The Art of Social Media Marketing: 8 Common Mistakes to Avoid + Free Hashtag Calendar
By: Jennie Lyon
Tags: Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing, Virtual Assistant Service, Virtual Assistant, Digital Marketing Agency

There are undoubtedly a lot of opportunities for an entrepreneur. I know; you’re probably overwhelmed with excitement! But the truth is, if you want to be successful in business, you’ll have to face one reality: social media is one of the most important tools in a modern entrepreneur’s marketing arsenal. Social media marketing has changed the way businesses reach their customers’ hands down.

Social media marketing is the rocket fuel that makes your content go viral. The problem? It can be pretty difficult for many entrepreneurs to strike a balance between engaging consumers and to be focused on their core business. If you’re not careful, though, you can easily transgress the unwritten laws of social media, and that will cost you time and money. If you’re a business owner on social media, then you’ve probably made at least one of these eight common mistakes; that’s if you haven’t made them all.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to use social media marketing to boost your business’ brand and sales. I’m here to teach you the strategies I’ve used successfully with businesses ranging in size from a startup to multi-figures. If you want to take advantage of the power of social media marketing, this is the place to start!

Working Without a Plan

Posting aimlessly. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself spending a LOT of time on social media posting content that no one finds interesting. Instead of letting your schedule fly by like the wind, why not use it to plan out the content you want to put online? You know, all that batched content you knocked out a few weeks ago, use that. 🙂

Assuming Your Audience is Everyone

Just because you have a Facebook page doesn’t mean everyone who likes your page will use your services or buy your product. The more channels you’re on, the higher your chances of getting more fans and followers. But here’s the thing: Fans and followers are no good if they don’t use your services or buy your product. Segment your audience into different groups, and target each group with content that appeals to them. Don’t just think about your brand; think about your customer. If you’re not in their shoes and understand what they need, you’ll have a hard time understanding how to reach them. If you try to reach everyone, you’ll reach no one.

Buying Followers

This is a biggie. If you’ve ever bought followers, you’re not alone. Many people who are starting in social media marketing think that buying followers is the answer to their woes. It seems logical — the more followers you have, the more credible your account will appear. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. If you want your company’s social media accounts to go viral, you need to ensure your content is relevant and engaging. Buying followers will only hurt you because it makes it look like your company has something to hide.

Choosing the Wrong Tone

To reach your audience effectively, you have to choose the right tone of voice for each medium. For example, on Twitter, people are likely to respond well to a direct approach that asks them a question or tries to draw their attention in some way, whereas Facebook posts tend not to do as well when they’re too pushy and sales-oriented. Don’t be afraid to experiment with using language on social media. Quirky, clever, funny — whatever works for you. It’s up to you to figure out what will work for your business. The best way to find out is to explore different tones and then do some A/B testing to determine what works best for your audience.

Using Irrelevant Hashtags

You’ve probably heard the term ‘hashtag’ before, but do you know how to use them correctly? Hashtags can be beneficial for staying on top of important topics and keywords related to your business, but like most things in life, they are only helpful if used correctly. That’s why you should make sure that your hashtags are actually relevant to your audience — otherwise, they’ll end up looking like gibberish, or worse, like an oddity that belongs at the Darwin Museum.

Hashtags are your friend — you just have to choose the right ones.

However, hashtags will not tag themselves. If you want to be successful with hashtags, you’ll have to do some legwork. Hashtags are essential for promoting your content and making it accessible to a broader audience. That being said, I’ve compiled a list of seasonal hashtags — use these, and your holiday content will definitely stand out!

Staying Silent

Social media is a big ol’ conversation. And if you want your voice to be heard, you need to throw yourself in there. The world is talking about you every day. Are you talking back? If someone’s talking about your brand online, there’s no better time than now to chime in! Social media provides marketers with an opportunity to interact directly with customers on their own terms (i.e., when they’re actually thinking about your brand!), which helps build customer loyalty and advocacy better than almost any other marketing tactic out there today.

That’s why staying silent during major socializing is a big mistake that can cost you, clients, and customers. Your social media strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. Yes, it’s true. In fact, the simpler you can get, the better. All you need to do is make yourself available for people to reach out to you at the end of the day. Don’t make what should be a fun and social experience into a chore; nobody would do it if it were.

Deleting Negative Comments

Negative commentary can do a lot of damage to your brand, so it’s important to be prepared to respond sensitively. Don’t fear your critics. Instead, use them to your advantage! If you can ignore negative commentary rather than delete it, you’ll be rewarded with positive comments and a positive brand image.

Always remember to be sensitive when responding to negative comments on social media, or else you may come across as offensive or even desperate. The best way to approach it is by not deleting it at all. Criticism is a valuable asset to your business and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Being Unremarkable & Unbending

Many social media marketers assume that the only way they can make something go viral is if they use controversial topics or images to get attention — but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. People are drawn to content that is interesting, valuable, and relevant to them or just makes them smile. Seriously. Have you ever seen a viral post about a cute dog or funny meme? Exactly. So make sure you are regularly sharing fresh, fun, and new content that your audience will love.

With so many social media sites, it’s tough to know where to post your content. You may have even made some mistakes listed above without realizing it! If you’re ready for a Social Media Audit and want more guidance on how best to use each network, reach out today. We’ll talk through your goals with you and then provide suggestions about what channels are most effective at achieving them based on our expertise in digital marketing strategies that drive sales online.

If you’re just getting started with social media marketing or need a fresh perspective on your efforts, let’s get started now. Ready?

So What Did We Learn?

Working Without a Plan — Instead of letting your schedule fly by like the wind, why not use it to plan out the content you want to put online?ite with your target audience in mind but make it engaging. Assuming Your Audience is Everyone — If you try to reach everyone, you’ll reach no one. Buying Followers — Buying followers will only hurt you because it makes it look like your company has something to hide. Choosing the Wrong Tone — Don’t be afraid to experiment with using language on social media. Quirky, clever, funny — whatever works for you. Using Irrelevant Hashtags — Hashtags can be beneficial for staying on top of important topics and keywords related to your business, but like most things in life, they are only helpful if used correctly. Staying Silent — The world is talking about you every day. Are you talking back? Deleting Negative Comments — Always remember to be sensitive when responding to negative comments on social media, or else you may come across as offensive or even desperate. Being Unremarkable & Unbending — Marketers assume that the only way they can make something go viral is if they use controversial topics or images to get attention — but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

With so many social media sites, it’s tough to know where to post your content. You may have even made some mistakes listed above without realizing it! If you’re ready for a Social Media Audit and want more guidance on how best to use each network, reach out today. We’ll talk through your goals with you and then provide suggestions about what channels are most effective at achieving them based on our expertise in digital marketing strategies that drive sales online.

If you’re just getting started with social media marketing or need a fresh perspective on your efforts, let’s get started now. Ready? Schedule a consultation.

Links for this episode:

Schedule a Consultation

Holiday Hashtag Calendar

Weekly Social Media Checklist

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