Dipping your toe in the pool of social media is easy. But easy doesn't mean foolproof. Here's a few classic mistakes to avoid as your business gets more into social media marketing:

Old Content

It used to be said that "content is king", however, these days fresh content is the key. People will soon tune out or not re-visit your page if your content is old and stale. Keep your content updated and the frequency should be determined by your audience's expectations.

Spam

Don't irritate your followers by spamming them or writing self-obsessed content. Each time you abuse your readers' trust you will lose some of them. Respect your audience and give them rich content that is of interest/value to them.

Fake Friends

Social media marketing is ultimately about generating business. Fake friends can't view your website, book an appointment and, certainly, won't make a purchase. You don't need to have 10,000 followers to be successful, so focus on quality rather than quantity (and don't even think of purchasing a list).

Mixing business with personal

I once visited a business' twitter page that included photos of the owner at his 40th birthday dressed as Keno ball! While some clients may not have a problem with personal content, it is best to create separate accounts for your personal posts.

Leaving your profile incomplete

Partially completed profiles look unprofessional and communicate a poor first impression. When you sign up for an account, take the time to complete the profile information immediately.

Not measuring

How do you know if your social media marketing is successful? Don't just go on a hunch or gut-feel. Social media sites and your website provide a lot of tools for collecting this data, so use them. Decide on what you are trying to achieve e.g. brand awareness, website traffic, newsletter subscribers and find the right tool for the job (more on this another day).

Avoid these common mistakes and you'll be on your way to social media success.

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Posted in: General, Strategy