“What is there to get on social media?”
Social media is a vast ocean of opportunities (and mistakes) for businesses. It has broken boundaries and stereotypes that were hitherto impossible years ago. Through social media, it is now possible for the Lagos-based fisherman to showcase his produce to the Canadian-based doctor.
This was not possible before the advent of social media. We have also seen businesses scale beyond proportion through nothing beyond the utilization of opportunities presented by social media. The benefits of social media advertising for your businesses are almost too numerous to enumerate in a single article.
8 Things You Might Not Be Doing Correctly on Your Social Media.
1. Not Having a Social Media Strategy
“Why are we doing this?”
A mistake brands make is going into social media without having a strategy. In fact, many brands see drafting a social media strategy as a garb of formality, which would not matter in the long run. This is erroneous and signals that such a brand is derailing. Besides being a posting plan, a social media strategy is a placeholder for all important variables for your brand’s success. Before you go on that posting spree, please have a strategy.
2. Jumping on Every Trend
“Esther was black, bro. Oh, keep quiet!”
Trends on social media are an opportunity to gain more traction in terms of engagement, reach, and even conversion. However, a lot of brands delve (pardon my AI) into every trend that comes their way. This could make a brand lose its tone and identity in the long run. Every brand has to niche down and relate to or actively participate in trends that are within its niche or that its target audience relates to. No matter how attractive an ongoing trend might be, it is best sometimes to look between T and U on your keyboard before jumping on it.
3. Ignoring Emergent Platforms
“Spread your eggs, Karen.”
Quite a number of brands operate within the social media triangle of Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Whatsapp. A few go over and beyond to look into LinkedIn and Reddit As much as these platforms are huge, focusing on them can be a mistake, especially when brands ignore emergent platforms where their audiences are. Brands should always carry out due diligence in researching a platform with a high concentration of their desired audience.
4. Ignoring Audience Engagement
“The comment section of your post is not a piece of decoration.”
Brands primarily use social media to showcase their products and services. This is great, except that it does not work any longer. Social media is a two-way street where you not only tell customers by way of showcasing your products and services but also listen to them as they interact and make necessary changes. Your brand should be built on the needs and aspirations of the customer, not what you think they need. By ignoring audience engagement, you are likely not going to be on the same page with your audience.
5. Community Building
“You need a lot like you.”
Most brands aim to make sales. This is good, except that, to really succeed on social media, you need to build a community of loyalists. This group of people relate to your content beyond engaging your brand. They do this through word-of-mouth, referrals, and positive reviews. This is sure to slash your marketing budget, eventually saving you the stress of throwing one more dollar into advertising. Aim for loyalists. Aim for people who would relate to what you do, nurture them into loyalists, and watch your brand grow.
6. Ignoring Analytics
“What are those figures anyway?”
Social media platforms offer lots of data that could potentially be the game-changer in your brand’s social media journey if and only if you look into it. These figures are the ultimate answer to every question about your brand’s social media approach. Analytics also show if it is working at all. Rather than take these analytics for granted, study them, adjust your strategy accordingly, and watch your brand grow from strength to strength.
7. Overlooking the Power of Visuals
“Just download a picture from Google.”
An obvious truth most brands turn a blind eye to is that everyone is doing the same thing you do: having an active handle, posting consistently, and what-not. This means one thing: you need a differentiator. The easiest way to stand out amidst the competition is through appealing visuals. Most experts recommend the purple cow approach. Your visual strategy should not be slap-dash. You should focus on standing out positively. Remember that your audience is also being targeted by competitors, and only when you stand out will they pay attention.
8. Lacking Consistency
“Why do you think consistency is called the key?”
Many brands lack consistency. From the frequency of their posts down to their content pillar and brand identity,. Consistency is very important in Social Media brand building. Create a content calendar and stick to it as much as you can. Engage your audience as much as possible. This way, you stay top of mind and will always be remembered when your audience needs your product or service because you are always in their faces.
Eventually, social media remains a huge pool of opportunities one can always grab a piece of pie from. This is, however, largely dependent on your ability to maintain a social media strategy relating only to trends within your niche, looking at emergent platforms, engaging your audience, building a community of loyalists, keying into analytics, investing in appealing visuals, and being consistent in your tone, frequency, and brand messaging.
