As of 2022, the number of social media users globally stands at a whopping 4.62 billion, and the average amount of time spent on all channels daily is 2 hours 27 minutes. Now, more than ever, brands need to be at the top of their game when it comes to having a strong social media strategy. Here are eight mistakes to avoid if you want to keep up with the competition!
Too much promotion
Think about it on a personal level – why do you follow the social media accounts that you do? It might be because you feel connected to the brand and you empathise with its message, because the account posts interesting or funny content, or simply because you want to keep up to date with the latest company news. You aren’t following the account to constantly see promotions and sales messages.
Chances are, if promotions and sales messages are all your brand is posting on social media, you won’t be seeing the results you want. So make sure your content is engaging and fun and gives people a reason to follow you!
Being impersonal
This links back to my point about being too promotional. If all you are doing is promoting your products and pushing them onto people’s feeds, it comes across as impersonal. People are following you to find out about your brand and its history – they have already heard of you and most likely have already purchased from you at least once. Present your brand as an authentic one with a meaningful message, and put a human face to it by talking about the humans behind the company.
Removing negative comments
Rather than trying to avoid confronting an unhappy customer by removing any negative comments, show your followers that you are happy to engage in difficult conversations and come up with solutions that will keep your customers happy. Always be polite, even if you think the comments are undeserved or untrue.
Posting the same content on all platforms
Adapt your style of content and tone of voice to fit each platform. Think about the reason social media users are on each channel and what they want to see when they are scrolling through their feeds. The type of content people are looking for on TikTok is going to be very different to what they want to see on LinkedIn.
Using the wrong channels
Let’s be honest, if your target audience is a group of middle aged dads, do you think they’re going to be browsing through the ‘For You’ page on TikTok? Build a buyer persona for your product or service, and think about which social media channels they would be most likely to use. For example, if your company is B2B, you might be better off focusing your attention on LinkedIn, while if you are looking to target a younger consumer audience, Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok are your best bets.
Forgetting community engagement
Social media is about community. Engage with your audience and other brands by liking, sharing and commenting on posts, as well as responding to comments on your own posts. Start conversations on trending topics, ask questions and create polls to show your audience that you care what they have to say.
Not using video content
TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts- short-form video content is clearly the way to grab your audience’s attention on social media at the moment. Platforms are gradually moving towards the TikTok feed format due to its popularity, so this is a trend that no brand can afford to miss out on. And no, it isn’t a passing fad.
Posting low quality content
If you are using low quality images, poorly shot video content, or your page is full of stock photos, you aren’t going to see your account grow no matter which platform you’re on. People want to see bright, enticing and unique content that tells a story and matches the tone of your brand.
The image or video is the first thing a potential customer sees when they are scrolling – more so with ads – which means it’s likely to be their first impression of your brand. If Cariad had poorly-made graphics or blurry photos on our Instagram page, you wouldn’t want to use us for our social media services would you?
If you want support building a social media strategy that increases brand awareness, website traffic and leads, get in touch on [email protected] or give us a call on 01992 582 824.
