations, it isn't always intuitive, and that is where researching windows of opportunity for specific social media platforms can be of tremendous help. Help in researching these windows is available from consultants who are familiar with social media dynamics, if you aren't comfortable performing your own research. In addition, it's not enough to know in a general sense when to time your social media marketing. Each platform is different, and knowing when and when not to use them individually is key to avoiding wasted efforts.
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